Ropes-i-man- Allen (CA) 1941 Todd/Sonkin LOC REC
[From Library of Congress; part of Voices from the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin Migrant Worker Collection, 1940 to 1941. Also titled: Ropesman, Ropesman, Hold Your Rope.
R. Matteson 2015]
Ropes-i-man, Ropes-i-man, Hold Your Rope - Sung by Vernon Allen, Shafter FSA Camp, August 9, 1941. To listen: http://www.loc.gov/item/toddbib000216
Ropesiman, Ropesiman, hold your rope
A little while
For yonder comes my father dear
He's rode a many a long mile.
O Father, dear Father, have you brought your gold
To buy me free?
Or have you come for to see me hang
To this decidal tree?
O daughter, dear daughter, I've brought no gold
To buy you free
I only came for to see you hang
To this decidal tree.
O ropesiman, ropesiman, hold your rope
A little while
For yonder comes my mother dear
She's rode a many a long mile.
O Mother, dear Mother, have you brought your gold
To buy me free?
Or have you came for to see me hang
To this decidal tree?
O daughter, dear daughter, I've brought no gold
To buy you free
I only came for to see you
hang To this decidal tree.
O ropesiman, ropesiman, hold your rope
A little while
For yonder comes my sister dear
She's rode a many a long mile.
O Sister, dear Sister, have you brought your gold
To buy me free?
Or have you came for to see me hang
To this decidal tree?
O sister, dear sister, I've brought no gold
To buy you free
I only came for to see you hang
To this decidal tree.
O ropesiman, ropesiman, hold your rope
A little while
For yonder comes my brother dear
He's rode a many a long mile.
O Brother, dear Brother, have you brought your gold
To buy me free?
Or have you come to see me hang
To this decidal tree?
O sister, dear sister, I've brought no gold
To buy you free
I only came for to see you hang
To this decidal tree.
O ropesiman, ropesiman, hold your rope
A little while
For yonder comes my lover dear
He's rode a many a long mile.
O Willie, dear Willie, have you brought your gold
To buy me free?
Or have you come to
see me hang To this decidal tree?
O yes, O yes, I've brought you my gold
To buy you free
And you will not be hanged
To this decidal tree.