Still More Ballads and Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands
by Mellinger E. Henry
Source: The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 45, No. 175 (Jan. - Mar., 1932), pp. 1-176
STILL MORE BALLADS AND FOLK-SONGS FROM THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
COLLECTED BY MELLINGER E. HENRY
[Abbreviated references: Jovrnal, Journal of American Folk-Lore; Cox, Folk-Songs of the South; Campbell and Sharp, English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians; Wyman and Brockway, Lonesome Tunes; Pound, American Ballads and Songs; Reed Smith, The Traditional Ballad and its South Carolina Survivals; Scarborough, On the Trail of Negro Folk-Songs; Sandburg, The American Songbag; Shoemzaker, North Pennsylvania Minstrelsy; Barry-Eckstorm--Smyth, British Ballads from Maine; Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; Pound, Syllabus, Folk-song of Nebraska and the Central West: A Syllabus; Gray, Songs and Ballads of the Maine Lumberjacks; Hudson, Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore; Shearin and Combs, A Syllabus of Kentucky Folk-songs; Barry, Ancient British Ballads (a privately printed list); Belden, A Partial List of Song-Ballads and other popular poetry Known in Missouri. Second Edition (1910); Lomax, Cowboy Songs and other Frontier Ballads; McGill, Folk-Songs of the Kentucky Mountains; Colcord, Roll and Go Songs of American Sailormen; Combs, Folk-Songs du Midi des Etats-Unis.]
I. THE TWA SISTERS. Child, No. 10
A. Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Miss Cora Clark, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 12, 1929. Campbell and Sharp (No. 4) quote four versions, one from North Carolina and three from Virginia. Pound (No. 4) gives the N. C. version from Campbell and Sharp and a Missouri version imported from Kentucky from H. M. Belden's "Old Country Ballads in Missouri", Journal of American Folk-Lore, XIX, p. 233. See also Sharp: Folk-Songs of English Origin, 2nd series, pp. 18-21; Cox, No. 3; Gray, p. 75; Hudson, No. 3; Journal, XVIII, 130; Kittridge, Journal, XXX, 286; Cox, The School Journal and Educator (West Virginia), 1916, XLIV, 428, 441 -442. Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia, No. 5 (eleven versions); Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Pound, Syllabus, p. 11; Barry-Eckstorm-Smyth, British Ballads from Maine, p. 40; Belden, No. 2; Barry, No. 3; R. W. Gordon; New York Times Magazine, Oct. 9, 1927, p. Io. Add Barry, Journal, XVIII, 130-132 (two texts: A with air, B reprinted in Barry-Eckstorm- Smyth, 40-41; Gray, 75); Sharp MSS., Harvard University Library: several texts with airs, collected in the Southern Highlands. The present text with the exception of a few verbal differences is close to that in James Watt Raine's The Land of the Saddle Bags, Richmond, 1924, p.118, which is the same as that of Richardson and Speath's American Mountain Songs, New York, 1927, p. 27, though no mention is there made of the source. Prof. Raine says of this ballad (p. 117): "Many of the ballads have a refrain in which all the auditors may join. Sometimes the refrain has no connection with the story, as in the short lines of 'The Two Sisters'. 'Bowee Down!' and 'Bow and balance to me!' are a remnant from an old dance jingle, which was occasionally sung by dancers even after the music was furnished by the fiddle. 'Bowee' was originally 'Bow ye' but it has dropped the 'y' and become 'bowee', as is common inScottish familiar speech. The triple repetition of the first line in every stanza is a frequent characteristic of ballads, - it gives intensity to the tale."
In connection with B and C, both from Mrs. Harmon, it will be interesting to note Mr. Phillips Barry's remarks, quoted in the headnote of No. 5 of this collection, from the Bulletin of the Folk-Song Society of the Northeast, No. 2, p. 6, that C on the authority of Child is more nearly complete in its theme than A and B of this group. He says: "According to all complete and uncorrupted forms of the ballad, either some part of the body of the drowned girl is taken to furnish a musical instrument, a harp or a viol, or the instrument is wholly made from the body" (English and Scottish Popular Ballads, edited by Helen Child Sargent and George Lyman Kittredge; Cambridge, 1904, p. 18).
1. There lived an old lord by the Northern Sea,
Bow'e down!
There lived an old lord by the Northern Sea,
Bow and balance to me!
There lived an old lord by the Northern Sea
And he had daughters, one, two, three.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
2. A young man came a-courtin' there,
Bow'e down!
A young man came a-courtin' there,
Bow and balance to me!
A young man came a-courtin' there
And fell in love with the youngest fair.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
3. He bought the youngest a beaver hat,
Bow'e down!
He bought the youngest a beaver hat,
Bow and balance to me!
He bought the youngest a beaver hat;
The oldest sister didn't like that.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
4. The sisters walked down to the river brim,
Bow'e down!
The sisters walked down to the river brim,
Bow and balance to me!
The sisters walked down to the river brim;
The oldest pushed the youngest in.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
5. "Sister, O sister, lend me your hand,"
Bow'e down!
"Sister, O sister, lend me your hand,"
Bow and balance to me!
"Sister, 0 sister, lend me your hand;
I'll give to you my house and land."
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
6. She floated down to the miller's dam,
Bow'e down!
She floated down to the miller's dam,
Bow and balance to me!
She floated down to the miller's dam;
The miller pulled her safe to land.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
7. From off her finger he took five gold rings,
Bow'e down!
From off her finger he took five gold rings,
Bow and balance to me!
From off her finger he took five gold rings
And then he threw her back in.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
8. They hanged the miller on a gallows so high,
Bow'e down!
They hanged the miller on a gallows so high,
Bow and balance to me!
They hanged the miller on a gallows so high,
The oldest sister standing close by.
I'll be true to my love,
If my love will be true to me.
B. "The Two Sisters." Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 13, 1930.
1. Two little sisters loved one man,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
Two little sisters loved one man;
The boys are bound for me.
Two little sisters loved one man;
Johnny loved the youngest the little the best, -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love,
If she'll be kind to me.
2. Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat;
The boys are bound for me.
Johnny bought the youngest a beaver hat;
The oldest one thought hard of that, -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love,
If she'll be kind to me.
3. Johnny bought the youngest a gay, gold ring,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
Johnny bought the youngest a gay, gold ring;
The boys are bound for me.
Johnny bought the youngest a gay, gold ring
And never bought the oldest a single thing, -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love,
If she'll be kind to me.
4. Two little sisters going down the stream,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
Two little sisters going down the stream;
The boys are bound for me.
Two little sisters going down the stream;
The oldest pushed the youngest in, -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love,
If she'll be kind to me.
5. "Sister Martha, give me your hand,"
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
"Sister Martha, give me your hand;"
The boys are bound for me.
"Sister Martha, give me your hand;
You may have my house and land," -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love
If she'll be kind to me.
6. "Sister Martha, give me your glove,"
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
"Sister Martha, give me your glove;"
The boys are bound for me.
"Sister Martha, give me your glove
And you may have my own true-love,"
Says I'll be kind to my true-love
If she'll be kind to me.
7. "I'll neither give you my hand nor glove,"
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
"I'll neither give you my hand nor glove;"
The boys are bound for me.
"I'll neither give you my hand nor glove,
But I will have your house and love," -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love
If she'll be kind to me.
8. She floated down in the miller's dam,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
She floated down in the miller's dam;
The boys are bound for me.
She floated down in the miller's dam;
The miller drawed her safe to land.
Says I'll be kind to my true-love
If she'll be kind to me.
9. The miller robbed her of her gold,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
The miller robbed her of her gold;
The boys are bound for me.
The miller robbed her of her gold
But he plunged her into a deeper hole, -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love
If she'll be kind to me.
10. The miller was hung on a gallows so high,
Sing I dum, sing I dey;
The miller was hung on a gallows so high;
The boys are bound for me.
The miller was hung on a gallows so high;
Sister Martha burnt close by, -
Says I'll be kind to my true-love
If she'll be kind to me.
C. "The Two Sisters." Also recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 13, 1930.
1. Was two sisters loved one man,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
2. He loved the youngest a little the best,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
3. Them two sisters going down stream,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
4. The oldest pushed the youngest in,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
5. She made a fiddle out of her bones,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
6. She made the screws out of her fingers,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
7. She made the strings out of her hair,
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
8. The first string says, "Yonder sets my sister on a rock
Tying of a true-love's knot,"
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
9. The next string says, "She pushed me in the deep so far."
Jelly flower jan;
The rose marie;
The jury hangs o'er
The rose marie.
2. THE THREE RAVENS (The Twa Corbies) Child, No. 26.
A. "The Twa Corbies". Obtained from Mrs. Henry C. Gray, Route 3, Box 499, Terre Haute, Indiana. The ballad, therefore, does not come from the southern highlands, but came as a result of meeting Mrs. Gray while on a ballad-quest in the Great Smoky Mountains. It was copied by the writer from an end-paper apparently of an old bound volume of magazines in the possession of Mrs. Gray. Just as the text was about to be sent to the printer, Mr. Phillips Barry pointed out that it is identical with the version in Cleveland's Compendium. It was then decided not to reprint the text. However, on Mr. Barry's suggestion it is again printed. He says in a letter of June 26, 1931:
"It seems to me that Mrs. Gray's text of 'The Two Corbies' might well be included in your collection with the other two texts. The use of Cleveland's Compendium was so universal in American high schools that it is not likely that Mrs. Gray's grandfather was the only person who learned the 'Two Corbies' from it. There is, after all, not so very much difference between a school-book and a broadside or a songster, when it is a question of giving a particular song text a new start in oral tradition. The volume of Vermont Folk-Songs and Ballads, just published by the Stephen Daye Press, Brattleboro, Vermont, has on pp. 19 ff., a song, 'Margaret Gray', sung to a variant of an air widely known among folk-singers. The song was written by Julia C. R. Dorr, and was first printed in 1868; apparently it was learned from a volume of her poems, and, having passed into oral
tradition became attached to the tune to which it was sung."
As Mrs. Gray was not certain that the ballad was copied down by her grandfather, it will be just as well to quote what she has to say about the song:
"I am very much afraid I can't help you greatly on the 'Twa Corbies'. As I have told you, it was in an old volume of bound magazines, that was among those given me by my quaker great-aunt. She lived to be a very old lady, and all her life had been a great student, and collector of china, books, lustre ware, etc. She read constantly and remembered all she read. She was a great one for clipping, and her books are full of clippings. This book that the ballad was found in, I believe, was among the hundred or so she bought of a church. Some one in a town north from here willed a lot of books to a church. They were stamped 'Good Shephard Library, Linton, Ind.' Some way or other they got down here to St. Luke's, an Episcopal mission. They were such books that the rector thought were not altogether fitting for a church library and at a church sale one time he sold them all. My Aunt, true to form, bought them all. This end-paper may have been in the book when she bought it or she may have put it in for safe keeping. It appears to be a fly leaf of an old volume; the hand writing resembles hers a tiny bit. Another complex: You recall that there were notes written on the other side. They strangely resemble my grandfather's writing. He was a surgeon, and traveled and studied abroad often. He brought Aunt Libbie many old books from London and Edinborough. This may have been in one of them. If only I had found them before Aunt Libbie died, she would have told me. Here is the case, as clear as a maze:
(1) It came from an old book from London or Edinborough.
(2) It was copied by some one abroad from printed matter.
(3) It was copied by some one abroad from memory.
(4) It was copied by Aunt Libbie from printed matter.
(5) It was copied by Aunt Libbie from memory.
(6) It was copied by some one in Linton who owned the book - from printed matter or memory.
Any way, some one fancied the selection at some time, and wrote it from memory or copied it, any time from twenty-five to a hundred and twenty-five years ago. It has not been recently copied, that I know, for that book had not been looked into for at least eight years and probably not for double that time. If it is Aunt Libbie's writing it was written at least thirty-five years ago. Her writing the last few years did not look like that. Personally I don't think it was Aunt Libbie's writing or even grandfather's on the other page, but father thought that it might possibly be."
Child reminds us that Scott says of "The Twa Corbies" that it was "rather a counterpart than a copy" of "The Three Ravens" (English and Scottish Popular Ballads, edited by Helen Child Sargent and George Lyman Kittredge, Cambridge, 1904, p. 45. Cf. also Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, London, 1839, p. 235). See Barry, No. 27; Campbell and Sharp, No. Io; Cox, No. 6; Davis, No. 10; Hudson, No. 6; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin, 2nd Series, p. 22; Reed Smith, Journal, XXVII, 63 and XXVIII, 201; Tatlock, Journal, XXXI, 273. B and C are fragments of "The Three Crows", a comic variety of "The Three Ravens". Cox in his head-note (No. 6) gives a number of references to the comic versions of the song. Add to these Heart Songs, p. 485. Parodies of the song may be found in Davis, No. 10 (appendices, P. 145). Mr. Barry sent the following comment: "The longer form of the song, which consists of Scott's text, expanded and altered by Allan Cunningham, was printed in 1825 in Cunningham's Songs of Scotland, Vol. I, pp. 289-290. He changed 'corbies' to 'ravens' in the first line. The editor of Cleveland's Compendium thought 'ravens' was neither archaic nor Scotch enough; he changed Cunningham's 'ravens' back to 'corbies'."
1. There were two corbies sat on a tree,
Large and black, as black might be;
And one the other gan say:
"Where shall we go and dine today?
Shall we go dine by the wild salt sea?
Shall we go dine 'neath the greenwood tree?"
2. "As I sat on the deep sea sand,
I saw a fair ship nigh at land.
I waved my wings, I bent my beak,
The ship sunk and I heard a shriek.
There they lie - one, two and three.
I shall dine by the wild salt sea."
3. "Come, I will show ye a sweeter sight,
A lonesome glen, and a new-slain knight.
His blood yet on the grass is hot,
His sword half drawn, his shafts unshot,
And no one kens that he lies there
But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair.
4. "His hound is to the hunting gane,
His hawk to fetch the wild fowl hame,
His lady's away with another mate;
So we shall make our dinner sweet;
Our dinner's sure, our feasting free;
Come, and dine by the greenwood tree.
5. "Ye shall sit on his white hause-banel [1];
I will pick out his boury[2] blue 'een;
Ye'll take a tress of his yellow hair
To theak[3] yere nest when it grows base;
The gowden[4] down on his young chin
Will do to sew my young ones in.
6. "Oh, cauld and base[5] will his bed be
When winter storms sing in the tree.
At his head a turf, at his feet a stone.
He will sleep, nor hear the maiden's moan.
O'er his white bones, the birds shall fly -
The wild deer bound, and foxes cry."
[1] Neck Bone.
[2] For Bonny. Cunningham has "bony".
[3] Thatch.
[4] Golden.
[5] Mistake for bare as also in stanza 5, line 4.
B. "The Three Black Crows." Obtained from Miss Mary Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, August II, 1930.
1. There were three crows sat on a tree,
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
There were three crows sat on a tree,
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
There were three crows sat on a tree,
And they were black as crows could be,
And they all flapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
And they all flapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
2. "What shall we have for bread to eat?"
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
"On yonders hill there lies a horse."
Old Billy McGaw McGee!
"We'll perch ourselves on his backbone,
And pick his eyes out one by one;"
And they all clapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
And they all clapped their wings and cried,
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
C. "Three Black Crows." Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 13, 1930.
1. There were three black crows
Sat in a tree.
Oh, Billy McGee McGaw!
And they were as black
As they could be.
Oh, Billy McGee McGaw!
They flapped their wings and crowed;
"Caw! Caw! Caw!"
3. THE CHERRY TREE CAROL Child, No. 54
Obtained from Miss Mary Wheeler, 504 Kentucky Avenue, Paducah, Kentucky, January 14, 1931. For American texts see Barry-Eckstorm-Smyth, p. 446; Campbell and Sharp, No. I3; Davis, No. 13; McGill, p. 60; Pound, No. 19 (McGill's text); Scarborough, pp. 6o-6i; Journal, XXIX, 293 and 294; XXX, 297; The Virginia Folk-Lore Society Bulletin, Nos. 4, 5.
1. Joseph was an old man,
An old man was he,
When he married Mary,
The Queen of Gallilee.
2. Joseph and Mary walked
Through a garden gay,
Where the cherries grew
Upon every tree.
3. And they heard while walking,
Angel voices sing,
"Lo, this night shall be born
Our Lord and Heavenly King.
4. "He neither shall be born
In a house nor a hall,
Nor in Paradise,
But within a stall."
4. BONNY BARBARA ALLAN. Child, No. 84.
A. "Barbara Allen". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Miss Mary Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929. This ballad was first printed in "The Tea-Table Miscellany," 1740, and next in Percey's "Reliques," I765. Reed Smith, No. 8, states ten texts have been discovered in South Carolina running from five to sixteen stanzas and declares, "Of all the ballads in America 'Barbara Allan' leads both in number of versions and number of tunes." He adds that it has appeared in ten song books and several broadsides. Cox, in his headnote, No. 16, says that twelve variants have been found in West Virginia. Campbell and Sharp, No. 21, give ten texts and ten tunes. C. Alphonso Smith quotes a Virginia version in "Ballads Surviving in the United States" (Musical Quarterly, 2, No. I, p. 120). James Watt Raine gives a Kentucky version of nineteen stanzas with tune in "The Land of the Saddle Bags" p. 115. Pound, No. 3, gives two versions, one from Missouri and one from North Carolina. See also Wyman and Brockway, p. 1; Adventure Magazine, March 10, 1925; ibid., March 10, 1926; New Jersey Journal of Education, Feb., 1927; Scarborough, 59; R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, Oct. 9, 1927; Josephine McGill, "Folk Songs of the Kentucky Mountains", 40; Mackenzie, "The Quest of the Ballad", 100; Reed Smith ("South Carolina Ballads", Harvard University Press, 1928), 129; Barry-Eckstrom-Smyth, p. 195; Belden, No. 7; Davis, No. 24 (ninety-two versions have been found in Virginia); Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, No. 9; Barry, No. 22; Heart Songs, p. 247; Pound, Syllabus, p. 9; Sandburg, p. 57; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; Shoemaker, p. 122 (2nd edition); Bradley Kincaid, Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old Time Songs, p. 14; Hudson, Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore, No. 13. Note also the following references to the Journal: Edmands, VI, 132; Belden, XIX, 285; Kittredge, XX, 256; Beatty, XXII, 63; Pound, XXVI, 352; Perrow, XXVIII, 144; Tolman, XXIX, 16o; Rawn and Peabody, XXIX, 198; Tolman and Eddy, XXXV, 343; Henry, XXXIX, 211; Hudson, XXXIX, 97; Henry, XLII, 268.
1. Early, early in the spring,
When the spring buds were a-swelling,
Sweet William Gray on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbra Allen.
2. He sent his servant to her town,
He sent him to her dwelling,
Saying, "Here's a message for the lady fair,
If your name be Barbra Allen."
3. Slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she went to him
But all she said when she got there
Was, "Young man, I think you're dying."
4. "Oh, yes, I'm sick, I'm very sick,
And death is nigh me dwelling,
But never, no better will I ever be
Till I get Barbra Allen."
5. "Oh, yes, you're sick, you're very sick
And death is nigh you dwelling,
But never no better will you ever be
For you can't get Barbra Allen.
6. "Do you remember in yonders town
When we were all a-drinking,
You handed wine to ladies all,
But you slighted Barbra Allen ?"
7. "Yes, I remember in yonders town
When we were all a-drinking,
I handed wine to the ladies all,
But my love to Barbra Allen."
8. He turned his pale face to the wall;
He turned his back upon them:
"Adieu, adieu, fair friends, to all,
Be good to Barbra Allen."
9. Slowly, slowly, she got up
And slowly she went from him,
She had not gone but a mile in town,
Till she heard his death bell tolling.
10. She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
She saw his cold corpse coming:
"Hand me down, hand me down that corpse of clay,
That I may gaze upon him."
11. The more she gazed, the more she wept,
Till she burst out in sorrow:
"There is a young man that I could have saved,
If I had done my duty."
12. "Mother, O mother, go make my bed,
Make it both long and narrow;
Sweet William died for me today;
I'll die for him tomorrow.
13. "Father, O father, go dig my grave;
Dig it both long and narrow;
Sweet William died for me in love;
I'll die for him in sorrow."
14. Sweet William died on Saturday eve,
And Barbra died on Sunday;
Her mother died for love of both;
She died on Easter's Monday.
15. They buried William in one church yard,
And Barbra in another;
And from his grave there sprang a rose
And from her grave a briar.
16. They grew to the top of the old church tower
Till they could grow no taller;
They twined and twirled in a true love's knot;
The rose clung to the briar.
B. Recorded in July, 1930, by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs.William Franklin, also of Crossnore, N. C., and the grandmother of Miss Mary Franklin. Mrs. Franklin says that she learned the song when she was a child. It is worthy of note that the elder could remember only a portion of the song whereas her granddaughter knows a fairly complete text.
1. Early, early in the spring
Green buds were a-swelling.
There was a young man taken down sick
For the love of Barbara Allen.
2. Sent his servants to her town;
Sent them to her dwelling, saying,
"There's a young man taken down sick
For the love of Barbara Allen."
3. Slowly, slowly she got up,
Slowly she went to him, saying,
"Young man you are very sick
And I think you are a-dying."
4. "Don't you remember in yonders town
We were a-drinking:
You hand a drink to all the young ladies
And slighted Barbara Allen?"
5. "Yes, I remember in yonders town
We were a-drinking:
I hand a drink to all the young ladies
And slighted Barbara Allen."
6. Slowly, slowly she got up,
Slowly she went from him.
C. Mrs. William Gavin Taylor, 6 Beech Street, Arlington, New Jersey, after listening to the two preceding versions, recalled hearing her mother of Boston, Massachusetts, sing the song, but could remember only the
two lines that follow:
"One kiss from me you ne'er shall have,"
Said cruel Barbarey Allen.
5. KING HENRY FIFTH'S CONQUEST OF FRANCE Child, 164.
A Traditional Ballad Not Hitherto Found in America. The following texts, A and B, of this ballad together with the headnotes are reprinted by courtesy of the New Jersey Journal of Education, Vol. XX, nos. 3-4, pp. 6-7 and the Bulletin of the Folk-Song Society of the Northeast, Number 2, pp. 5-6. The tune is printed for the first time here (see B). In regard to the texts A and B from the same source Mr. Phillips Barry remarks (Bulletin, p. 6); "One feature of the tradition, the preservation of two texts in the same family, is easily accounted for. Mr. and Mrs. Harmon are step-brother and step-sister; they learned their songs from the same source, namely Grandfather Hicks, from whom, apparently, the Harmon songs have come. That 'ballads run in families' is a truism. Certain aspects, however, of family tradition require closer study. It would be worth while to know why some ballads and not others have accumulated in the tradition of a given family." In the summer of 1928, some traditional ballads had been recorded from the singing of members of the Harmon family of Cade's Cove, Tennessee. Others were taken down by some individuals of the family and forwarded by mail. One of the most interesting of the latter is a fine text of the rare "Lamkin". Meantime this entire family of Tennessee mountaineers, numbering more than a dozen persons, was compelled to sell their property holdings to the Great Smoky National Park Commission and to remove to the mountains of northern Georgia. Though rather inaccessible and quite isolated, a visit was contemplated by the writer to their new abode during the last summer for the purpose of recording a promised version of "The Gypsy Laddie". Then the unexpected happened. On the writer's return from a camping trip to Thunderhead the entire family suddenly appeared in Cade's Cove for a visit. "Uncle" Sam Harmon and his wife "Aunt" Polly spent the best part of two days singing at the mountain cabin of the writer. Twenty-four songs were recorded, many of them traditional ballads from England, for "Uncle" Sam's grandfather, Hicks, emigrated from England to Watauga County, North Carolina, at the age of four years. "Uncle" Sam himself came to Cade's Cove when he was a boy. Some of the songs recorded are: "The Lass of Roch Royal", "The Gypsy Laddie", "The Farmer's Curst Wife", "The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin", "The Yorkshire Bite", "The Cruel Mother", "The Two Sister" (two texts), "The Goodman", "The Mermaid", "Sweet Trinity", "Lady Alice", "Broomfield Hill", "The Bamboo Brier", "Home, Daughter, Home", "I Loved a Lass", "Two Little White Babes", "The Lexington Girl", "The Butcher Boy", "King Henry the Fifth's Conquest of France", the ballad below.
A. (A is the text, as written down by Mrs. Harmon.)
1. The tribute due from the King in France
Had not been paid for so long time.
Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
2. He called to him his trusty page,
"Trusty page," lo he called he,
"Now away to the King in France,
Ay, to the King in France now speed-lee."
Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
3. He come unto the King in France
And fell down on his bending knees,
"My master here for the tribute due that was due to him,
That had not been paid for so long a time."
Pal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
4. "Your master young and of a tender age,
Not fitting to come under my degree.
Here I will send him these three tennis balls
And along with them he may learn to play."
Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
5. He marched back to his own land,
And fell on his bending knees;
"What news, what news from the King in France,
What news you brought to me?"
Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
6. "He said my master was young and of a tender age,
Not fitting to come unto his degree,
And he would send you these three tennis balls,
And along with them you may learn to play."
Pal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
7. As they marched through France -
Their drums and fifes so merrilee -
"Yonder comes proud Henery."
Fal lal the ral roddle, fal lal day.
B. The variant B was recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mr. Harmon. Stanzas 2 to 6 and 8 and II of this variant are identical with the Child text. Stanzas 13 and 14 could not be recalled.
1. As the King lay musing on his bed, -
The King of France owed a tribute due --
A tribute due was due to him;
It hadn't been paid for so long a time.
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
2. He called for his lovely page,
His lovely page then called he;
Saying, "You must go to the King of France,
To the King of France, sir, ride speedily."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
3. Oh, then went away this lovely page,
This lovely page then away sent he,
And when he came to the King of France,
Low he fell down on his bending knee.
Far laldry lol dally, for lol de day.
4. "My master greets you, worthy sir,
Ten ton of gold that is due to he,
That you will send him his tribute home,
Or in French land you soon will him see."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
5. "Your master's young and of tender years,
Not fitten to come into my degree,
And I will send him three tennis balls,
That with them he may learn to play."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
6. Oh, there returned this lovely page,
This lovely page then returned he,
And when he came to our gracious king,
Low he fell down on his bending knee,
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
7. "What news, what news you brung to me?
What news you brung to me?"
"No news, no news," says he,
"For with its news you'll never agree."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
8. "He says you're young and of tender years,
Not fitten to come into his degree;
And he will send you three tennis balls,
That with them you may learn to play."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lo de day.
9. "Not a married man,
Not a widow's son;
Nor a widow's curse shan't go with me."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
10. And then we marched into French land,
With drums and trumps so merrily;
And bespeaks the King of France,
"Yonder comes proud King Henery."
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
11. The first shot that the Frenchmen gave,
They killed our Englishmen so free;
We killed ten thousand of the French,
And the rest of them they ran away.
Far laldry lol dalla, for lol de day.
6. JAMES HARRIS (THE DAEMON LOVER) Child, No. 243.
A. "The House Carpenter." Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Miss Ronie Johnson, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 1929. Campbell and Sharp, No. 29, give eleven variants and tunes. Cox, No. 25, states that twenty-one variants have been found in West Virginia. Davis, No. 40, says that fifty-two texts and seven melodies have been found in Virginia. See also Barry, No. II; Barry-Eckstrom-Smyth, p. 304; Belden, No. ii; Hudson, No. 19; Pound, No. 17; Pound, Syllabus, p. Io; Sandburg, p. 66; Shearin, Sewanee Review, July, 1911; Shearin and Combs, p. 8; C. Alphonso Smith, Musical Quarterly, January, 1916; Reed Smith, The Traditional Ballad and Its South Carolina Survivals, No. II; Reed Smith, South Carolina Ballads, No. 12. Note also the following in the Journal: Belden, XIX, 295; Kittridge, XX, 257; Barry, XXV, 274; Kittridge, XXX, 325 ; Tolman and Eddy, XXXV, 346; Pound, XXVI, 360; Henry, XLII, 274.
1. "Well met, well met, my own true love;
Well met, well met," said he.
"I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And all for the love of thee.
2. "I will come in but I won't sit down,
For I haven't a moment's time;
I heard you were engaged to another young man
And your heart is no longer mine."
3. "Yes, come in and sit down
And stay a while if you can;
I am married to a house carpenter,
And I think he is a nice young man."
4. "If you will leave the house carpenter
And come along with me,
We will go where the grass grows green
On the banks of the deep blue sea in the land of sweet Willie."
5. She dressed herself in silk so fine,
Most glorious to behold,
And she marched up and down the street;
She shone like glittering gold.
6. She picked up her sweet little babe;
Kisses she gave it one, two, three,
Saying, "You stay at home with your poor old dad,
And keep him company."
7. She hadn't been gone but about two weeks;
I'm sure it were not three,
Till she fell down a-weeping on her true lover's lap,
And she wept most bitterly.
8. "Darling, are you weeping for my silver or gold?
Or weeping for my store?
Or weeping for your house carpenter
Whose face you shall see no more?"
9. "I'm neither weeping for silver or gold,
Or weeping for your store;
I'm just a-weeping for my sweet little babe,
That I'll never get to see any more."
10. "Oh, what are the white banks that I see?
They are white as any snow."
"They are the banks of heaven, my dear,
Where your sweet little babe shall go."
11. "Oh, what are the black banks that I see?
They are blacker than any crow."
"They are the banks of hell, my dear,
Where you and I must go."
12. She dressed herself in silk so fine,
Put on her blue and green,
And marched right out in front of him.
They took her to be some queen.
13. They hadn't been gone but about three weeks;
I'm sure it was not four,
Till her true lover's ship took a leak in it,
And sank for to rise no more.
14. Well, my house carpenter is still at home,
And living very well,
While my poor body is drowning in the sea,
And my soul is bound for hell.
B. "House Carpenter". Obtained from Cleophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, N. C., July 14, 1929, who had it from his great grandmother, Tilda Pyatte, of Avery County.
1. I once could have married a king's daughter,
And she would have married me;
But I forsaken the crown of gold -
Was all for the love of thee.
2. If you could have married the king's daughter,
I'm sure that you are to blame;
For I have married a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man.
3. If you'll forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I'll take you to where the grass grows green
And the banks of sweet relief.
4. If I forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
What have you to maintain me on
Or keep me from slavery?
5. I have five ships on the ocean wide
A sailing for dry land;
Five hundred and twenty bold seaman
Will be at your command.
6. She picked up her sweet little babe
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, "Go stay with your papa, my sweet little babe,
And keep him company."
7. She dressed herself in silk so fine
Most glorious to be seen.
As she walked along the shore -
Outshined the glittering sun.
8. But she had not been on the ship two weeks,
I'm sure it were not three,
Till she li-mented in her true-lover's ship
And wept most bitterly.
9. "Is it for my gold you weep?
Or is it for my store?
Or is it for your house carpenter
That you never shall see any more?"
10. "It is not for your gold I weep;
Nor it is not for your store.
I was just weeping for my sweet little babe,
That I never shall see any more."
11. She had not been on the ship three weeks,
I'm sure it were not four,
Till there sprang a leak in the true-lover's ship
And she sank to rise no more.
12. "A curse, a curse to all seamen,
A curse forever more!
They robbed me of my house carpenter
That I never shall see any more."
7. THE SWEET TRINITY (THE GOLDEN VANITY) Child, No. 286.
A. "The Merry Golden Tree". Sung by Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 13, 1930. Recorded by Mrs. Henry. This is one of the songs that came as a surprise in the summer of 1930.
The Harmons had given the impression in the summer of 1928 that they had sung all the songs that they knew. Mrs. Harmon says that she learned this song as a child. She probably had it from her husband (she married at the age of 12) who learned most of his songs from his grandfather on his mother's side, "Grand-Daddy" Hicks. He came from England in his fourth year.
For American texts, see Barry, No. I; Belden, No. 78; Campbell and Sharp, No. 35; Colcord, p. 79; Cox, No. 32; Davis, No. 47; Barry-Eckstorm- Smyth, p. 339; Hudson, No. 22; Journal, XVIII, 125 (Barry); XXIII, 429 (Belden); XXX, 331 (Kittredge); McGill, p.97; Pound, Ballads, No. Io; Shearin and Combs, p. 9; Shoemaker, p.126 (Second Ed.); Wyman and Brockway, p. 72. The present song is nearest in its wording to the Kentucky version of Wyman and Brockway. Cf. the English version with music in Sharp's One Hundred English Folksongs, No. 14. Cox points out that "A fragment of this ballad, combined with an additional stanza of a comic character, has been popular as a college song" and supplies the following references: "Waite, Carmina Colligensia (Boston, Cop. 1868), p. 171; The American College Songster (Ann. Arbor, 26 7ournal of American Folk-Lore. 1876), p. 101; white, Student Life in Song (Boston, Cop. 1879), p. 58." A fine text of the original ballad with the tune will be found in J. W. Raine's, The Land of the Saddle-Bags, p. 121. For a modern version of "The Golden Vanity" see John Masefield's A Sailor's Garland p. 175.
1. There was a little ship
In the North Amerikee
And it went by the name of
The Merry Golden Tree,
As she sailed on the lonesome Lowlands, low,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea.
2. There was another ship
In the North Amerikee
And she went by the name of
The Turkey Revelee
And she sailed on the lonesome Lowlands low,
And she sailed on the lonesome sea.
3. "O captain, O captain,
What will you give to me
To go and sink yon Turkey Revelee
And sink her in the sea,
As she sails on the lonesome Lowlands low,
As she sails on the lonesome sea?"
4. "I'll give you money,
I'll pay your fee;
I have a loving daughter that
I'll marry unto thee,
If you sink her in the lonesome Lowlands low,
If you sink her in the lonesome sea."
5. He bowed to his breast
And away swam he
He swum till he come
To the Turkey Revelee,
As she sailed on the lonesome Lowlands low,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea.
6. He had a little tool
That was fitten for to rule
And he bored nine holes
All in her hull at once,
As she sailed on the lonesome Lowlands low,
As she sailed on the lonesome sea.
7. There was some a-playing cards
And some a-playing check
And some was a-dancing on
The salt water deck,
As he sank her in the lonesome Lowlands low,
As he sank her in the lonesome sea.
8. They some with their hats
And some with their caps,
Trying to stop those
Salt water gaps,
As they sunk her in the lonesome Lowlands low,
As they sunk her in the lonesome sea.
9. He bowed to his breast
And away swum he.
He swum till he came to
The Merry Golden Tree,
As she sailed in the lonesome Lowlands low,
As she sailed in the lonesome sea.
10. "0 captain, O captain,
You good as your word?
Will you take me
Up on board ?
For I've sunk her in the lonesome Lowlands Low,
Oh, I've sunk her in the lonesome sea."
11. "I'll never be
As good as my word;
Nor neither will I take you
Up on board,
For you've sunk her in the lonesome Lowlands low,
Lord, you've sunk her in the lonesome sea."
12. "If it wasn't for the love
That I have for your men,
I'd do unto you
As I've done unto them;
I would sink you in the lonesome Lowlands low,
I would sink you in the lonesome sea."
13. He bowed to his breast
And away swum he;
He bidden farewell to
The Merry Golden Tree,
As he sunk in the lonesome Lowlands low,
As he sunk in the lonesome sea.
B. "The Golden Willow Tree." Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Ewart Wilson, Pensacola, North Carolina, August I, I930. "The Long Brown Path" in The New York Evening Post (p. 7) for August 22, 1930, has the following account: "Our unique experience came last Thursday when we sought out Big Tom Wilson's place on Cane River at the western base of Mount Mitchell. The road will not appear on the maps. Finding no one at home, we drove four miles to Ewart Wilson's, Big Tom's grandson. The wife of Ewart Wilson is one of the brightest, keenest and best educated women we have ever found in the mountains. We soon got her interested in singing and ended with a bag of more than a dozen songs, three of them traditional ballads of the rarest kind." For the story of Big Tom Wilson, the great hunter of the Black Mountains and the man who led the search for Prof. Mitchell at the time that he lost his life while taking observation on the mountains, see "The Saga of the Carolina Hills" by Hodge Mathes in The Christian Observer, July 9, 1930. Also see "Ewart Wilson's Road - Building Feat Astounds. Remarkable Mountaineer Tells of Father's Unique Career" by Ida Briggs Henderson in The Sunday Citizen, Asheville, N. C., July 20, I930. The father's name is Adolph ("Dolph") and he and his wife still maintain a mountain inn at Pensacola, N. C. "Dolph" came to his son's home during the course of the evening and gave interesting information about the mountain people. Mrs. Ewart Wilson remembers her mother's singing this song when she was a child. She says that she is sure that the ship that was sent to the bottom was the Golden Willow Tree and not the Turkey Revelee because she remembers as a child feeling sad that a ship with so pretty a name as Golden Willow Tree had to be sunk.
1. There was a ship a-sailing the sea,
That went by the name of the Turkey Revelee,
As it sailed on the low and the lonesome below,
As it sailed on the lonesome sea.
2. They hadn't been sailing but two weeks or three
Till they were overtaken by the Golden Willow Tree,
As it sailed on the low and the lonesome below,
As it sailed on the lonesome sea.
3. "I have houses, I have land
And I have a daughter at your command,
If you'll sink her in the low and the lonesome below,
If you'll sink her in the lonesome sea."
4. He turned on his breast and swimming went he
Till he came up to the Golden Willow Tree,
And he sank them in the low and the lonesome below,
And he sank them in the lonesome sea.
(Two stanzas could not be recalled, but Mrs. Wilson rememberst hat when the sailor returned, he was refused his reward).
7.
He turned on his back and sinking went he,
Bidding farewell to the Turkey Revelee,
As he sank in the low and the lonesome below,
As he sank in the lonesome sea.
8. THE YORKSHIRE BITE (Cf. Child, No. 283).
A. Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Lee Johnson, Pyatt, North Carolina, July, 1930. Mrs. Johnson obtained the song from her brother, Monty, who learned it at a logging camp at Wilson Creek, N. C. For this parallel of "The Crafty Farmer" see Combs, Folk-Songs du Midi des Etats-Unis, p. 149 (a West Virginia text in which a South Carolina man's Negro servant is praised by his master for putting upon a Virginia villain "A South Carolina Bite"); Barry-Eckstorm-Smyth, p. 406 (three versions); Barry, Journal, XXIII, 451; Kittredge, Journal, XXX, 367.
1. "Come down, come down," said the farmer to his son,
"To make you some money" (and his name was John.)
"Here's a cow you can take her to the fair.
She's in good order and it's her I can spare."
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
2. He took that cow and he started to the fair;
Hadn't been gone long till he met with a man;
Hadn't been gone long till he met with a man;
He sold that cow for six pounds of tan.
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
3. He went down to the bar-room to get him a drink;
The money was paid right down in chink;
There was a lady all dressed so fine;
She sewed that money in his coat line.
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
4. The boy got out and he started for his home;
The robbers they mounted and they come following on.
"If you are going down the road for a few miles,
Hop on behind and we'll both take a ride."
Like tothers - tothers -
Come -a - ran - tan - e - o.
5. Hadn't been gone more than a mile that way
Till robbers said, "I'll tell you in plain;
It's your money I want without any strife;
If I don't get it, I'll end your sweet life."
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
6. The boy ran his hands in his pockets and pulled his money out.
In a high patch of weeds he strew it all about
And the robber jumped off to pick up the loss
And the boy jumped in the saddle and rode off with the horse.
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
7. "Come back, come back," the robber he roared;
"Come back, come back," the robber he roared;
"Come back, come back," the robber he roared;
"I'll give you your own and ten thousand more."
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ean - tan - e - o.
8. The boy rode on to the old man's door;
The old man came out with a stamp on the floor;
Said, "Son, oh, son, ain't it a curse,
That our old cow's turned off to a horse ?"
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
9. The boy run his hand in his pocket and begun to unfold;
He had ten thousand in silver and gold;
The old man begin to puff and he begin to swell.
"Daddy don't you think I sold your cow well ?"
Like tothers - tothers -
Come - a - ran - tan - e - o.
B. Obtained from Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, November 5, 1930. Mary Tucker is the daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Tennessee.
1. "Come down, come down,"
Said the father to his son.
"We will make some money,
Or lose some one."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
2. "I have a old cow;
You can take her to the fair;
She is in good order;
You can sell her there."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
3. This boy tuk his cow
And he tuk her to the fair;
She was in good order
And he sold her there.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
4. He was afraid
The wild robbers would find;
He sewed up his money
In his coat line.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
5. There was a lady
In her silk so fine
Seen him sew up his money
In his old coat line.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
6. It wasn't very long
Till the wild robber followed on;
He knowed this money
Was in the boy's coat line.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tumranr ound tummy O!
7. "Son, O son,
I want your money without any strife
And if I don't get it,
I will end your life."
Lye teller tum rag,
Turn around tummy O!
8. The boy began to rake
To get his money out -
A big patch of weeds -
And he sowed all about.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
9. While the robber was down
Picking up the loss,
The boy jumped in his saddle -
Rode off with his horse.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
10. "Come back, come back,"
The wild robber did a-roar,
"You can have your money back
And ten times more."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
11. The boy rode on
To his father's door;
He jumped off
With a pump on the floor.
Lye teller turn rag,
Tum around tummy O!
12. "Son, O son,
Has it come to occur
That our old cow
Has turned to a horse?"
Lye teller turn rag,
Tum around O!
13. "No, the wild robbers
Robbed of my silver and gold
And while he was down picking up the loss,
I jumped in his saddle, rode off with his horse."
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
14. They come in the saddle
To umfold
And out of the saddle
A thousand pounds of gold.
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
15. The boy jumped up
With a pump on the floor -
Says, "I got my money back
And ten times more,"
Lye teller tum rag,
Tum around tummy O!
9. LITTLE DICKY WHIGBURN
Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the recitation and singing of Mr. Samuel Harmon, Cades' Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930. Phillips Barry says of Little Dicky Whigburn, "It is the only version, as far as I know, in English, of a cante-fable widely current in central, eastern and southern Europe, the German form of which is 'Der Alte Hildebrand' ". It is reprinted here by courtesy of the Bulletin of the Folk- Song Society of the Northeast, Number 3, for the sake of the tune which is now published for the first time.
In London there was a spring noted for its healing qualities. The wife pretends she is sick and sends Dicky for a bottle of the water. She sings the first stanza as a signal that Dicky has gone and that the pastor can come from his hiding place.
1. [Lady sings]
"Little Dicky Whigburn to London is gone
To bring me a bottle of clear applesom -
Through the green woods and the willows,
Through the green woods and the willows."
2. [Pastor sings:]
"Oh, little does Dicky know, or little does he think
Who eats of his eats or drinks of his drinks;
And God spare me my life,
This night I'll stay with his wife
Through the green woods and the willows.
A peddler comes along, who has just met Dickie on his way to the spring. When he sees the pastor and hears the wife singing he understands what is up, hurries back to catch Dickie and persuades him to get in the hopsack and allow himself to be taken back home. As they reach the house, the peddler sings out stanza 3.
3. [Peddler sings:]
"Oh, Dicky Whigburn he's not fur
And out of my hopsack I'll have him appear;
And if a friend he does lack,
I'll stand at his back,
Through the green woods and the willows."
4. [Dicky gets out of hopsack]
"Good morning, fair gentleman all in a row;
The chief of your secret I very well know."
They beat the old pastor and right straight away;
They whipped Dicky's wife the very next way
And Dicky and the Peddler together did stay.
10. TWELVE APOSTLES (The Ten Commandments).
"The Two Little White Babes". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930. Cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 34; Campbell and Sharp, No. 299.
1. Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone -
Never more shall be so.
2. Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone -
Never more shall be so.
3. Four are the bambrews o'er the bow;
Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone
Never more shall be so.
4. Five the bambrew makers;
Four are the bambrews o'er the bow;
Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone -
Never more shall be so.
5. Six are the ablers' angles;
Five the bambrew makers;
Four are the bambrews o'er the bow;
Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone -
Never more shall be so.
6. Seven are the seven stars fixed in the sky;
Six are the ablers' angles;
Five are the bambrew makers;
Four are the bambrews o'er the bow;
Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone
Never more shall be so.
7. (Does not remember).
8. Nine both bright and shiny;
Seven are the seven stars fixed in the sky;
Six are the ablers' angles;
Five the bambrew makers;
Four are the bambrews o'er the bow;
Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone -
Never more shall be so.
9: Ten are the Ten Commandments;
Nine both bright and shiny;
Seven are the seven stars fixed in the sky;
Six are the ablers' angles;
Five the bambrew makers;
Four are the bambrews o'er the bow;
Three of them were strivers;
Two of them were lily white babes -
Oh, to my one - to my wandering
All alone
Never more shall be so.
11. JOHNNY TROY
"Song of a Hero". Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Varnell, Georgia. See Journal, XXVII, 91.
1. Come all of you young heroes
And highways of the land.
Who wants to live in prison
And die a convict man?
2. I tell to you a story
Of the most badest boy:
The country knew him
By the name of John Detroy.
3. John Detroy and Jack,
Frank and Dun
Was four of the noblest heroes
Old England ever sprung.
4. For the robbery of a widow
Translated over in Spain
Got three long years in prison
To wear the convict chains.
5. There was hundred and forty
Serving out their terms,
Some of them for murder,
And some for smaller crimes.
6. John Detroy being among them
He most solemn swear:
"This very night I free you all,
Or, John Detroy, be no more."
7. We break and smith the hand cuffs
And cry for louder joy.
We break and smith the hand cuffs
And pull for yonders shore.
8. There were four armed guards
Watching around and about.
Much they were surprised
When John Detroy started out.
9. Much they were surprised
When he made his raid.
Three of the guards
Went jolly to their graves.
10. John Detroy turned
To go upon his way.
He looked and saw a poor man
And unto him did say.
11. "Your gold watch and money
I really demand
And if you fail to give it
Your life lies in my hands."
12. "I have no watch or money,"
The poor man replied.
"I have a happy family
Each day to provide."
13. "I been cast out of Shamrock,
For being a bad, bad boy;
But if this is so, you shan't be hurt,"
Cried John Detroy.
14. John Detroy was now captured
And then sentenced to die
On tenth of April,
On his scaffold high.
15. His friend and all that knew him
Cried for louder joy:
"Here goes our brave young hero
By name of John Detroy."
12. YOUNG EDMUND
Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 46; Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, p. 92; Wyman and Brookway, Twenty Kentucky
Mountain Songs, p. 42; Cox, No. 106; Journal, XX, 274; XXXV, 421-423. [See also: Young Edward; Drunkard's Dream]
1. "My father keeps a public house
On yonders river side.
Go ye, go there and enter in
And there this night abide.
2. "Beware you tell them not your name;
Nor neither let them know
Your name it is young Edmund
Who drove in the low-lands low."
3. Young Edmund fell to drinking
About time to go to bed;
And little did he think that a sword that night
Would part his neck and head.
4. Her name, it was young Emma,
Who dreamed a frightful dream.
She dreamed that her old true-love
Was gone never to return again.
5. "Oh, mother, oh, dear mother,
You may think it wrong or right.
I'm going to find my driver boy,
Who came here to stay last night."
6. "Oh, daughter, oh, dear daughter,
His gold will make a show;
We sent his body a-drinking away
Down in the low-lands low."
7. "Oh, father, oh, dear father,
You'll make a public show
For murdering of my driver boy,
Who drove in the low-land low."
8. The fish that swims in the ocean
Floats over my true-love's breast.
His body's in a general motion
And I hope he is at rest.
13. HOME, DEARIE, HOME.
A. "Home, Daughter, Home". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 13, 1930. Cf. Joanna C. Colcord, Roll and Go Songs of American Sailormen, p. 87.
1. It's home, daughter, home,
And it's home you ought to be;
It's home, daughter, home,
In your own countree.
Where the oak and the ash
And the fine willow tree,
All a-growing green
In the North Amerikee.
2. There came a jolly sailor
To my house to lodge.
He called for a candle
To light him to bed.
He called for a candle
To light him to bed
And likewise a napkin
To bind up his head.
3. I lit him to bed
Like I ought for to do
And says, "Pretty girl,
Wont you jump in too?"
I jumped in behind him
To keep myself warm,
Thinking a sailor
Wouldn't do me any harm.
4. 'Long about the middle of the night
He grew very bold
And into my apron
He threw handful of gold.
The gold hit glistened
And it shined so bright
It caused me to sleep
With the sailor all night.
5. But if I have baby,
What I am the worse?
The gold in my apron
And the money in my purse.
The gold in my apron
For to buy it milk and bread;
That's what I got for lighting
A sailor to bed.
6. I'll buy me a nurse
And I'll pay the nurse's fee;
I'll buy me a nurse
And I'll pay the nurse's fee;
I'll buy me a nurse
And I'll pay the nurse's fee;
And I'll pass for some maid
In a furrin countree.
7. If it's a boy,
He shall run the raging sea
With a little starry fold cap
And a roundabout so blue,
Fighting to free the niggers
Like his daddy used to do.
8. If it's a boy,
He shall fight for its king;
And if it's a girl
It shall wear a gold ring.
She shall wear a gold ring
With a top-knot so blue
And crawl to bed with sailors
Like its mother used to do.
B. "Home in the Old Country". Also recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 6, 1930.
1. The sailor was sick
And he hung down his head -
Asked the little maiden
Would she light him to bed.
2. She lit him to the bed
Like a maiden ought to.
He said, "My little honey,
Won't you come to bed too?"
3. The sailor jumped up
So brave and so bold.
In her apron he throwed
A handful of gold.
4. Gold shine so bright -
A dollar and a half.
"Will you marry me ?"
The little maiden cried.
5. "Home, my little girl,
Home you ought to be -
Dearest home
In the old countree."
(Mr. Franklin would sing no more.)
14. DERBY RAM
A. "The Old Big Sheep". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 12, 1930. See Joanna C. Colcord's Roll and Go Songs of American Sailormen, p. 68; Journal, XVIII, 51; XXXVI, 377; XXXIX, 173. Add Lunsford and Stringfield 30o and I Folksongs, New York.
1. As I went to market, sir,
One market day,
I saw as big a ram, sir,
As ever fed on hay.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
2. He was so big, sir,
He neither could walk nor stand
And every foot he had, sir,
Covered an acre of land.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
3. And the wool on his belly, sir,
Dragged to the ground.
The wolves builded a den there
And I heard the young'n's growl.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
4. The wool on his back, sir,
Reached to the sky
And the eagles built a nest there
For I heard the young'ns' cry.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
5. The wool between his horns, sir,
I think it very fine;
It warped forty yards of cloth, sir,
About the size of twine.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
6. His horns did grow so high, sir,
They did reach the sky.
He made a pulpit, sir,
And fetched a preacher for to preach.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
7. The first tooth he had, sir,
As big as saddle horns;
And the next tooth he had, sir,
Helt forty barrels of corn-
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
8. The man that killed the ram, sir,
Was drownded in his blood,
And the boy that helt the bowl, sir,
Was washed away in the flood.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
9. The blood it run nine miles, sir,
If it run no more;
And turned as big a mill, sir,
As ever turned before.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
10. The man that owned the mill, sir,
I think is very rich;
And the boy who made this song, sir,
Is a lying son of a bitch.
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day,
Tam-a-fare randy dotty, tam-a-fare randy day.
B. Derby Ram
Mr. William Maxwell Barclay, of 395 Brook Avenue, Passaic, New Jersey, after listening to the preceding song sang the following version. Mr. Barclay learned the song in Scotland thirty years ago.
1. There was a ram - he had such horns
They grew up to the sky;
The eagles built their nest up there
And you could hear them cry.
Chorus: It's a lie, sir, it's a lie -
A most confounded lie;
If you had been where we have been,
You'd say the same as I.
2. And when this ram was killed, sir,
It lost so very much blood,
That five and twenty sailor boys
Were carried away in the flood.
Chorus:
3. The man who owned this ram, sir,
He must have been very rich;
And the man who sings about the ram
Is a lying son-of-a-bitch.
Chorus:
15. THE THREE SONS
"Song Ballet". Obtained from Mrs. Hiram Proctor, Varnell, Georgia, November, 1930. Mrs. Proctor is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, of Cade's Cove, Tennessee. See Sharp, One Hundred English Folksongs, p. 180.
1. Three boys was turned out of doors
Because they could not sing.
2. And one of them was a weaver;
And one of them was a miller;
And the other one was a little tailor boy;
And they all three raged together.
3. And the weaver he stole yarn;
And the miller he stole corn;
And the little tailor boy stole broadcloth
To keep the three boys warm.
4. And the miller was drowned in his pond;
And the weaver was hung in his yarn;
And the devil flew away with the little tailor boy
With his broadcloth under his arm.
16. THE BUGABOO
"The Buggerboo". Obtained from Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, October, 1930. See Combs, Folk-Songs du Midi des Etats- Unis, p. 214.
1. My love come to my bed side;
So bitterly she did weep;
At last she jumped in the bed with me;
She was afraid of the buggerboo.
2. All in the first part of that night
Me and my love did play;
All in the latter part of that night
She rolled in my arms till day.
3. The night being gone
And the day a-coming on:
"Wake up, wake up, my own true love,
For the buggerboo done gone."
4. All in the first part of that year
She blushed in the face;
All in the latter part of that year
Grew thicker through the waist.
5. And about nine months afterwards
She brought forth me a fine son
And you can see as well as me
What the buggerboo has done.
6. In a year or two I married that girl;
She made me a virtuous wife;
I never told her of her faults
In all days of my life.
7. I never told her of her faults;
Bedog my eyes if I do!
But every time the baby cries
I think of the buggerboo.
17. THE BRAMBLE BRIAR
"The Bamboo Brier". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 193o, who learned it from grandfather Harmon. See Cox, No. 88; Pound, No. 22; Journal, XXIX, 168; XXXV, 359; Belden, Publications of the Modern Language Association, XXXIII, 327. Ballads and Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands. 49 Cf. also Belden, The Sewanee Review, April, 1911; Shearin, The Sewanee Review, July, 1911; Barry, No. 49.
1. It was earl-i, earl-i in the morning
When those young men became a-hunting,
They hunted over hills and lonesome valleys
And through such places as was quite unknown.
2. Till at last they came to the Bamboo Brier
And then her true love was killed and thrown.
It was getting late when they was turning.
"O, brother dear, where my servant man can be?"
3. "Among my hunt and all our rambles
We have lost you servant man there."
4. It was earl-i, earl-i the next morning -
This young damsel became a-hunting.
She traveled over hills and through lonesome valleys
And through such places as was quite unknown.
5. At last she came to the Bamboo Brier.
There her true-love was killed and thrown;
The blood on his cheeks was just a-drying;
His feeble lips was salt as brine.
6. She kissed him o'er and over a-crying:
"I have lost a bosom friend of mine."
It was getting late when she was returning:
"Sister, dear, where have you been?"
7. "Oh, ye, oh, ye, ye cruel villians!
For my true love you both shall hang."
They started to the sea for to drown all sin and sorrow.
The top of the ship became in a totter
And in the bottom of the sea their graves lie low.
18. THE WEAVER HAD A WIFE
No local title. Obtained from Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Varnell, Georgia, formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee, October, 1930. Shoemaker has a song entitled, "Will the Weaver", p. 130 (2nd edtion), in which Will the Weaver is the one that hides from the husband. The latter has just married a woman who swears "That she will the breeches wear."
1. The weaver had a wife
And the major loved her dearly;
And to her bed side
He appeard both late and early.
2. The weaver a-being away from home -
Away from home a-drinking -
The major come in
With his gay gold guinea jingling.
3. The weaver come home within the night
Which made them hurry, scurry.
"Where must I hide?" the major cried,
"This is too bold a venture."
4. "You may hide under my bed side
Before I let him in."
5. "Oh, ho! my loving husband,
For you I have been longing.
I have rolled my bed from side to side
For the want of you, my darling."
6. He got up late in the night
And through a grand mistake
He surely made,
He put on the major's breeches.
7. As he rode along he spied a gold watch
By his side, and guineas he had twenty.
He clasped his [hand] in his pocket
And found he had money plenty.
8. And then he saw his mistake:
That he had on the major's breeches:
And now I will return to my wife;
Perhaps she has got better.
9. He jumped and caroused all over the floor.
"Good lord, how my breeches does glitter!"
My wife lay sobbing on the old -
"With you I have been evil."
10. She cursed them breeches in her heart
And wished [them] to the devil.
"Oh, ho! my dear wife, unto [you] I wager,
I'm as fit to wear these breeches as you are for the major."
19. THE SHEFFIELD APPRENTICE
Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 13, 1930, who learned it from John Goolder Harmon, father of Samuel Harmon. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 97; Journal, XXVIII, 164; Shearin, Sewanee Review, XIX, 320; Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, Book 3, p. 18, Chicago, 1930.
1. I was brought up in England -
A note of high degree;
My parents doted on me;
They had no child but me.
2. I rolled in so much pleasure -
Till the age of twenty-three.
3. I did not like my master;
He did not treat me well;
I formed a resolution
With him I will not dwell.
4. As I went through Holland
A lady I did spy;
She offered me great wages
To came and live with her.
5. To come and live in Holland
And serve her for one year.
6. I had not been in Holland
More than months two or three
Till my young mistress
Grew very fond of me.
7. Her gold and her silver,
Her house and her land.
If I would consent to marry her,
Would be at my command.
8. "Oh, no, my young mistress,
I cannot wed you both.
I can wed none but Pretty Polly,
Your charming chamber maid."
9. She turned away in angry;
She swore as she left me
She'd prove my overthrow.
10. I was out in my mistress' garden
A-viewing her flowers fair -
11. A gold ring from my mistress' finger,
As she passed me by,
She slipped it in my pocket
And for that I must die.
12. I was brought before some cruel judge
And must answer for my fault.
Long time I pled "not guilty",
But what did that prevail?
13. My mistress said I robbed her
And they plunged me into jail.
14. Come, all you young people
That's standing round this place,
Don't glory in my downfall;
Nor laugh at my disgrace.
15. It's fare you well, young people,
As I bid this world adieu;
It's fare you well, Pretty Polly,
I died for loving you.
20. THE BROWN GIRL Cf. Child, No. 295.
See Campbell and Sharp, No. 36; Barry, Journal, XXVII, 73. "Doctor". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930.
1. There was a ship captain
That sailed on the sea;
He called on Miss Betsy;
Pretty Polly did say:
"You go to that sea captain
And grant me love or ruined I'll be."
2. As Miss Betsy started
Pretty Polly did beery:
"Make haste, pretty Betsy,
Or I will die."
3. She came to the sea captain
And said unto him:
"Are you the young man -
You love so well?"
4. He said unto her;
"Am I the doctor
That can kill or cure?"
5. "You go to that young man
Tell he come unto me,
And grant me his love
Or ruined I will be."
6. "Am I the doctor
You sent for her
Or am I the young man
Who you love so dear?"
7. "You are the doctor
That can kill or cure;
Without your assistance
I am ruined I am sure."
21. THE DROWSY SLEEPER.
This first stanza of "The Drowsy Sleeper" was obtained from Mrs. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, August, 1930. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 47; Sturgis and Hughes, Songs from the Hills of Vermont, p. 30; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin Collected in the Appalachian Mountains, Second Series, p. 48; Cox, No. io8; Journal, XX, 260; XXIX, 200; XXX, 338.
1. Wake, oh, wake, you drowsy sleeper;
Wake, oh, wake, it's almost day.
Can you sleep and slumber
And your true-love's going away?
22. THE DRUNKARD'S HELL
A. "The Drunkard's Dream". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. See Lomax, Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads, p. 395.
1. It was a dark and starless night
I thought [I] saw a gulf
Where all the drunkards go.
2. I raised my head and heard them tell:
This is the place where drunkards dwell.
I heard another mournful sound
Amid a group still lower down.
3. Around them stood a weeping crowd
With faces pale and voices loud.
They gnashed their teeth and cried and groaned:
"This is the whiskey sellers' home."
4. I traveled on, got there at last;
I thought I'd take one social glass;
I poured it out and stirred it well,
And then I thought of a drunkard's hell.
5. I dashed it out and left the place,
And bowed my head to redeeming grace;
The very moment faith regained -
Ten thousand joys around me sprang.
6. I went home to change my life
And to see my long neglected wife;
I found her kneeling by the bed
Because her infant babe was dead.
7. I told her not to cry and weep
Because our babe was just asleep.
Its happy soul had fled away
To dwell with Christ through endless days.
8. I took her by a pale white hand;
She was so weak she could not stand;
I sit her down and prayed a prayer
That God would own our Blossom there.
9. They took me through a temperance band;
They met me with a social hand;
Five sober years have passed away
Since first I bowed my knees to pray.
10. And now I'm living a sober life;
And have a good home and a loving wife.
Oh, may the legislative band
Enact good laws throughout the land!
11. And stop all whiskey sellers' course
From the mountain to the coast
And then the drunkard's cry will flee
And save the land eternally.
B. "Drunken Dream". It is interesting to note variations, however slight, as sung by different members of the same family. This song was also recorded by Mrs. Henry. It was sung by Miss Juanita Franklin, the daughter of Mrs. William Franklin, at Crossnore in 1929.
1. 'Twas a dark and starless night;
I dreamed I saw an awful sight:
I thought I saw a gulf below
Where all the dying drunkards go.
2. I raised my head and heard them tell
This is the place where drunkards dwell;
I heard another mournful sound
Amid a group still lower down.
3. Around them stood a weeping crowd
With faces pale and voices loud;
They gnashed their teeth and cried and groaned:
"This is the whiskey seller's home."
4. I traveled on, got there at last;
I thought I'd take one social glass.
I poured it out and stirred it well;
And then I thought of the drunkard's hell.
5. I dashed it out and left the place;
And bowed my knees in redeeming grace;
Five sober years have passed away
Since first I bowed my knees to pray.
6. So I went home to change my life
And to see my long neglected wife;
I found her kneeling by the bed,
Because our infant babe was dead.
7. I told her not to cry or weep
Because our babe was just asleep;
Its happy soul had fled away
To live with Christ through endless days.
8. I took her by her pale white hands;
She was so weak she could not stand;
I set her down and prayed a prayer
That God would only bless us there.
9. They took me through a temperance band;
They led me by a social hand;
The very moment faith regained,
Ten thousand joys around me sprang.
10. And now I'm living a sober life;
I have a good home and a loving wife;
I pray the legislature band
To make a law throughout the land.
11. And stop all whiskey seller's scum
From the mountain to the coast,
That all the drunkard's cries may flee
And leave the land eternally.
23. THE DRUNKARD'S LONE CHILD
"Bessie". Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930, who learned it from her brother, Edmund Malone Johnson. See Spaeth, Weep Some More, My Lady, p. 191. Note the one-time popularity of the "drunkard songs" in community singing in "Some Songs of Long Ago" by Pauline Grahame, The Palimpsest, p. 95, Vol. X, No. 3, March, 1929, published by The State Historical Society, Iowa
City, Iowa.
1. Out in the gloomy night sadly I roam.
I've no mother, no friends, and no home.
Nobody cares for me; nobody would cry,
Even if poor little Bessie should die.
Bare foot and tired I have wandered all day,
Asking for work, but I am too small they say.
On the damp ground I must now lay my head.
Father a drunkard and mother is dead -
CHORUS: Mother, oh, why did you leave me alone
With no one to love me, no friends, and no home?
Dark is the night and the storm rages wild;
God pity Bessie, the drunkard's lone child.
2. We were so happy till father drank rum;
Then all our sorrow and trouble begun;
Mother grew paler and wept every day;
Bobbie and I were too hungry to pray;
Slowly they faded till one summer night
Found their sweet faces all silent and white
And with big tears slowly I said:
"Father a drunkard and mother is dead."
Chorus:
3. Oh, if some temperance man only could find
Poor wretched father and speak very kind;
If they could stop him from drinking,
Only then I would feel very happy again.
Is it too late? Men temperance, please try,
For little Bessie will soon starve and die.
All day long I've been calling for bread -
Father a drunkard and mother is dead.
Chorus:
24. JOHN ATKINS
(Poor drunkards, poor drunkards, take warning by me) Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. This is another song to drunkards to "take warning". "John Atkins",
however, appears to be a song about some local character who must die for slaying his "dear Companion".
1. Poor drunkards, poor drunkards, take warning by me;
The fruits of transgression behold now I see;
My soul is tormented; my body confined;
My friends and dear children left weeping behind.
2. The whole life of sorrow, behold now I see;
Therefore let poor drunkards take warning by me.
Remember John Atkins, his death and reform,
Lest justice overtakes us and sorrow comes on.
3. Much intoxication, my ruin has been,
For my dear companion I've barbarously slain;
In yonders cold grave yard her body doth lie,
While I am confined and must shortly die.
25. TOM DOOLEY
A. Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930, who learned it from her brother, Edmund Malone Johnson. Another song, based on a real tragedy in North Carolina, in which the young man sings that he was warned, "That drinking and the women Would be my ruin at last."
See F. C. Brown, Ballad-Literature in North Carolina, p. ii.
1. Oh, bow your head, Tom Dooley;
Oh, bow your head and cry,
You have killed poor Laury Foster
And you know you're bound to die.
2. You have killed poor Laury Foster;
You know you have done wrong;
You have killed poor Laury Foster,
Your true love in your arms.
3. I take my banjo this evening;
I pick it on my knee;
This time tomorrow evening
It will be of no use to me.
4. This day and one more;
Oh, where do you reckon I be?
This day and one more,
And I'll be in eternity.
5. I had my trial at Wilkesboro;
Oh, what do you reckon they done?
They bound me over to Statesville
And there where I'll be hung.
6. The limb being oak
And the rope being strong -
Oh, bow your head, Tom Dooley,
For you know you are bound to hang.
7. O pappy, O pappy,
What shall I do?
I have lost all my money,
And killed poor Laury too.
8. O mammy, O mammy,
Oh, don't you weep, nor cry;
I have killed poor Laury Foster
And you know I am bound to die.
9. Oh, what my mammy told me
Is about to come to pass -
That drinking and the women
Would be my ruin at last.
B. Tom Dooley
Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, the son of Mrs. William Franklin. The four stanzas recalled by Mr. Franklin vary very slightly from stanzas I, 5, 7, and 9 of A, but 7 is put before 9 in B, becoming there 3 and 4 respectively.
1. Bow your head, Tom Dooley,
Oh, bow your head and cry,
You killed poor Laura Foster
And you know you're bound to die.
2. They had my trial at Wilkesboro
And what do you reckon they done?
They bound me over to Statesville
And that's where I'll be hung.
3. Mama, oh, dear mama,
Your words have come to pass:
Drinking and the women
Would be my ruin at last.
4. Oh, papa, dear papa,
Oh, what can I do ?
I've lost all my money
And killed poor Laura too.
26. FRANCES SILVERS.
Obtained from Miss Ronie Johnson, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929. Here is another song about a North Carolina murder which is said to have occurred at Spruce Pine in 1908. It appears to be in the process of becoming "folk". Local tradition has it that Mrs. Silvers composed the song. She is reported as having lived in Morganton. The song might be compared with R. W. Gordon's "jailhouse songs" of the more hardened criminal. See New York Times Magazine, June 19, 1927, p. 15.
Mr. Phillips Barry after seeing the song sent the following comment in a letter of Nov. 14, 1931: "There has never been a time when gallows confessions did not have a strange fascination for the folk. I suspect the authoress was of rather low mentality, but had a good memory and made free use of reminiscences of songs she knew. The first line is from a song still sung in Vermont, said to have been written by a British soldier who
was fatally wounded in one of the battles of the Revolution. I have a copy of it in an American broadside of about 1800. The stanza runs:
It was on a dark and dismal day
When we set sail for America;
The drums did beat and trumpets sound
As unto Boston we were bound.*
Suggested by lines of Dr. Isaac Watts's hymn:
"My thoughts on awful subjects roll;
Damnation and the dead." (Note by Mr. Phillips Barry.)
The following note of inquiry made through the kindly interest of Prof. Guy B. Johnson, the answer and comment are worth while printing:
Here is this much. It's too bad he didn't go into a little detail. However, it's at least an "authoritative" note.
Sincerely, Guy B. Johnson, June 12.
1. This dreadful, dark and dismal day
Has swept my glories all away.
My sun goes down, my days are past
And I shall leave this world at last.
2. Lord, what will soon become of me?
I am condemned, you all now see.
To heaven or hell my soul must fly,
All in a moment when I die.
3. Judge Daniel has my sentence passed.
These prison walls I leave at last.
Nothing to cheer my drooping head
Until I'm numbered with the dead.
4. But, oh! the dreadful Judge I fear!
Shall I that awful sentence hear ?
"Depart ye cursed down to hell
And forever there to dwell."
5. I know that frightful ghost I'll see
Gnawing this bone in misery,
And then and there attended be,
For murder in the first degree.
6. There shall I meet that mournful face
Whose blood I spilled upon this place:
With blooming eyes to me he'll say,
"Why did you take my life away?"
7. His feeble hands fell gently down;
His chattering tongue soon lost its sound;
To see his soul and body part -
It strikes with terror to my heart.
8. I took his blooming days away;
Left him no time to God to pray,
And if his sins fell on his head,
Must I not bear them in his stead?
9. The jealous thought that first gave strife
To make me take my husband's life;
For days and months I spent my time
Thinking how to commit the crime.
10. And on a dark and dreadful night
I put his body out of sight.
With flames, I tried him to consume,
But time would not admit to do.
11. You all see me and on me gaze;
Be careful how you spend your days;
And never commit an awful crime,
But try to serve your God in time.
12. My mind's on solemn subjects roll.'
My little child, God bless its soul!
All you that are of Adams' race,
Let not my faults this child disgrace.
13. Farewell, good people, you all now see,
What my bad conduct has brought on me.
To die of shame and in disgrace
Before the world of human race.
14. Awful, indeed, to think of death
In perfect health to lose my breath.
Farewell, my friends, I bid adieu;
Vengeance on me must now pursue.
15. Great God! How shall I be forgiven?
No fit for earth - unfit for heaven!
But little time to pray to God,
For now I'll try that awful road.
The above occurred about 1908. It is a true story. Mrs. Silvers lived at Morganton. The murder occurred near Spruce Pine, N. C. Mrs. Silvers composed the above while in prison and sang it just before she was hanged at Morganton, N. C. (Comments by Miss Ronie Johnson).
27. ORPHAN GIRL
A. "Orphan Girl" Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 17, 1930. See Sandburg, p. 319; Bradley Kincaid, Favorite Old Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, p. 27; Shearin and Combs, p. 32; Cox, No. 153; Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 170.
1. "No home, no home," said a little girl
At the door of a prince's hall
As she trembling sat on the marble steps
And leaned on the polished wall.
2. Her clothes were thin and her feet were bare
And the snow had covered her head.
"Oh, give me a home," she feebly cried,
"A home, and a piece of bread.
3. "My father, alas! I never knew,"
And the tears did fall so bright;
"My mother sleeps in a new made grave;
'Tis an orphan that begs tonight."
4. The night was dark and the snow still fell
And the rich man closed his door
And his proud lips curled as he scornfully said,
"No home, no bread for the poor."
5. While a rich man slept on his velvet bed
And dreamed of his riches and gold;
While an orphan lay on a bed of snow
And mourned, "So cold! so cold!"
6. Another hour and the mid-night storm
Rolled on like a funeral,
While the earth seemed wrapt in a winding sheet,
And the drops of snow still fell.
7. The morning dawn - and the little girl
Still lay at the rich man's door;
But her soul had fled to a home above
Where there's room and bread for the poor.
B. "Orphan Girl"
Obtained from Mrs. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, February, 1930. This version is identical with the version on p. 27 of Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old Time Songs and Mountain Ballads and also with Sandburg's version B, p. 319.
C. "Orphan Girl"
Obtained from Mrs. Helen Tufts Bailie, 22 De Wolfe Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, who had it from John Oliver, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, April 10, 1931. Mr. Oliver writes that he had it from Mrs. M. J. Lawson-Lequire of Cade's Cove, the daughter of Daniel Brownlow Lawson, "a great-uncle of mine" and "a great singer like all the Lawsons. "He one time owned half the Cove and was justice of the peace thirty years."
1. "No home, no home," cried a little girl
At the door of a princely hall
While she trimbling stood on the marble step
And leaned on the polished wall.
2. Her clothes were thin and her feet were bare
And the snow had covered her head.
"Oh! give me a home," she feebly said -
"A home and a piece of bread.
3. "My father, alas! I never knew" -
And the tears began to rise so bright;
"My mother sleeps in a new made grave;
It's an orphan that begs tonight."
4. Another hour and the snow still fell
And the rich man closed his door
And his proud lips curled as he scornfully said:
"No home, no bread for the poor."
5. "I must freeze," she said as she sank on the steps
And strove to cover her feet
With her tattered clothes all covered with snow -
Yes, covered with snow and sleet.
6. Another hour and the midnight storm
Rolled on like a funerell
The earth seemed wrapped in a winding sheet
And the drapes of snow still fell.
7. The rich man slept on his velvet bed
And dreamed of his silver and gold
While the orphant lies on her bed of snow
And murmurs "so cold, so cold."
8. The morning dawned and the little girl
Still lay at the rich man's door,
But her soul had fled to that home above
Where there's room and bread for the poor.
This Song Ballad wrote by D. B. Lawson, for M. J. Lawson, Aug. 15th, 1880. Daniel Brownlow Lawson was the father of Martha J. Lawson (Lequire) and Leannah Lawson (Spangler), and a great-uncle of John W. Oliver. - John Oliver's Note.
28. ORPHAN'S SONG
Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. Cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 32 ("I Have No Mother Now"). Irving Brown in Deep Song, New York, 1929, p. 103, gives the following "lament of a dying Gypsy, who leaves his one motherless child alone in the world:
'You've no father, you've no mother,
You've no sister, you've no brother,
You have no one of your own.
I must leave you all alone."
1. Oh, have you heard the mournful story?
All my friends are dead and gone;
I've no father, nor no mother -
A poor orphan left alone.
2. Mother said to me when dying -
And her breath was almost gone:
"I've no brother, nor no sister, -
A poor orphan left alone.
3. "Take your Bible to your closet;
Read and pray both night and day;
Seek protection in the Lord,
And never more be kept alone."
4. I often think of my condition
And the world so dark and dreary;
My poor heart is almost broken -
A poor orphan left alone.
5. I often walk the lonesome graveyard
Praying for the time to come
By my mother I'll be burried
And no more be left alone.
29. THE BLIND CHILD'S PRAYER
Obtained from Mrs. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, 1930. See Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 170; Shearin and Combs, p. 32. This song is identical with the one printed in Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, p. 32. Cf. also Henry, Journal, XLIV (January-March, 1931).
30. MARY OF THE WILD MOOR
No local title. Obtained from Mrs. Ewart Wilson, Pensacola, North Carolina, August, 1930. See Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, No. 61; Cox, No. 148; Pound, No. 35; Shoemaker, p. Ino (second edition); Journal, XXIX, 185; XXXV, 389; Sturgis and Hughes, Songs from the Hills of Vermont, p. 36.
1. One night when the wind it blew cold -
Blew so bitter across the wild moor -
Young Mary, she came with her child,
Wandering home to her own father's door.
2. Crying, "Father, oh, pray let me in;
Oh, take pity on me, I implore,
For the child at my bosom will die
From the wind that blows o'er the wild moor."
3. But her father was deaf to her cries;
Not a word or a sound reached the door.
But the watch dog did howl and the wind blew
So bitter across the wild moor.
4. Oh, how must her father have felt,
When he came to the door in the morn!
There he found Mary dead and the child.
Fondly clasped in its dead mother's arms.
31. FRAGMENT
Obtained from Mr. Harold Greene, 1519 Thirty-first Street, N. E., Washington, D. C., May, 1930, who had it from western Tennessee. Combs, Folk-Songs du Midi des Etats-Unis, p. 225, has a song beginning:
"I once had a father, but now I have none,
He's gone to that beautiful home."
I used to have a father who sat and talked to me
But now I have no father - what pleasure do I see?
I looked out of the window to hear the organ play
And there I saw father as in his grave he lay.
32. FORSAKEN
Obtained from Miss Mary E. King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1930. See Campbell and Sharp ("The Dear Companion"), No. 58; Spaeth, Weep Some More, My Lady, p. 32; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin Collected in the Appalachian Mountains (First Series), p. 41; Belden, A Partial List of Song-Ballads and Other Popular Poetry Known in Missouri, No. 88.
1. He once did love with fond affection
And his heart was all for me,
Until a dark haired girl proclaimed him
And now he cares no more for me.
2. So go and leave me if you wish to;
Never let me cross your mind;
For if you think me so unworthy,
Go and leave me, never mind.
3. It's many a night with him I wandered;
It's many an evening with him I spent;
I thought his heart was mine forever,
But I found I was only lent.
4. It's many a night while you lie sleeping
Dreaming out your sweet repose;
While I, poor girl, I'm broken hearted,
Listening to the wind that blows.
5. So go and leave me, if you wish to;
And from me you will be free,
For in your heart you love another
And in my grave I'd rather be.
6. There's only three things that I wish for;
That is my coffin, shroud and grave;
And when I'm dead, love, come and see me,
And kiss the heart you once betrayed.
33. THE BUTCHER BOY
A.
Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, who had it from her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, of Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, October 1930. See W. Roy Mackenzie's The Quest of the Ballad, p. 9; Cox, No. 145; Pound, No. 24; Lomax, p. 397; Sandburg, p. 324 (title is "London City"); Spaeth, Weep Some More, My Lady, p. 128 (title is "In Jersey City"); Journal, XXIX, 169; XXXI, 73; XXXV, 360; XXXIX, 122; Phillips Barry, Ancient British Ballads, etc. (a privately printed list), No. 41; Arthur Palmer Hudson's Specimens of Mississippi Folk Lore, p. 31; Bradley Kincaid's My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old-Time Songs, Chicago, 1928, p. 43.
1. In yonder city where I once dwell,
A butcher's boy I loved so well,
He courted me my life away
And then with me he would not stay.
2. There was a house in this same town;
My love would go and he would sit down;
He would take another girl upon his knee,
And tell her what he wouldn't tell me.
3. "Oh, mama, mama, can't you see,
How this boy has treated me?
His gold may scatter; his silver may fly;
I hope some day he be poor as I.
4. "Give me a cheer, and I will sit down -
A pen and ink to write it down.
I will write it down as you plainly see:
'I once loved a boy that didn't love me.'
5. After a while her father came home
Inquiring where his daughter had gone.
Upstairs he went; the door he broke;
He found her hanging by a rope.
6. He took his knife; he cut her down
And on her breast these he found:
"I will write it down so you can plainly see,
I once loved a boy that didn't love me.
7. "Go dig a grave both wide and deep
And a marble stone at my head and feet;
And on my breast put a little dove
To tell the world that I died for love."
B. Butcher Boy This version did not come from the South. It was obtained from Thaddeus Napiorski, a student in Dickinson High School, Jersey City. N. J., 1929.
1. In Jersey City where I did dwell -
A butcher's son I loved so well.
He went and stole my heart away
And now with me he will not stay.
2. He takes other girls upon his knee,
And tells them things he will not tell me;
I go upstairs and set me down
With pen and ink I write this down.
3. My mother comes home late one night,
And finds that I am not in sight;
She goes upstairs and breaks down the door,
And sees me hanging on the wall.
4. She takes a knife and cuts me down
And in my bosom this note she found:
"Oh, mother dear, what have I done?
I killed myself for a butcher's son.
5. "When I am dead and to heaven gone,
Bury me by the lily pond;
Put at my head a marble stone;
Down at my feet another one;
Put at my bosom a golden dove
To show the world that I died for love."
C. Butcher Boy
This fragment was obtained from Mrs. Henry C. Gray, R. F. D., No. 3, Box 499, Terre Haute, Indiana, who has written as follows: "There is a woman living with mother who has been with our family more than sixty years. She is seventy-six now. Her parents were real pioneers north of here ..... She remembered as a child hearing a young man sing The Butcher Boy ..... She was never a singer and could not remember how it went but the last stanza was what struck her attention." Here it is with only slight variation from the last stanza in A and B.
Go dig my grave both wide and deep;
Put a marble stone at my head and feet;
And on my grave, put a turtle dove
To show the world that I died for love.
34. FAREWELL, PARTING LOVER
Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. The following references are to the theme of the song rather than to any other version of the song which, of course, is one of the forms of popular farewell dialogue between a soldier and his sweetheart. Professor Belden in "Balladry in America", Journal, XXV, 9, has a full and interesting comment on this favorite theme and points out that "in most of the printed ballads of the Female Soldier (or Sailor) theme, emphasis is laid upon the contrast between the heroine's tender beauty and the rough offices she must perform". Professor Belden then quotes a bit of dialogue from the song, "Jack Munro", part of which is almost identical with stanza 7 of the present song. However, it will be observed that the "heroine" in this case does not accompany her soldier lover. Cf. the same theme in Campbell and Sharp, No. 55; Hudson, No. 40; Wyman and Brockway, p. 38.
1. "So fare you well, my darling,
So farewell for a while;
Don't mourn for my long absence
While I'm a volunteer.
2. "Since it has been my misfortune
A soldier for to be,
Content yourself, my darling,
And don't weep for me.
3. "I'm going out in Dixie
To tarry for a while;
So far from my own darling,
About one thousand miles."
4. She wrung her little white hands,
And so mournful she did cry:
"You'll go and be a soldier,
And in the war will die.
5. "I'm certain you'll be wounded;
In battle you'll be slain;
My heart will burst asunder
If I never see you again.
6. "The cannon loudly roaring;
The balls are flying high;
The drum and fife are playing
To drown the deadly cry."
7. "Your waist it is too slender;
Your fingers are quite small;
Your cheeks are too rosy-red
To love a cannon ball.
8. "So farewell, my darling;
So fare you well, my dear;
I'm going to fight the enemy,
And I hate to leave you here.
9. "So fare you well, my true love;
So farewell for a while;
I'm going to return again,
If it be some length of time.
10. "I'll sail around the enemy -
My fortune for to try;
I'll think of you, my darling,
And oft sit down and cry.
11. "If you'll tarry a single life
Through this great campaign,
I'll marry you, my sweetheart,
When I return again."
35. JACKARO
"The British Lady". Recorded by Mrs. Florence Stokes Henry from the singing of Mrs. Ewart Wilson, Pensacola, North Carolina, August, 1930. After the puzzle of the preceding song these stanzas will be clearly
recognized as from "Jacaro" ("Jack Munro", "Jackie Fraisure"). Usually they are the stanzas numbering from 6 to 9. See Hudson, No. 40 ("The Wars of Germany"); Campbell and Sharp, No. 55 ("Jack Went A-Sailing"); Ibid., No. 68 ("William and Polly" - not the same song, however); Cox, No. 98; Wyman and Brockway, p. 38.
1.
She went into a Barber shop
Sing lillie, lillie, O; sing lillie, lillie, O.
2. She went into a tailor shop
To dress in man's array;
She went into a ship
To convey herself away.
Sing lillie, lillie, 0; sing lillie, lillie, O.
3. Your waist is slim and slender;
Your fingers long and small;
Your cheeks too red and rosy
To face the cannon ball.
Sing lillie, lillie, O; sing lillie, lillie, O.
4. My waist is slim and slender;
My fingers long and small;
I never change my countenance
To face a cannon ball.
Sing lillie, lillie, O; sing lillie, lillie, O.
36. THE TRUE LOVER'S FAREWELL
"Parting Sweethearts". Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route No. 15, Sevierville, Tennessee, August, 1929. Cf. stanzas 6, 7, 8 with Campbell and Sharp, No. 6I; cf. also Sandburg, p. 98 stanza 4; Hudson, No. 112.
1. O, Lord, my dear, the time draws near
That you and I must part;
And no one knows the inward grief
That attends my love sick heart.
2. But now, my love, you have gone away
And I am left alone,
There is no one near to hear my cry
Or to ease me of my moan.
3. There is one thing, I do request,
If I should be so bold;
To ask a room within your heart
My secrets for to hold.
4. My secrets for to hold, my love,
Never to be removed;
Your name is there in secret wrote
In letters made of gold.
5. Your name is there in secret wrote;
Believe me what I say;
You are the boy that I love best
Until my dying day.
6. The crow that is so black
Will surely turn to white;
If I prove false to you, my love
Bright day will turn to night.
7. The Dements will turn,
If I grove false to you, my love;
The Arralian sea will burn
8. Don't you see that little bird
A-flying from pine to pine.
Mourning for her own true love
Just as I mourn for you.
37. BLACK IS THE COLOR
"My Dear Sweetheart". Obtained from Miss Mary E. King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. Cf. Campbell and Sharp, No. 85.
1. Dark is the color of my sweetheart's hair;
His cheeks are like some roses fair;
The prettiest face and neatest hands -
I love the ground whereon he stands.
2. My dear sweetheart, my harmless love,
I hope we'll meet in heaven above;
And there to dwell with Christ forever;
My dear sweetheart, you are so clever.
3. I go to cry, to mourn, to weep;
But satisfy I never can sleep;
You have turned me away and broke my heart;
Oh, how can I from you depart?
4. Yes, you are all for this to blame -
That I must die in grief and shame;
And after death I will go home
And think of what you've done for me.
5. Many an hour have I spent with you;
But never knew that you wasn't true.
I found it out and cried aloud;
I must, I did, in all this crowd.
6. But if it be God's will, I'd rather
For us to live in this world together;
For I have said and done my part;
I love you, mister, with all my heart.
7. As you do pass me by so brave,
Look at the tomb stone on my grave;
And read this there that you may see;
And think of what you have done to me.
38. SWEET WILLIAM (Sailor Boy).
A. "Soldier Lover". Obtained from Miss Mary King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 106; Cox; No, I10; Sharp ("One Hundred English Folk-Songs"), No. 72; Journal, XXIX, 199; XXX, 363; XXXI, 170; XXXV, 410; Heart Songs, Boston, 1909, p. 67 ("A Song of The Sea"); Franz Rickaby, Ballads and Songs of the Shanty Boy, pp. 85 ("The Pinery Boy"), 210.
1. Soldier, soldier, drew [do] a-light;
That robs poor maids from their heart's delight -
It causes them to weep, and it causes them to mourn,
The loss of a true love never to return.
2. Dark was the color of my true love's hair;
His cheeks were like a lily fair;
If he ever returns, it will give me joy,
For I'll never love any but my soldier boy.
3. Father, O father, go build me a boat,
That on the ocean I may float;
And every ship that I draw near,
I'll inquire of my soldier dear.
4. She rode her boat all on the main;
She spied three ships coming from Spain;
She hailed each captain as she passed by,
And there she inquired of her soldier dear.
5. "No lady, no lady, he is not here,
For he got drownded in the gulf, my dear;
At the head of Rocky Island, as we passed by,
I saw your true lover die."
6. She wrung her hands, she tore her hair,
Just like a lady in despair;
She rowed her boat against a rock;
I thought to my soul that lady's heart was broke.
7. She called for a chair for to sit upon,
A pen and ink for to write a song;
At the end of every line she dropped a tear;
At the end of every verse she cried, "Oh, my dear."
8. Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
A marble stone at my head and feet;
And on my breast place a lovely dove,
That the world may know I died for love.
B. "Sweet Soldier Boy". Obtained August 1, 1930, from Mrs. Ewart Wilson, wife of the grandson of "Big Tom" Wilson, famed hunter of the Black Mountains and the man who led the search for Prof. Mitchell when he lost his life on Mt. Mitchell. Mrs. Wilson's address is Pensacola, N. C., which is on the Cane River at the western base of Mt. Mitchell.
1. Father, father, go build me a boat
That I may over the ocean float,
And every ship that I pass by,
There I'll enquire for my soldier boy;
And every ship that I pass by,
There I'll enquire for my soldier boy.
2. She rowed her boat upon the main;
She saw three ships a-coming from Spain;
And every ship that she passed by,
There she enquired for her sweet soldier boy;
And every ship that she passed by,
There she enquired for her sweet soldier boy.
3. No, kind lady, he's not here;
They killed him in the battle, my dear,
At the head of rocky isle and as we passed by,
There we let your soldier lie;
At the head of rocky isle and as we passed by
There we let your soldier lie.
4. She rowed her boat upon a rock;
I saw that lady's heart was broke,
She ran her fingers through her hair
Just like a lady in despair;
She ran her fingers through her hair
Just like a lady in despair.
5. Go bring me a chair to sit upon,
A pen and ink to write it down.
At the end of every line she dropped a tear;
At the end of every verse she cried "Oh, my dear;"
At the end of every line she dropped a tear;
At the end of every verse she cried "Oh, my dear."
6. Go dig my grave both wide and deep
And place a marble slab at my head and at my feet;
And on my breast place a little turtle dove
To show the world that I died for love;
And on my breast place a little turtle dove
To show the world that I died for love.
39. NO CHANGE IN ME
Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929.
Parts of several songs appear to be mixed up with this song. Cf. Campbell and Sharp, No. 61, in which stanza 2 is almost identical with the last stanza of the present song. Cf. also the last two lines of stanza 2, of this song with the lines in Wyman and Brockway, Lonesome Tunes, p. 57, Stanza III,
"I wish I had known before I courted
That love had been such a killing crime."
The difference is that a girl is the speaker in the latter song.
1. If there is no change in the ocean,
There is no change in the sea;
If there be no change in you, my love,
There'll be no change in me.
Chorus: The storms are on the ocean;
The sea begins to roar;
The world shall lose its motion,
If I prove false to you.
2. I asked your mama for you;
She said you was too young;
I wish I never had seen you,
Nor love had never been born.
Chorus:
3. Oh! It is sad to leave you, dear;
Oh! It is sad to part.
It's sad to leave you, darling;
It almost breaks my heart.
Chorus:
4. I have a ship on the ocean,
All lined with silver and gold;
Before my love shall suffer,
I'll have it anchored and sold.
Chorus:
5. If I prove false to you, my love,
The rocks will meet and run,
The fire will freeze and be like ice,
And the raging sea will burn.
Chorus:
40. LONESOME DOVE
A. "The Little Dove". Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930. Cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 22: Barry, Journal, XXV, 276.
1. Down in some lonesome piney grove;
Down in some lonesome piney grove;
Down in some lonesome piney grove;
My little dove she sets and moans.
2. My little dove, you're not by yourself;
My little dove, you're not by yourself,;
My little dove, you're not by yourself;
For my dear Polly is by your side.
3. I once, like you, I had a mate;
I once, like you, I had a mate;
I once, like you, I had a mate;
But now, like you, I'm disalayed.
4. Consumption seized my love so dear;
Consumption seized my love so dear;
Consumption seized my love so dear;
And preyed on her for seven long years.
5. Her red rosy cheeks, her pretty blue eyes;
Her red rosy cheeks, her pretty blue eyes;
Her red rosy cheeks, her pretty blue eyes;
Just like a rose that blooms and dies.
6. God bless them arms that bounds me round;
God bless them arms that bounds me round;
God bless them arms that bounds me round;
Lie mouldering away in the cold ground.
B. "The Little Dove." Obtained from Mrs. Helen Tufts Bailie, 22 DeWolfe Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, who had it from John Oliver, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, April 10, 1931. Mr. Oliver writes that he had it from Mrs. M. J. Lawson-Lequire of Cade's Cove, the daughter of Daniel Brownlow Lawson, "a grat-uncle of mine" and "a great singer like all the Lawsons....He one time owned half the Cove and was justice of the peace thirty years."
1. One day while in a lonesome grove
Sat o'er my head a little dove;
For her lost mate began to coo
Which made me think of my mate too.
2. Ah! little dove, you're not alone,
For I like you can only mourn.
I once like you did have a mate
But now like you am desolate.
3. Consumption seized my love severe
And preyed upon her one long year
Till death came at the break of day
And my poor Mary he did slay.
4. Her sparkling eyes and her blooming cheeks
Withered like the rose and died.
The arms that once embraced me round
Lie mouldering under the cold ground.
5. But death, grim death, did not stop here;
I had one child to me most dear;
He like a vulture came again
And took from me my little Jane.
6. But, bless the Lord, his word is given,
Declaring babes are heirs of heaven.
Then cease my heart to mourn for Jane
Since my small loss is her great gain.
7. I have a hope that cheers my breast -
To think my love has gone to rest;
For while her dying tongue could move,
She praised the Lord for pardoning love.
8. Shout on, ye heavenly powers above,
While I this lonesome desert rove;
My master's work will soon be done
And then I'll join you in your song.
9. Oh, hasten on that happy day
When I must leave this clod of clay
And soar aloft o'er you blest plain
And there meet Mary and my Jane.
41. FORSAKEN LOVER
Obtained from Miss Pauline Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, August, 1930. Cf. Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 55 ("Meet Me in the Moonlight"). It will be at least interesting to compare the two songs.
1. They stood in the moon-light
Near by the gate.
"Good-bye, my darling,
I know you will wait."
2. She ceased her weeping
And smiled through her tears,
Saying, "I've been true, love,
Through all these long years."
3. For early tomorrow
At the break of day
He was to journey
Far, far away.
4. He helt her closer
And questions replied:
"I've loved you only; yes, I have been true;
My heart shall never be loved but by you."
5. "Oh, darling, remember
Far over the sea -
So faithful in love -
I'll be to thee."
42. THE LOVER'S LAMENT
"Soldier Boy." Obtained from Mac Hardin, Sevierville, Tennessee, August, 1929. This song seems to be related to Campbell and Sharp's "The Lover's Lament", No. 57. There, however, the lament comes from the soldier who returns to find his sweetheart dead.
1. I once had a sweetheart,
A sweetheart brave and true;
His hair was dark and curly;
His loving eyes were blue.
2. He was just like all other boys:
He had a friend and chum
And oft together they would roam
For pleasure and for fun.
3. They persuaded him away one day
I never knew what for,
They persuaded him far away one day
To the terrible war.
4. And when he came to say good-bye,
My heart did overflow;
"Goodbye, my little sweetheart,
Far away to war I'll go."
5. He had a little diamond ring;
He placed it on my hand;
"When this you see, remember me,
When I'm in a distant land."
6. He promised that he'd write to me;
This promise he kept true;
The last lines that he ever wrote:
"I'll soon be at home with you."
7. I read it with a cheerful heart
And with a bowed down head.
The next message I heard from him
My darling boy was dead.
8. I'll always keep his little ring
And all his letters too;
And always live a single girl
For the boy that was so true.
43. FAIR DAMSEL
Obtained from Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Varnell, Georgia, formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee, October, 1930.
This song bears some resemblance to the song variously entitled, "John Reilly," "George Reilly", "Young Reilly", "O'Reilly", etc., though in this case the lover does not return and his sweetheart plunges "All into the deep."
As the situation, meter, and phraseology of the "Reilly" song differ almost as frequently as the title, it seems that the present song may be related to it. See Mackenzie, Ballads and Songs from Nova Scotia, No. 43;
Campbell and Sharp. No. 82; Cox, No. 95; Pound, No. 39.
1. I walked out one evening
All down by the seashore;
The wind did whistle
And the waters did roar.
Chorus: I heard a fair damsel
Make a pitiful sound;
It sounded so lonely
On the waters around.
2. Crying, "Oh, my lover has gone on sea,
But he will land at my door;
But he is gone where
I never see him no more."
Chorus:
3. She plunged her fair body
All into the deep
And closed her pretty blue eyes
In the waters to sleep.
Chorus:
4. Crying, "Oh, my lover has gone on the sea,
But he will pass by my door;
But he is gone where
I will never see him no more."
Chorus:
44. FLIRTING
"Willie". Obtained from Miss Mary Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929. See Hudson, Journal, XXXIX, 164; Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 57; Henry, Journal, XLII, 278; Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old- Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, Book 3, Chicago, 1930, p. 36.
1. They say it is sinful to flirt;
Oh, they say that my heart is stone;
Oh, they tell me to speak to him kindly.
2. They say he is only a boy;
But I am sure he is older than I;
And if they would leave us alone,
How much happier we would be!
3. I remember the night when he said
That he loved me far more than his life;
He called me his love and his pet,
And asked me to be his wife.
4. "Oh, Willie," I said with a smile,
"I am sure I shall have to say no;"
And he took from my hair a white rose
And said, "Goodbye, I must go."
5. Next morning poor Willie was dead.
He was drowned in the pond by the mill
In the deep clear water that flows
From the brook on the brow of the hill.
6. His eyes were forever closed -
Deep sorrow on his brow -
And in his pale lips he still held
The white rose he took from my hair.
7. "O, Willie, my darling, come back;
I will ever be faithful and true;
O, Willie, my darling, come back;
I will ever be faithful to you.
8. "You can't love but one and be faithful;
You can't love but one and be true;
Oh, you can't love but one and be faithful;
I'm afraid I've been trying to love two."
45. A PACKAGE OF OLD LETTERS
A.
Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route No. 15, Sevierville, Blount County, Tennessee, July, 1929. See Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 172; Pound, Folk-Song o/ Nebraska and the Central West: a Syllabus, 21; Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, New York, 1927, p. 54; Henry, Journal, XLII, 293; Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, Book 3, p. 34, Chicago, 1930.
1. There is a package of old letters
In a little rose-wood box
With the key tied to the locket,
Worn upon my heart unlocked.
2. Will you go and get the package,
And the letters read to me;
I have tried to do it often,
But for tears I could not see.
3. You have brought them, thank you, darling;
Now sit down upon my bed
And lift gentle to your bosom
My poor burning, aching head.
4- Read the blessed words distinctly
That I lose not even one.
Oh, the blessed hand, that penned them!
His last work for me is done.
5. And if ever you should see him
Who no more I'll ever see,
Tell him of the sweetest solace
His dear letters were to me.
6. Through the years that followed
When he came not as he promised,
I could not cast out sorrow
That my grief for him is done.
7. That I never ceased to love him,
Nor doubt not that he loved me;
That my faith with him was faithful
And remained through all unknown.
8. When I am dead and in my coffin
And my shroud is round me wrapped
And my narrow bed is ready
In the cold and silent ground.
9. Place the letters and his picture
Both together upon my heart;
And this little ring he gave me
From my finger never part.
10. Now I'm ready, read the letters;
His dear letters once again.
As I listen while you read them,
I shall lose all signs of pain.
11. And if ere you have finished
I shall ever fall asleep,
Fall asleep and wake now never,
Dearest sister, do not weep.
B. "Little Rosewood Casket." Obtained from Miss Mary E. King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, August, 1929.
1. In that little rosewood casket
That is resting on my stand,
Is a package of old letters
Written by a cherished hand.
2. Will you, sister, go and get them
And read them o'er to me?
I have often tried to read them,
But for years I could not see.
3. You have them, thank you, darling;
Now sit down upon my bed.
And lift gently to your bosom
My poor throbbing aching head.
4. And if you should see him,
Whom I never more shall see,
Tell him what a sweetest solace
Those dear letters were to me.
5. Tell him, sister, when he came not,
As he promised me he would,
That my trust in him was perfect
And it still remains unmoved.
6. When I'm dead and in my coffin,
And my shroud is round me wound,
And my narrow bed is ready,
In that pleasant church yard ground,
7. Place the letters and the locket
Both together on my heart;
And the little ring he gave me,
Never from my finger part.
8. I am ready now, my sister;
You may read them o'er again;
While I listen to you read them,
I will lose all sense of pain.
9. While I listen to you read them,
I shall gently fall asleep,
Fall asleep to wake in Jesus.
Dearest sister, do not weep.
C. (Package of Old Letters)
This is another version from Miss Mary E. King, which she obtained from Ashley Stennett, of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It has three more stanzas than B and has some slight but interesting variations in some of the other stanzas.
1. In a little rosewood casket
That is resting on my stand,
There's a package of old letters
Written by a cherished hand.
2. Will you go and bring them, sister,
And read them all tonight?
I have often tried and could not,
For the tears would blind my sight.
3. Come up close to me, sister;
Let me lean upon your breast;
For the tide of life is ebbing
And I fain would be at rest.
4. Bring the letters he has written, -
He, whose voice I've often heard.
Read them over, I love distinctly,
For I've cherished every word.
5. Tell him, sister, when you see him,
That I never ceased to love, -
That I, dying, prayed for him
In the better world above.
6. Tell him that I was supported -
Ne'er a word of censure spoke -
But his silence and his absence,
This poor heart have well nigh broke.
7. Tell him that I watched his coming,
When the noon-tide sun was high,
And when at eve the angels
Set their star light in the sky.
8. But when I saw he came not,
Tell him that I did not chide;
But I spoke in love about him
And I blessed him when I died.
9. And when in death's white garments
You have wrapped my form around,
And have lain me down in slumber,
In the quiet church ground.
10. Place the letters and the picture
Close beside my pulseless heart;
For we years have been together
And in death we will not part.
11. I am ready now, my sister;
You may read the letters o'er;
I will listen to the words of him
Whom I shall see no more.
12. And ere you have finished,
Should I calmly fall asleep, -
Fall asleep in death and wake not -
Dearest sister, do not weep.
D. "The Little Rosewood Casket." Recorded by Mrs. Florence Stokes Henry from the singing of Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 16, 1930.
1. In that little rosewood casket
That is resting on my stand
Is a package of old letters
Written by a cherished hand.
2. Will you get them now, dear sister?
Will you read them o'er to me?
For oft times I've tried to read them
But for tears I could not see.
3. Read these precious lines so slowly
That I may miss not even one,
For the cherished hand that wrote them -
His last work for me is done.
4. Tell him that I never blamed him;
Not an unkind word was spoke,
Tell him, sister, tell, oh, tell him
That my heart was doubtless broke.
5. Tell him that I never blamed him
Though he's proved to me untrue.
Tell him that I'll never forget him
Till I bid this world adieu.
6. You have finished now, dear sister;
Will you read them o'er again?
While I listen to you read them,
I will lose all sense of pain.
7. While I listen to you read them,
I will gently fall asleep -
Fall asleep to wake with Jesus.
Oh, dear sister, do not weep.
8. When I am dead and in my coffin,
And my shroud's around me bound,
And my little bed is ready
In the cold and silent ground,
9. Place his letters and his locket -
Place together o'er my heart;
But that little ring he gave me,
From my finger never part.
46. PRETTY MOHEA
A.
Obtained on August I, 1930, from Mrs. Ewart Wilson, wife of the grandson of "Big Tom" Wilson, famed hunter of the Black Mountains and the man who found Prof. Mitchell when he lost his life while taking observations on Mt. Mitchell. Mrs. Wilson's address is Pensacola, N. C., which is on the Cane River at the Western Base of Mt. Mitchell. Cox, No. 116, quotes three variants that have been found in West Virginia under the titles, "Pretty Maumee", "The Little Maumee", and "The Pretty Maumee." See Eckstorm and Smyth, Ministrelsy of Maine, 230; Pound, No. 91; Wyman and Brockway, 52; New Jersey Journal of Education, February, 1926; Ibid, March, 1928; Hudson, Journal, XXXIX, 132; Henry, Journal, XLII, 282; Bradley Kincaid, My Favorite Mountain
Ballads and Old-Time Songs, p. 38; Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, p. 155; Dean, The Flying Cloud and 150 Other Old Time Poems and Ballads, p. 17. Cf. also Kittredge, Journal, XXXV, 408. Belden MSS., (Missouri) Harvard College Library; Flanders, "Vermont Folksongs" (Springfield, Mass., Sunday Union and Republican, Aug. 30, 1931).
1. As I went out walking for pleasure one day
In sweet recreation to while time away;
As I sat amusing myself on the grass,
Oh, who should I spy but a fair Indian lass.
2. She came and sat by, and taking my hand,
Said, "You are a stranger and in a fair land,
But if you will follow, you're welcome to come
And dwell in the cottage that I call my home."
3. Together we wandered, together we roamed
Till we came to the cottage in the cocoanut grove;
Now if you'll consent, sir, to stay here with me,
I'll teach you the language of the lass of Mohea.
4. Oh, no, my dear maiden, that never can be,
For I have a sweetheart in my own country
And I'll not forsake her; I know she loves me;
She's a heart just as true as the pretty Mohea.
5. The last time I saw her, she stood on the sand;
As my boat passed her she waved her hand,
Saying, "When you have landed with the girl that you love,
Think of little Mohea in the cocoanut grove."
6. And when I landed on my own native shore,
Kind friends and relations around me once more,
I gazed all about me; not one could I see
That I could compare with the pretty Mohea.
7. And the girl that I trusted proved untrue to me;
So I'll turn my steps backward across the blue sea;
I'll turn my steps backward; from this land I'll flee
And go spend my days with the pretty Mohea.
B. (Pretty Mohea)
Copied from a manuscript in the possession of Miss Mary E. King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee, August 12, 1929.
1. As I went out walking for pleasure one day
In sweet recollection to while time away;
As I sat musing myself in the grass,
Oh, who should I spy but a fair Indian lass.
2. She sat down beside me, and taking my hand,
Saying, "You are a stranger in a strange land,
But if you will follow, you are welcome to come,
And dwell in the country that I call my home."
3. The sun was fast sinking fair over the blue sea
When I wandered alone with my pretty Mohea;
Together we wandered; together we did roam,
While we came to the cottage in the cocoanut grove.
4. This kind expression she made upon me:
"If you will consent, sir, to stay here with me,
And go no more roving upon the salt sea,
I will teach you language of the lass of Mohea."
5. "Oh, no, my dear maiden, that never could be;
For I have a true tour1 in my own country
And I'll never forsake her, for I know she loves me;
For her heart is as true as the Pretty Mohea."
6. 'Twas early one morning, a morning in May,
That to this fair maiden these words I did say:
"I'm going to leave you, so farewell, my dear,
My ship's sails are spreading and home I must stur." [2]
7. The last time I saw her she stood on the strand
And as my boat passed her, she waved me her hand,
Saying, "When you have landed with the girl you love,
Think of the little Mohea in the cocoanut grove."
8. And then when I landed on my own native shore,
With my friends and relations around me once more,
I gazed all about me, not one could I see,
That was fit to compare with the pretty Mohea.
9. And the girl that I trusted proved untrue to me;
So I'll turn my course back and fare o'er the deep sea;
I'll turn my course back and from this land I'll flee;
I'll go spend my days with the little Mohea.
[1] Mistake for love.
[2] For stir or steer.
C. "Little Mauniee". Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee. August, 1929.
1. As I went out roaming for pleasure one day,
In self recollection the hours passed away.
As I sat a-sunning myself in the grass,
Who could I spy coming but a young Indian lass?
2. She came and sat by me and took up my hand:
"You look like a stranger and in a strange land."
Together we wandered; together we roamed,
Till we came to the cottage in the cocoanut grove.
3. "And now, pale face stranger, if you never more roam,
We'll live here together in a snug little home;
And if you are agreed, sir, to stay here with me,
I'll teach you the language of the little Mauniee."
4. "Ah, now, fairest maiden, that never can be,
For I have a true-love in my own country;
And I can't forsake her, for I know she loves me;
Her heart is as true as my little Mauniee."
5. The last time I saw her, she stood on the sand;
And as I passed her, she gave me her hand;
Saying, "When you return, sir, to the land that you know,
Remember the maiden when the cocoanut grows."
6. And now I've returned to my own native shore,
Where friends and relations surround me once more,
A ll that I see . ............................
There's none to compare with my little Mauniee.
47. SWEET WILLIE (SWEET LILLIE).
Obtained from Cleophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, I929.
A mixture of "Sweet Willie" and "I'm Going to Georgia". See Cox's headnote to No. 146 for comparisons with many songs under various titles. Cf. Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 177; Campbell and Sharp, No. 78; Henry, Journal, XLII, 292.
1. Willie, Sweet Willie,
O Willie, fare you well;
I'm sorry to leave you;
I love you so well.
2. Some folks say I drink whiskey;
My money is my own,
And those that don't like me
Can let me alone.
3. I'm going to Georgia;
I'm going to Rome,
I'm going to Georgia
To make it my home.
4. My sweetheart's a dandy
And I am the same;
She lives down in Georgia;
You can't guess her name.
48. I DREAMED LAST NIGHT OF MY TRUE-LOVE
A. "Song Ballen". Obtained from Mrs. Samuel Harmon (formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee), Varnell, Georgia, October, 1930. See Sandburg, p. 149.
1. Last night I dreamed of my true-love;
All in my arms I had her;
Her pretty yellow hair like streams of gold
A-streaming down my pillow.
2. But when I awoke it was a dream;
Nor neither could I find her;
I went on to the jail-house door
Inquiring for my sweetie.
3. The answer came: "She is not here;
Nor neither would we keep her."
Soon as my voice she heard,
She came unto the window.
4. "My dearest love, I would be with you,
But lock and bars do hinder."
A moment I stood a-studying on her speeches;
My patience flew; my sword I drew; I broke them bars to pieces.
B. "Song Ballad". Obtained from Mrs. Helen Tufts Bailie, 22 De Wolfe Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, who had it from John Oliver, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, April 1o, 1931. Mr. Oliver writes that he had it from Mrs. M. J. Lawson-Lequire of Cade's Cove, the daughter of Daniel Brownlow Lawson, "a great-uncle of mine" and "a great singer like all the Lawsons ..... He one time owned half the Cove and was justice of the peace thirty years."
1. Last night I dreamed of my true-love;
All in my arms I had her;
But when I waked it was a dream
I was forced to lie without her.
2. Her yellow hair like chains of gold
Lie down upon my pillow:
"You are the girl that I adore;
You are my Bambowillow;
3. You are the girl I always loved;
You are my imbowillow."
But when I came to her father's house
To ask for this fair lady,
4. The answer was, "There is none such here.
Why do you ask about her ?"
My voice she heard; came quickly to the window
Saying, "My love, I'd come to thee, but lock and bolts do hender."
5. And there I stood all in amaze -
All in a angrew manner.
My patience grew; my sword I drew
And quickly I got to her.
6. I took my love all by the hand -
My sword all in the other
Saying, "Young men who love like me
Take one and fight the other."
7. Her father gathered a crowd of men
And after me did follow
Saying, "Revenge I'll have of you
Or in your blood I'll wallow."
8. It was over hills and under hills
And in some lonesome valley;
It was my love they took from me;
It was all through spite and malice.
49. WILLIAM AND MARY
Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route No. 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929.
See Hudson, No. 29; Pound, No. 93; Shearin and Coombs, p. 27.
1. William and Mary sat by the sea-shore -
A last farewell to take.
Says Mary to William, "If you never return,
I'm sure my poor heart will break."
2. "Don't mind my absence," said he,
As he pressed his dear girl to his side;
"For if I live to ever return,
I'll make little Mary my bride."
3. Three years had passed - the news came at last
As she stood in her one cottage door,
A beggar passed by with a pad o'er his eye -
His jacket all ragged and torn.
4. "Your company is sweet," the beggar replied,
"And message I have for you beside.
The lad that you mourn will never return
To make little Mary his bride."
5. "Oh, sir," says she, "if you will tell me,
All money I have I'll give;
If what you tell, you'll tell quite true -
Oh, say, does my William still live?"
6. "He lives in poverty and suffered a shipwreck besides;
He'll never return for he is too poor,
To make little Mary his bride."
7. "Oh," says she, "this can never be;
My lover can never be told;
He's as welcome in his poverty
As though he was covered with gold."
8. The beggar then drew the pad from his eye;
He laid off his jacket besides;
Mary looked, and to her surprise,
It was William who stood by her side.
9. "Forgive me, dear Mary, forgive me," said he,
"It was only your love that I tried.
This very day to church let us go
And I'll make little Mary my bride."
50. SONG BALLEN ("I rode to church last Sunday")
Obtained from Mrs. Samuel Harmon (formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee), Varnell, Georgia, December 27, 1930. Here is another song of lament for change of heart. This varies from the usual in having two parts - the man's and the girl's - both lamenting the broken engagement. The reference to a seaport indicates either an English attachment or lines taken from a song where words pertaining to the sea are common. Note in stanza 6 the use of the archaic "an" for "if" with perfect sense. Stanzas 7 and 8 are borrowed from other songs, only some times it is the boy and not the girl that expresses the lament. Cf. these stanzas with Campbell and Sharp, No. 64, A, stanzas 3 and 4. See also "Old Smoky", No. 51 of the present collection, stanzas 3 and 4.
1. I rode to church last Sunday;
My love, she passed me by;
I saw her mind was changing
By movement of her eye.
2. Oh, have you forgot last Sunday
When you give me your lilly white hand
And said if ever you was married,
I sure would be the man.
3. But now you have broke your promise;
Go home with who you please.
While my poor heart are aching,
You are lying at your ease.
4. I wish I was in some sea-port,
Or in some sea-port town;
I set my foot on sea board
And sail this ocean round.
5. Some says I love you;
I know that to be true;
And some says we will marry,
But that's more than I can do.
6. For my people is against it
And yours are the same;
An my name is on your book, love,
Please rub out my name.
7. For a false hearted young man
Is worse than a thief;
For a thief will only rob you and take what you have,
But a false-hearted young man will bring you to your grave.
8. The grave will only molder you
And turn you to dust;
There's not a boy in a thousand
That a young girl can trust.
51. OLD SMOKY
A.
Obtained from Miss Ronie Johnson, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 13, 1929. See Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 159. Cf. also Kittredge, Journal, XX, 273 ("Loving Nancy") for three stanzas of a fragment of a version of "Courting Too Slow." Eleven of the following stanzas are almost identical with eleven of the stanzas in Campbell and Sharp's "The Wagoner's Lad", No. 64, A. Cf. also Lunsford and Stringfield, "30 and
1 Folksongs", Carl Fischer, New York, p. 54.
1. On top of Old Smoky, all covered with snow
I lost my true lover by courting too slow.
2. While courting is pleasure and parting is grief,
A false hearted lover is worse than a thief.
3. A thief they will rob you and take what you have
But a false hearted lover will take you to the grave.
4. The grave will decay you, will turn you to dust
Only one boy out of a hundred a poor girl can trust.
5. They'll tell you they love you to give your heart ease
As soon as your back's turned they'll court who they please.
6. 'Tis raining, 'tis hailing, this dark stormy night
Your horses can't travel for the moon gives no light.
7. Go put up your horses and give them some hay
Come sit down beside me as long as you can stay.
8. My horses aren't hungry, they won't eat your hay
My wagon is loaded, I'll feed on my way.
9. As sure as the dew drops fall on the green corn
Last night he was with me, tonight he is gone.
10. I'll go back to Old Smoky, to the mountain so high
Where the wild birds and turtle doves can hear my sad cry.
11. Way down on Old Smoky all covered in snow
I lost my blue eyed boy by courting too slow.
12. I wrote him a letter of roses and lines
He sent it back to me all twisted in twine.
13. He says, "You keep your love letters, and I'll keep mine;
You write to your true-love and I'll write to mine.
14. "I'll go to old Georgia, I'll write you my mind:
My mind is to marry you and leave you behind."
B. (Old Smokey)
Obtained from Mrs. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, North Carolina, February, 1930. As stanzas I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are practically identical with the same stanzas of A, they are omitted. Note that the last stanza of A becomes stanza 9 in B. Stanzas 10 and II of B vary but slightly from 9 and Io of A, but their order is transposed. The last two stanzas of B do not occur in A.
9. I will drive on to Georgia and write you my mind,
For my mind is to marry and leave you behind.
10. I will go upon the mountains, on the mountains so high,
Where the birds and turtle doves can hear my mourns and my cries.
11. As soon as the dew drops grow on the green lawn,
Last night she was with me, tonight she is gone.
12. I can love little, I can love long,
I can love an old sweetheart, till a new one comes on.
13. I can hug them and kiss them and prove to them kind;
I can turn my back upon them and alter my mind.
C. (Old Smokey [Pretty Saro])
Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, December 10, 1930.
1. On top of Old Smoky there lays a deep snow
And foot of Old Smoky there runs a clear stream.
2. And I'm going to marry pretty Sarah, the queen.
3. It's no long journey I dreading to go;
It's leaving my country for just debts I owe.
4. I look all around me; I found I was alone.
5. My love, she won't have me which I understand;
She wants a freeholder and I have no land.
6. But I think I could maintain her on silver and gold;
I would buy her as many fine things as my lovehouse could hold.
7. I wish I was some fine pindle - could write some fine hand;
I'd write my love a letter that she may understand.
8. I send it by the waters as the island overflows.
9. I wish I was in some lone valley or in some lone place,
Where the small birds don't whistle or the notes don't increase.
10. No better pastime but to be with my sweet,
11. Adieu to my father; likewise my mother too;
I am going to ramble this whole world through.
12. When I get tired I set down and cry
And think of pretty Sarah and think I will die.
52. THE WAGONER'S LAD.
A.
"The Wagoner Lad". Obtained from Cleophas L. Wranklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929.
See Kittredge, Journal, XX, 268; Campbell and Sharp, No. 64, A, B, C (eleven of the stanzas of A are almost identical with eleven of the stanzas of the preceding song, "Old Smoky"). Cf. also Wyman and Brockway, p. 64 ("Loving Nancy"); Cox, No. 146 ("Farewell, Sweet Mary") and his interesting note pointing out how lines of other songs have been taken up by "The Wagoner's Lad".
1. I am a poor little girl;
My fortune's been bad;
I've a long time been courting
A Wagoner lad.
2. He courted me daily
By night and by day;
But now he is loaded
And going away.
3. So hard is the fortune
Of poor womankind;
They are always controlled
And always confined.
4. Controlled by their parents
Till they are made wives;
Then slaves for their husbands
The rest of their lives.
5. "Your wagon ain't greasy;
Your bill it ain't paid;
Come sit you down by me,
For I know you can stay."
6. "My wagon is greased;
My bill it is paid;
So fare you well, Polly,
No longer to stay."
7. He mounted his horses
With his whip in his hand:
"So fare you well, Polly,
No longer to stand."
8. So early that morning
As he did arrive
He crossed over the mountain
With tears in his eyes.
9. To think he must leave her
And see her no more;
He left his girl weeping
On the New River shore.
10. I can love a light love;
I can love long;
I can love an old sweetheart
Till a new one comes on.
11. I love them and kiss them
And think it proves kind;
Then turn my back upon them
And alter my mind.
12. I build my love a castle
On yon mountain high,
When the wild geese will hear her
As they pass by.
13. Where the wild geese will hear
Her cries and her moans,
Sweet instruments of music
And the firing of guns.
B. "Wagner Boy". Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, December 10, 1930.
1. In old North Carolina I bred and born;
In old North Carolina I bear a great scorn;
In ninety-one thousand and ninety-nine
Among all pretty women, oh, now I found mine.
2. One morning, one morning while taking a stray,
I meet as fair damsel as ever you see;
I view her furthers; it suit me well;
Oh, then I forced on her mind to tell.
3. Quickly she answers: "I your bride shall be";
But her parents was not willing for her to have me.
"Go, put up your horses and feed them some hay;
Come set down beside me; that's all I can say."
4. "My horses are not hungry and won't eat your hay;
So fare you well, pretty Nancy, I've not time to stay."
"Your horses are not harnessed; your whip's not in your hand;
Come, set down by me just as your command."
5. "My horses are in harness; my whip's in my hand;
So fare you well, pretty Nancy, I no time to stand."
6. Oh, now he is loaded and driving away
And how it has grieved me you can very well see;
But when I get with him I crave him with joy;
I kiss the sweet lips of my wagner boy.
53. THE LONESOME SCENES OF WINTER.
"All in the Scenes of Winter". Obtained from Mac Hardin, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929.
The change of mind expressed in stanzas, 6, 7, 8, 9, does not appear in a Kentucky version reported by Prof. Kittredge, Journal, XX, 273. Cf. also Journal, XXIX, 20o and "The Flying Cloud and 150 Other Old Time Poems and Ballads" by M. C. Dean, p. io8. Add "Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs" by Wyman and Brockway, p. 94.
1. All in the scenes of winter -
And climb to frost and snow,
Dark clouds around me gathered;
The stormy wind did blow.
2. Last night I went my love to see;
I felt most scornfully;
I asked that girl to marry;
She would not answer me.
3. This young man sat waiting
Until the break of day:
I'm waiting for an answer,
"True-love, what do you say?"
4. "Oh, if I have to answer you,
I choose a single life;
I never thought it suitable
For me to be your wife.
5. "The little birds sing sweetly
On every bush and vine;
My troubles would be doubled
If you were only mine."
6. In the course of three weeks later
This young girl's mind did change.
She wrote her love a letter:
"Kind sir, I feel ashamed.
7. "I feel as if I had slighted you;
I cannot hear you more;
Oh, here's my heart, come take it,
And seal it as your own."
8. He wrote his love an answer
And sent it back in speed,
Saying, "Darling, once I loved you,
I loved you dear, indeed.
9. "But since my mind has changed me;
I choose some other way:
Upon a fairer damsel
More suitable than thee."
54. PRETTY SARO.
Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, July 14, 1930, who learned it from her brother, Edmund Malone Johnson. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 76, A, B, C. The present song is close to A. Cf. also Hudson No. 33.
1. I came to this country in eighteen forty-nine
And I saw many fair lovers, but I never saw mine,
And I looked all around me and I were alone
And me a poor stranger and a long ways from home.
2. Farewell, my old father, likewise mother too;
I'm going to ramble this country all through
And when I get tired I'll set down and rest
And I'll think of pretty Saro and one I love best.
3. Pretty Saro, pretty Saro, I love you, I know;
I love you, pretty Saro, wherever I go;
No tongue can express it or a poet can tell
How truly I love you, - I love you so well.
4. I wish I was a poet - could write a fine hand;
I'd write my love a letter that she might understand;
I'll send it by the waters and the isle overflow
And think of pretty Saro wherever I go.
5. I wish I was a little dove had wings and could fly;
Unto my loved darling this night I'd draw nigh
And in her lily-white arm I would lay
And watch some little window for the dawning of day.
55. I LOVE LITTLE WILLIE. [Tune: Campbell's are Coming]
Obtained from Mrs. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, February, 1930. This song is practically identical with the song of the same title in Bradley Kincaid's Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, p. 28, except the fifth stanza which does not occur in Kincaid's song.
1. I love little Willie, I do, mama!
I love little Willie, ha! ha! ha! ha!
I love little Willie, but don't you tell pa,
For he won't like it, you know, mama!
2. He asked me to marry him, he did, mama!
He asked me to marry him, ha! ha! ha! ha!
He asked me to marry him, but don't you tell pa,
For he won't like it, you know, mama!
3. He's gone for the license, he has, mama!
He's gone for the license, ha! ha! ha! ha!
He's gone for the license, but don't you tell pa,
For he won't like it, you know, mama!
4. The preacher is coming, he is, mama!
The preacher is coming, ha! ha! ha! ha!
The preacher is coming, but don't you tell pa,
For he won't like it, you know, mama!
5. He gave me a ring, he did, mama!
He gave me a ring, ha! ha! ha! ha!
He gave me a ring, but don't you tell pa,
For he won't like it, you know, mama!
6. And now we are married, we are, mama!
And now we are married, ha! ha! ha! ha!
And now we are married, and you can tell pa,
For he can't help it, you know, mama!
56. THE SOLDIER'S WOOING
"The Gallan Soldier". Obtained from Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Varnell, Georgia, formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee, Oct., 1930. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 41; Pound, No. 27; Cox, No. 117; Journal, XXIII, 447; XXIX, I88; XXXV, 414; Belden, A Partial List of Song Ballads and Other Popular Poetry Known in Missouri, No. 84.
1. I will tell you of a gallan soldier
Who lately came from sea:
He courted a lady,
A lady said to be.
2. The old man said unto her;
"This I here complain:
If you marry a gallan soldier,
It will be all in vain.
3. "Since you have been so foolish
To be a soldier wife,
Down in some lonesome valley
I will take your pleasant life."
4. He drew his swords and pistols
And hung them to his side -
Swore that he would be married
Whatever may betide.
5. She jumped on a milk white steed
And he jumped on another one;
Off to church they rode
Just like a sister and brother.
6. They had been to church
And just returning;
Then she said, "I see my father,
With twenty well armed men."
7. He drew his swords and pistols
And caused them to rattle;
The lady helt the horse,
While the soldier fought the battle.
8. The first one that tackled him
He soon had him slain;
And the next one that tackled him
He served him the same.
9. "Let's run," said the balance,
"For fear we will be slain,
To fight a gallan soldier,
For it is all in vain."
10. "Hold your arm," said the old man,
"And pray spare my life;
You can have my daughter
To be your loving wife.
11. "Hold your arm," said the old man,
"And don't you strike so bold;
You can have my daughter,
And a thousand pounds of gold."
12. "Fight on," said the lady,
"The portion is too small;"
"Hold your arm," said the old man,
"And you can have it all."
13. He took them home with him
And pronounced them his heirs.
It was not the good will of the old man,
But it was all through dread and fears.
57. THE BLACK MUSTACHE
A.
"The Darling Black Mustache". Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 13, I930. See Combs, p. 210.
1. Once I knew an old, old maid;
She was worth her weight in gold;
She courted him for his black mustache;
And he married her for her gold.
Chorus: So every time I hear his name;
My heart, it beats with rash;
So now you see I've lost my beau,
The darling Black Mustache.
2. She wore false teeth, she wore false hair;
She was forty-five years old;
She courted him for his black mustache;
He married her for her gold.
Chorus:
3. He came to see me on Saturday night
And stayed till almost three;
He said he never loved a girl
As dear as he loved me.
Chorus:
B. The Black Mustache
Same title. Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, the mother of Mr. C. L. Franklin, July 18, 1930. The variant is given in spite of the slight changes for purposes of comparison. It is interesting to note the variations of a song sung in the same family. Mrs. Franklin said: "I can't think of any more but I know that a yourg girl beat the old maid out of her Black Mustache and she made the song."
1.
There was a maid, a dear old maid;
She was worth her weight in gold;
She wore false teeth, she wore false hair;
And was forty-five years old.
Chorus: That little black mustache,
That little black mustache;
A diamond ring, a watch and chain,
And the darling black mustache.
2. He came every Saturday night;
He stayed till almost three;
He said he never loved a girl
As dear as he loved me.
Chorus:
3. So now, young girls, take my advice
And never be so rash,
For I have courted a naughty boy
Who wears a black mustache.
Chorus:
58. PAPER OF PINS.
Obtained from Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, October 11, 1930. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 92, A, B, C; Pound, No. III; Shearin and Combs, p. 29; Newell, Games and Songs of American Children, 1884, p. 51; Hudson, Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore, No. 113; also Hudson, Journal, XXXIX, I80; Bradley Kincaid, My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old-Time Songs, Chicago, 1928, p. 34; Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 52 ("The Keys of Heaven").
1. I will buy you a paper of pins, -
If this is the way your love begins, -
If you will marry me, mis-sie,
If you will marry me.
2. Well, I don't want your paper of pins,
For that's not the way my love begins;
And I won't marry you, kind sir,
And I won't marry you.
3. Well, I will buy you a dress of black
And stretch it all around a fodder stack,
If you will marry me, mis-sie,
If you will marry me.
4. Well, I don't want your dress of black
Stretched all around a fodder stack
And I won't marry you, kind sir,
And I won't marry you.
5. I will buy you a petticoat of red
Stitched all around with golden thread,
If you will marry me, mis-sie,
If you will marry me.
6. Well, I don't want your petticoat of red
Stitched all around with golden thread
And I won't marry you, kind sir,
And I won't marry you.
7. I will give you these keys of my heart
That me and you will never part,
If you will marry me, mis-sie,
If you will marry me.
8. Well, I don't want the keys of your heart
That me and you will never part,
And I won't marry you, kind sir,
And I won't marry you.
9. I will give you the keys of my desk
To have my money at your request,
If you will marry me, mis-sie,
If you will marry me.
10. Well, I will take the key of your desk
To have your money at my request
And I will marry you, kind sir,
And I will marry you.
11. Well, you love coffee and I love tea;
You love my money but you don't love me,
And I won't marry you, mis-sie,
And I won't marry you.
59. I LOVED A LASS.
This song was recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mr. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 12, 1930, Mr. Harmon learned the song from Grandfather Hicks who was born in England and came to America when he was but four years of age.
1. I love-ed a lass;
She prove-ed unkind;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
2. May I shall love where I live
Where I love now;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
3. Her beautiful looks
So enravished my mind;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
4. And if ever I'm entangled
But I don't know how;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
5. The dog at the tray
A-making up bread;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
6. And the bitch at the glass
A-combing her head;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
7. The goose at the fire
A-frying up fish;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
8. The gander at the shelf
A-washing up dishes;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
9. The maiden at the hen-house
A-laying up eggs;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
10. The hens in the chambers
A-making up beds;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
11. The cock in the hen-house
A-crowing for day;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
12. The preacher in the pulpit
A-trying to pray;
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can, and
I'll sing you as arkard as ever I can.
60. MARRIED AND SINGLE LIFE
"Come, All Young Men". Obtained from Mr. Cleophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, N. C., July, 1929.
Cf. Journal, XLI, 576; Campbell and Sharp, No. 73; Pound, No. 98; Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, No. 143. The last two lines of the chorus are similar to the lines in the old maid's song, I'll Not Marry at All:
"And I'll not marry at all, at all,
And I'll not marry at all."
Cf. Pound, No. 99.
1. Come, all young men, take warning by me:
Never be so fast as I've been.
I married me a wife;
She makes me tired of my life -
Makes me strive and do all that I can, can, can;
Makes me strive and do all that I can.
Chorus: I lived all my days
By the hating of her ways;
And I'm sure I'll not marry any more, more, more;
And I'm sure I'll not marry any more.
2. When I come home at night,
I never speak a word she can hear.
So fatal is my doom
I go marching to my room
With cold joints all trembling with fear, fear, fear;
With cold joints all trembling with fear.
Chorus:
3. She dresses me in rags and the worst of old rags;
She dresses like a lady so fine -
Goes sweeping through town.
By day and by night,
Where them rowdy boys do drink wine, wine, wine;
Where them rowdy boys do drink wine.
Chorus:
4. Oh come, welcome death;
Come take away her breath
And give me back my freedom once more, more, more;
And give me back my freedom once more.
Chorus:
61. SONG BALLET
Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, December, 1930. Miss Tucker is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee. Note that in this song it is the woman who suffers from the marriage yoke.
1. I was sixteen years of age,
A damsel in my prime.
I dearly thought of a married life
And it just at that time.
2. I fell in love with a glooming youth
And marry was my plan;
Was not very long till married I was
To my good looking man.
3. We just been married just two weeks;
One Sunday afternoon
Sun went down and night got dark
And away went honeymoon.
4. My man stepped out to take a little walk,
And follow was my plan.
Was not very long till a lady I seen
With my good looking man.
5. I listened to their takes of love
To each other they did tell.
Said I to myself: "When you come home,
I'll tan your hide right well."
6. Clock on the mantle was striking one;
My darling he come in:
"Oh, my darling Willie dear,
Wherever have you been?"
7. "I been to church," said he;
"And that's a lie," said I,
And nagging is your plan,
I whaled away with the rolling pin
At my good looking man.
8. I knocked him down and broke his back
And ribs and tore his clothes
And picked up the packing stick
And laid that across his nose.
9. His face was as black as the chimney sweep's;
All down the streets he run;
There was not a lady fell in love
With my good looking man.
10. Come, all you gentlemen and ladies too,
Of a low and high degree,
When you meet a nagging man,
Pitch into him like me.
62. SONG (I have always heard of these old men.)
Obtained from Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, 1930. Mrs. Tucker is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harmon. Note that in this song the woman recites the difficulties of married life with an old man.
1. I have always heard of these old men
Until I got one at last.
I wish grim death had seized him
Before I seen his face.
2. I wish grim death had seized him
And tuk him at a call
So I may have a-married some younger man
To roll me from the wall.
3. Hold your tongue, pretty Polly,
For I am going to town:
I will buy you a beaver bonnet,
Likewise a Holland gown.
4. I will buy you a beaver bonnet
A Holland gown likewise;
Also a little black boy
To follow your riding cheer.
5. What care I for your black boy?
Your riding cheer likewise?
I rather married some younger man
With sparkles in his eyes.
6. I rather wedded some younger man -
Lay on a bed of hay -
As to wedded myself to this old man,
For he is always in the way.
7. He never in good order;
He never in good tune;
And when he gets away from home -
Not able to return.
8. This old man he will come boggleing in
Just like he had no life.
A young man he come scampering home
Saying, "Kiss me, my dear wife."
63. THE WEXFORD GIRL (THE CRUEL MILLER).
A. "Boston Girl". Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route No. 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. See Cox, No. 90 (A. "The Tragedy"; B. "Johnny McDowell"); Hudson, Journal, XXXIX, 125 (A. and B. "The Oxford Girl"; C. "The Export Girl"; D. "The Shreveport Girl"); Belden, Journal, XXV, II; Henry, Journal, XLII, pp. 247, 290; Mackenzie, Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, No. 115; R. W. Gordon, Newz York Times Magazine, June 19, 1927. Hudson's version is included also in his Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore, Ann Arbor, 1928, No. 24.
1. I courted a girl in Boston,
A girl that love me well.
A many of a Sunday afternoon
Together we would dwell.
2. We took a walk one Sunday;
We walked a mile or more;
I drew a stick from under a tree;
I knocked that Maley girl down.
3. Down on her knees she begged me;
She begged me for her life -
Says, "Willie, dear, don't kill me here;
I am not prepared to die."
4. I listened not to her pleading;
I struck o'er and o'er
Until all the ground around her,
Was in a bloody gore.
5. I runned my hand through her yellow hair;
I dragged her down the road;
I threw her in the river
That flows through Boston town.
6. I went up to my father's house
At twelve o'clock that night.
My mother met me at the door
In such an awful fright.
7. Says, "Son, oh son, what have you done
That blooded your hands and clothes?"
The answer that I made to her
Was, "Bleeding at the nose."
8. I asked her for a candle
To light me off to bed,
And also for a handkerchief
To bind my aching head.
9. I rolled and tumbled the whole night through;
No slumber could I find;
The thoughts of that poor Boston girl
Was running on my mind.
10. They took me on suspicion;
They bound me to Boston jail;
My friends and my relations,
They could not go my bail.
11. Her sister swore my life away;
She swore without a doubt;
She swore that I was the very one,
Who took her sister out.
B. "The Boston Girl." Obtained from Mac Hardin, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. This is the same version, so far as it goes, with only a few slight verbal changes.
1. I courted a girl in Boston
A girl that loved me well;
And every Sunday afternoon
Together we would dwell.
2. We took a walk one Sunday eve;
We walked a mile or more;
I drew a stick from under a tree
And knocked the merry girl down.
3. Down on her knees she bended
A-pleading for her life -
Says, "Willie, dear, don't kill me here;
I'm not prepared to die."
4. I listened to her pleading not;
I beat her o'er and o'er
Till all the ground there all around.
Was in a bloody glow.
5. I took her by the yellow hair
And drug her down the road.
I threw her in the river
That runs through Boston town.
6. "Lie there, lie there, you Boston girl,
With your dark and rolling eye;
Lie there, ............................
C. "The Lexington Girl." Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 13, 1930, who says that she has "known the song all her life."
1. My tender parents brought me here
Providing for my wealth;
And in a town of wickedness
He fixed me out a mill.
2. Here came a wanting lass;
She had a wanting eye;
I promised her I'd marry her,
And with her I did lie.
3. A very few weeks and afterwards
Here came that lass again;
"I pray you, young John, you'd marry me;
You've got me with a child."
4. Perplexed was I on every side;
No comfort I could find
But to take my darling's life from her
My wicked heart inclined.
5. I went to my love's sister's house;
It was getting late at night.
But little did the poor creature think
I owed her any spite.
6. "Come, take a walk with me, my dear;
We'll pint the wedding day;"
I tuk her by her lily-white hand;
I led her through the field.
7. I drew a stake then out of the fence;
I hit her in the face;
She fell on her bending knee;
For mercy loud did cry;
"I pray, young John, don't murder me
For I'm not fit to die."
8. I kept putting on more and more.
She did resign her breath
And wasn't I a crazy soul
To put my love to death?
9. I tuk her by the hair of the head;
I drug her through the field;
I drug her to the river bank
And plunged her in the deep.
10. Right straight home then I run;
My master strangely on me gazed;
"What's the matter, young Johnny?" he says,
"You look as pale as death.
11. "You look like you've been running
And almost spent for breath.
How came you by, young John?" he says,
"These trembling hands enfold.
12. "How came you, young John," he says,
"These bloody hands and clothes?"
I answered him immediate lie:
"A-bleeding at the nose."
13. He stood; he strangely on me gazed,
But no more he said.
I jerked a candle out of his hands
And made my way to bed.
14. I lay there all that long night;
I had but little rest;
I thought I felt the flames of hell
Strike within my guilty breast.
15. The very next morning by day-light
Ten guineas I offered any man -
Ten guineas I offered any man -
This damsel they would find.
16. The very next morning by sunrise,
This damsel she were found,
Floating by her brother's door
In Harry Fairy Town.
17. Then her sister against me swore;
Good reasons without a doubt -
By coming there after dark,
And calling her out.
18. "My Lord, my God,
Look down on me
And pray receive my soul."
64. PEARL BRYAN
A. "Florilla". Obtained from Miss Mary King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. Both Cox and Pound have pointed out that "Pearl Bryan" is an adaptation from one of the most widespread of American ballads variously entitled, "The Jealous Lover" (Pound, No. 43; Cox, No. 38). "Lorella", "Floella", "Flora Ella", "Blue Eyed Ella", "Poor Lurella", "Poor Lora", "Poor Lorla", "Nell", "Fair Florella", etc. It was made to fit the murder of a girl named Pearl Bryan. For a full account of the murder see Cox's head-note. See also Kittredge, Journal, XXX, 344; Shoemaker, North Pennsylvania Minstrelsy, 57 (49 in an earlier ed.; in Shoemaker's second
edition, 1923, the page is 2oi); Philips Barry, American Speech, August, 1928, 441; Hudson, Journal, XXXIX, 116. Cf. also Combs, Folk-Songs du Midi des Etats-Unis, Paris, 1925, p. 203; Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 30; Bradley Kincaid, My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old-Time Songs, Chicago, 1928, p. 17; Finger, Frontier Ballads, New York, 1927, pp. 8o-8I; Henry, Journal, XLII, 280, 301.
1. Down by yon weeping willow where the violets gently bloom;
Where sleeps my young Florilla, so silent in thy tomb.
She died not broken hearted, nor in sickness has she fell;
But in one moment parted from those she loved so well.
2. One night as the moon shone brightly and soft over hill and dale;
Up to this maiden's cottage her jealous lover came:
"Come, love, and let us wander down by yon meadow gay,
And there we'll sit and ponder upon our wedding day."
3. The way was cold and dreary and night was coming on;
Into that lonely valley he led that maiden on;
"O, Edward, I am tired of wandering here alone;
The way is cold and dreary, I pray you take me home."
4. "You have not the wings of an eagle, nor from me can you fly;
No earthly soul can hear you; you instantly must die."
She fell upon her bending knees and begged him for her life;
But into that snowy bosom he plunged a gleaming knife.
5. "O, Edward, I'll forgive you with my last and dying breath;
I never have deceived you, as I close my eyes in death.
Here's adieu to my fond parents - to all my friends, adieu!
To you, my dearest Edward, may all your work prove true."
6. He fell upon his bending knee, saying, "Lord, what have I done?
I've murdered my Florilla, true as the rising sun."
"Now in that lonely valley where the violets weep o'er the grave,
Lies Florilla forgotten where the merry sunbeams play.
B. "Pearlie Bryant." Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, December 26, 1930.
1. January thirty-first -
Awful deed was done;
Pearl Bryan - she in heaven -
Jack and Walter is hung.
2. Jack said to Walter,
As he drew him to his side:
"Pearl Byran, fair young lady,
Let's take her out for a ride."
3. Soon the cab was order
For to take a fatal stroll
And if you only listen,
The half has never been told.
4. Little did Pearlie think,
When she left her home so gay,
That the little grip she carried
Would hide her head away.
5. Pearlie went to Cincinnati
Where she never been before;
She - led astray by Jackson -
To never see mother no more.
6. "Oh, Jack, what have I done
That you would take my life?
For you know that I always
Loved you and would have been your wife."
7. "There a place for your picture in my album;
There a place for your love in my heart;
There a place for us both in heaven
Where true friends never part."
8. The next morning the people was excited;
They look all around and said:
"Here lays a woman,
But where, oh where, is her head?"
9. They phone for miles and miles
Till last one answer came;
It was from Pearlie's sister:
"It must be Pearl that's slain."
10. They arrested Jack and Walter
And locked them in the cell.
The people all gather around them
But nothing would they tell.
11. In came Pearlie's sister -
Fell down on her knees,
Pleading to Jackson:
"Give sister's head, oh, please."
12. Jackson was so stubborn;
This is what he said:
"When you meet your sister in heaven,
There will be no missing head."
13. In come Walter's mother,
Pleading for her son:
"Oh, gentlemen of the jury,
Don't hang my only one."
14. The judge was so angry:
How his words did ring for the crime
These boys has committed!
"They are both sentenced to hang."
15. Pearlie's parents now in sorrow -
Their fortune they give
If their darling girl could come back
To them - her natural life to live.
16. Come, all of you young people,
Take warning of Pearl's fate -
Awfulest crime ever committed
In the Ohio state.
65. ON THE BANKS OF THE OHIO
Obtained from Miss Cora Clark, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 13, 1929. Cf. Pound, No. 45, A ("The Old Shawnee") which was obtained from a manuscript book in the possession of L. C. Wimberly, 1916; and also B ("On the Banks of the Old Pedee"), the same song, which was obtained from Lillian Gear Boswell at Junction, Wyoming, 1915.
1. I asked my love to take a walk
Just to be alone with me,
And as we walked we'd have a talk
About our wedding day to be.
Chorus: Darling, say that you'll be mine
In no other arms I you find
Down beside dark waters flow
On the banks of the Ohio.
2. I asked your mother for you, dear,
And she said you were too young;
Only say that you'll be mine;
Happiness in my home you'll find.
Chorus:
3. I drew a knife across her breast;
In my arms she dearly pressed,
Crying, "Oh, please don't murder me
For I'm unprepared to die."
Chorus:
4. I took her by her pale white hand,
Led her to the river brink;
There I threw her in to drown -
Stood and watched her float on down.
Chorus:
5. Going home between twelve and one,
Thinking of the deed I'd done,
I murdered the only girl I loved
Because she would not marry me.
Chorus:
66. POOR OMIE.
A. "Little Oma Wise." Obtained from Miss Mary King, Gatlinburg, Sevier County, Tennessee, August 12, 1929. See Campbell and Sharp, No. 70o; R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, January 9, 1927; Journal, XX, 265-267; XXV, I I; XXXIX, 142; Pound, No. 51, who in her note gives an interesting story of this ballad
by Prof. Belden. Cf. also Henry, Journal, XLII, 281; Hudson's Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore, p. 49.
1. Oh! tell me the story
Of little Oma today:
John Lewis said he'd marry her
And set the wedding day.
2. He told her to meet him
At the Adams' Springs;
He'd bring her some money
And many pretty things.
3. He brought her no money
To spend on that case;
We'll go and get married
It will be no disgrace.
4. Oh! leap on behind me
And away we will go;
We will go and get married
And the old folks won't know.
5. She leaped on behind him
And away they did ride;
They rode till they came
To the deep water side.
6. "John Lewis, John Lewis,
Oh, tell me your mind:
Is your mind to marry me
Or leave me behind?"
7. "Little Oma, Little Oma,
I'll tell you my mind:
My mind is to drown you
And leave you behind."
8. "Oh, pity! oh, pity!
And spare me my life!
And I'll go out begging,
And never be your wife!"
9. "No, pity! no, pity!
I won't spare your life;
You'll never go out begging;
You'll never be my wife."
10. He hugged her, he kissed her,
He threw her around,
He threw her in the deep waters
Where he thought she would drown.
11. The people, they gathered;
They hunted up and down;
But the corpse of little Oma,
Could never be found.
12. Little Oma's brother
Was fishing one day.
He saw the corpse of Oma,
Come floating along.
13. They sent for John Lewis;
They brought him to that place;
They propped her up before him,
So he could see her face.
14. "I'll tell you no more stories;
I'll tell you no more lies;
I drowned little Oma;
I'll never reach the skies."
15. Sweet to meet
But, oh, how bitter
To love a pretty girl
And then can't gitter!
B. "Oma Wise." Recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Miss Dicey McLean, Crossnore, Avery County, N. C., July, 1929.
1. I'll tell you a story
Of little Oma Wise:
How she got drowned
By John Lewis' lies.
2. He told her to meet him
At Adams' Spring;
He'd bring her some money
And other fine things.
3. Next morning she met him
At Adams' Spring;
He brought her no money
Or other fine things.
4. He brought her no money
To flatter the case.
We'll go and get married
And there'll be no disgrace.
5. She hopped up behind him
And away they did go
Down to the river
Where the deep waters flow.
6. "John Lewis, John Lewis,
Please tell me your mind?"
"My mind is to drown you
And leave you behind."
7. "John Lewis, John Lewis,
Please spare me my life;
I'll go out a-begging
And I won't be your wife."
8. "Little Oma, Little Oma,
I'll tell you no lies:
You shan't go out begging,
And you shan't be my wife."
9. He hugged her, he kissed her,
And turned her all around;
He threw her in the deep water,
Where he knew she would drown.
10. Early next morning
A little boy fishing about nine o'clock -
He spied the corpse of Oma
A-lying on the rocks.
11. He took his canoe
And brought her to the bank;
Her clothes being dampen,
He laid her on the bank.
12. The people all gathered
From every city and town
To see the corpse of Oma
In the place of Oma drown.
13. They sent for John Lewis
To come to the place,
Where he drownded little Oma,
That he might see her face.
14. John Lewis stepped forward
And said, "I am the man
That dr6wnded little Oma
Below yon mill dam.
15. "You can hang me, you can jail me
For I am the man
That drownded little Oma
Below yon mill dam."
C. "Oma Wise." This song is from the same locality as B and is, of course, the same version as the preceding text. However, even the slight variations are interesting to note. It was recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, N. C., in July, 1930.
1. Come, listen and I'll tell you
The story of little Oma Wise,
How she was drowned
By John Lewis' lies.
2. He told her to meet him
At Adams' Spring;
He'd bring her some money
And other fine things.
3. He brought her no money;
He flattered the case;
"We'll go and get married;
There'll be no disgrace.
4. "You get up behind me
And away we will ride;
We'll go and get married
And you'll be my bride."
5. She hopped up behind him
And away they did go
Off down to the river
Where deep waters flow.
6. "John Lewis, John Lewis,
Please tell me your mind."
"My mind is to drown you
And leave you behind."
7. "John Lewis, John Lewis,
Please spare me my life;
I'll go off a-begging,
I won't be your wife."
8. "No pity, no pity;
I won't spare your life;
You shan't go off begging
And you shan't be my wife."
9. He hugged her and he kissed her
And he turned her around
And threw her in the river
Below yonders dam.
10. "I'm drowning, I'm drowning,"
She feebly cried,
"Oh, come get me, Johnny,
And I will be your bride."
11. He rushed in to get her -
To get her by fate;
But he wrung his hands in sorrow
And cried, "I'm too late."
12. They took him to the jail house
And locked him inside;
He would not have been there,
If he had not murdered his bride.
13. From window to window
Slightly he would go,
Looking down to the river
Where deep waters flow.
67. FRANKIE AND ALBERT
A. "Frankie Baker." Obtained from Miss Ronie Johnson, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929.
See Sandburg's head-note to his four versions of this song, 75; R. W. Gordon, Adventure Magazine, August 20, 1923; ibid. May Io, 1925; Spaeth, Read 'Em and Weep, 34; Scarborough, 79; New Jersey Journal of Education, September, 1926; Cox, No. 46; Glen H. Mullin, Adventures of a Scholar Tramp, 260; Odum, Journal, XXIV, 366; Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 178; R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, June 19, 1927; Bradley Kincaid, My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old-Time Songs, p. 41; Henry, Journal, XLII, 285; Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 38. "Frankie and Johnny", a play by John Huston,
Albert and Charles Boni, New York, 1930, contains a dozen versions of the song from various sources. Two of them are reprinted from the Journal. Cf. also "Frankie and Johnny", a review of the play with some
account of the song in The TNew Jersey Journal of Education, Vol. XX, Nos. 5 and 6, January-February, 1931, p. 15.
1. Frankie was a good girl
As everybody knows;
She paid a hundred dollar bill
For Albert a suit of clothes,
Just because she loved him so.
2. Frankie took them to him;
Albert put them on,
Went stepping off down the broad highway,
Saying, "By, by, Honey, I'm gone
For I'm your man who won't treat you right."
3. Frankie went to the beer shops
And called for a glass of beer,
Saying to the bar-room keeper,
"Have you seen little Albert here?"
"Oh, no, no, Frankie, no."
4. The keeper turned to Frankie,
Says, "Frankie I told you a lie;
He left here about an hour ago
With a girl he called Alice Fry;
I know he's your man; he won't treat you right."
5. Frankie went to the bar-room;
She called for a class of gin,
Saying to the burie-be,
"I'm going to get drunk again;
I'll kill my man, who won't treat me right."
6. Frankie went down the broadway,
With a razor in her hand:
"Stand back all you loving girls;
I'm hunting my gambling man;
I'll kill my man, who won't treat me right."
7. She went down to the pool room;
She looked in the pool room door,
And there she spied the man she loved,
A-sitting in the middle of the floor,
Saying, "I'm your man who won't treat you right."
8. "Come to me, little Albert,
I'm calling through no fun;
If you don't come to the one loves you,
I'll shoot you with my old gun;
For you're my man, who won't treat me right."
9. Albert went behind the counter;
He fell upon his knees -
Look right up into Frankie's face,
Saying, "Frankie, don't shoot me please,
For I'm your man who won't treat you right."
10. Frankie got up next morning,
About nine o'clock.
She picked up that forty-four gun,
And fired the fatal shot,
She killed her man, who wouldn't treat her right.
11. "Turn me over, Frankie,
Turn me over slow;
Turn me over on my left side;
Those bullets hurt me so.
You've killed your man who wouldn't treat you right."
12. People all said to Frankie:
"Little girl, why don't you run?
Don't you see that chief police
With a forty-four smokeless gun?
You've killed your man who wouldn't treat you right."
13. Frankie went down to the river;
She marched from bank to bank;
"I've done all I could for a gambling man
And yet I got no thanks
For killing my man, who wouldn't treat me right."
14. Frankie went to the funeral;
She rode in a rubber tired hack;
When they lowered him into the grave,
She screamed, "He'll never come back,
He'll never come back, he'll never come back."
15. Frankie had two children,
A boy and a girl;
She told them if they ever saw their papa,
They would see him in another world.
She killed her man who wouldn't treat her right.
16. Frankie sat in the court-room,
Fanning with an electric fan.
Whispering to her sister, she said,
"Never love a gambling man,
For all you do, he won't treat you right."
17. Judge said to the jury:
"Jury, I cannot see,
Though Frankie has killed the man she loved,
Why she should not go free
For killing her man who wouldn't treat her right."
18. Frankie walked out on the scaffold,
As brave as a girl could be,
Saying, "Judge, you tried me
Murder in the first degree,
For killing my man, who wouldn't treat me right."
19. Now little Frankie is buried;
She's sleeping by Albert's side;
Albert was a gambling man,
And Frankie was his bride;
She killed her man, who wouldn't treat her right.
B. "Frankie Baker." Obtained from Mrs. Cleophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, N. C., July, 1929, who had it from her mother-in-law, Mrs. Alicidona Franklin, of Avery County.
1. Frankie Baker was a good girl,
As every body knows;
She paid one hundred dollar bill,
For a suit of little Albert's clothes,
Just because she loved him so.
2. Frankie went down to the bar-room;
She called for a glass of beer;
She said to the man behind the bar;
"Have you seen little Albert here?
He's my man, don't treat me right."
3. Says, "Law, no, little Frankie,
I'll tell you no lie;
He left here about an hour ago,
With a girl called Alice Fry;
He's your man, don't treat you right."
4. She went down to the ball room;
She spied him standing in the door, -
Said, "If you don't come to the one you love,
I'll shoot you with your own gun;
You're my man, don't treat me right."
5. Albert run around behind the table;
He fell down upon his knees;
He cried out, "My loving wife,
Oh, Frankie, don't shoot me please,
I'll be your man, I'll treat you right."
6. 'Twas one Friday morning
At half past four o'clock;
Frankie pulled out her forty-four gun;
She fired the two fatal shots;
She killed her man, wouldn't treat her right.
7. "Turn me over, Frankie,
Turn me over slow,
Please don't touch my wounded side,
For, mercy, it hurts me so;
You killed your man, wouldn't treat you right."
8. Frankie went down the Broadway;
The band begin to play;
All the tune that it would play
Was, "Nearer My God to Thee" -
All over the town the band did sound.
C. "Frankie and Johnnie." Obtained from Mrs. Ewart Wilson, Pensacola, North Carolina, August 1, 1930.
1. Frankie and Johnnie were lovers,
Oh, ho, how they did love!
Swore to be true to each other
As true as the stars up above.
He was her man; he wouldn't do her wrong.
2. Frankie went down to the corner
Just for a bucket of beer.
Said, "Mr. Bartender,
Has my loving Johnnie been here?
He's my man; he won't do me wrong."
3. "Frankie, I'll cause you no trouble;
Frankie, I'll tell you no lie;
Your lover left here about an hour ago
With a girl named Nellie Bly.
He's your man but he's doing you wrong."
4. Frankie looked over the transom;
There to her great surprise -
There on a couch sat her Johnnie
Making love to Nellie Bly.
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
5. Frankie pulled back her kimona,
Drew out her little forty-four toruute; [1]
Three times she shot
Right through that hard wood door -
Killed her man 'cause he done her wrong.
6. "Frankie, come turn me over;
Come turn me over slow;
Your bullet in my left side;
Oh, how it hurts me so!
You killed your man 'cause he done you wrong."
7. Bring on your rubber tired horses;
Bring on your rubber tired hack.
Taking my man to the grave yard
And I'm not going to bring him back.
I killed my man 'cause he done me wrong.
8. Frankie went to the warden.
Said, "What are you going to do ?"
The warden said to Frankie;
"It's the electric chair for you.
You've killed your man 'cause he done you wrong."
9. Frankie went to the policeman.
Said, "I don't want to live another day.
Lock me up in a dungeon
And throw the key away.
I've killed my man 'cause he done me wrong."
10. This story has no moral;
This story has no end;
This story goes right on to show
There's not no good in men.
She killed her man 'cause he done her wrong.
[1] toot root toota.
68. CLAUD ALLEN.
A. Obtained from Miss Dicie McLean, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929. The songs about Claud and Sidney Allen are based on facts. The local information is that both Allens shot sheriffs over a dispute about liquor and that Sidney was released from prison not long ago. The Hillsville, Virginia, courthouse seems to have been the chief seat of warfare. It is still pointed out to tourists. Cf. Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 34 ("The Pardon of Sydna Allen") and the note p. 106, which gives some account of the local feud at Hillsville, Virginia. Cf. also Hudson, Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore, No. 71.
1. Claud Allen and his dear old father
Have met their fatal doom at last.
Their friends are glad their troubles are over
And hope their souls are now at rest.
2. Claud's mother's tears will gently flow
For the loss of the ones she loves so dear.
It seems that none can tell her troubles;
It seems no one can tell but her.
3. Claud Allen had a pretty sweetheart
To mourn the loss of the one she loved.
She hopes to meet beyond the river.
A fair young face in heaven above.
4. Claud was young and very handsome
And still had hopes until the last
That he might in some way or other
Escape his death at the Richmond Pen.
5. The governor being so hard hearted
And not caring what his friend might say
That he finally took his sweet life from him
And they laid his body in the clay.
6. High up on yonders lonely mountain
Claud Allen sleeps beneath the clay.
No more we'll hear his words for mercy,
Nor see his face till Judgment Day.
7. Come, all young men, you may take warning:
Be careful how you go astray;
Or you might be like poor Claud Allen
And have that awful debt to pay.
B. Claud Allen
Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, December 10, 1930.
1. Claud Allen and his dear old father
Met their fatal doom at last.
Friends are glad their troubles are over;
Hope their souls in heaven at last.
2. Claud was young, fair and handsome,
And he hoped unto the end
That he may in some way or other
Shun his death at the rich man's pen.
3. But the governor, being so hard hearted,
Cares not what his friends may say.
They finally took his sweet life from him;
In the cold ground Claud now lays.
4. Sad, indeed, to think of killing
A man just in his youthful years, -
To leave his dear old mother weeping
And all his friends in bitter tears.
5. Claud, he had a pretty sweetheart;
Lost one gone, she dearly loves;
She hopes to meet him over the river,
His fair young face in heaven above.
6. Come, all of you young people,
Take warning to what I say;
Or you may be like poor Claud Allen:
Have this awful deed to pay.
7. Way up on that old high mountain,
Claud all lays beneath the clay.
We no more hear his words of mercy,
Or see his face till the Judgment day.
69. JESSE JAMES
"Poor Jesse James". Obtained from Cleophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. This is all that could be recalled. Cf. Charles J. Finger, Frontier Ballads, New York, 1927, PP. 57-59; Shearin and Combs, p. 16; Hudson, Specimens of Mississippi Folk-Lore, No. 77; Pound, No. 64; Lomax, p. 27; Sandburg, p. 420; Charles J. Finger, Sailor Chanties and Cowboy Songs, p. 18; Cox, No. 44; Journal, XXII, 246; XXV, 17, 145.
1. Poor Jesse James!
He robbed the Denver train
And they laid poor Jesse
In his grave.
70. ELLEN SMITH
Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 14, 1930. Mr. Franklin could remember only the following fragment. See Combs, p. 219; Hudson, p. 52.
1. Poor Ellen Smith -
How she was found
Shot through the heart
Lying cold on the ground.
2. The blood hound and the sheriff -
They gave him no rest.
71. THE RAMBLING COWBOY
"Song Ballet". Obtained from Ray Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route No. 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929. Cf. Lomax, Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads, pp. 83, 244.
1. I am a jolly bold cowboy
Just from the stormy plains;
And if ever there was a hell on earth,
It was holding my bridle reins.
2. My papa always taught me well
And give me good advice.
My mind, it was on rambling,
And we could not agree.
3. As I walked up the street one day
Just across from the market square,
The mail coach it had just arrived
To the post office.
4. Then handing me down a letter
That I might understand,
The girl I left behind me,
Had married another man.
5. The city I will lay aside;
This county I'll resign;
I'll ramble-rable from town to town
And find that girl of mine.
6. I've just arrived from buffalo range;
Corn dodger is my bread;
The dearest one to me is gone;
I almost wish I was dead.
7. My papa always taught me well
And give me good advice;
To quit my rough and rowdy way
And choose me a loving wife.
8. Then take her in some secret room
And by her side set down;
For the only pleasure a man can have
Is with his loving wife.
9. There's a girl in Baxter Springs -
They call her the rising sun;
She has broken the heart of nine.
Love, boys, and this poor heart is one.
10. Her rosy cheeks, her sparkling eyes -
She is the daughter of a queen.
My name is nothing extry, my heart is almost broke;
My name is nothing extry, my trouble I do see.
11. And when they see my coming home,
They wring their hands with joy,
And treat me on fresh bottles of wine,
And call me their old cowboy.
72. THE LONE PRAIRIE
(The Dying Cowboy.) Obtained from Mrs. Elizabeth C. MacMillan, 1 Bary Place, Passaic, N. J., who learned the fragment in western North Carolina. See Will C. Barnes, "The Cowboy and His Songs" in The Saturday Evening Post, June 27, 1925, p. 125, with which the present fragment is nearly identical; Lomax, "Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads", p. 3; Charles J. Finger, "Sailor Chanties and Cowboy Songs", Little Blue Book, No. 301, (Haldeman-Julius Company, Girard, Kansas), p. 57; Pound, No. 78; H. Howard Thorp, "Songs of the Cowboys," p. 62; Cox, No. 54; Shearin and Combs, p. 15; Belden, No. 67; Hudson, No. 64; Franz Rickaby, "Ballads and Songs of The Shanty-Boy", p. XXVIII. Phillips Barry points out (Journal, XXII, 372, note 3) that the song is
an adaptation of "The Burial at Sea" ("The Ocean Burial"). Cf. also Journal, XIV, 186; XXV, 278; XXVI, 357.
The lines, "Oh, burry me out on the prairie", etc., without the negative, "not", are mixed up with another song in Bradley Kincaid's My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Old-Time Songs, p. 24, Chicago, 1928.
Oh, bury me out on the lone prairie
Where the coyotes howl so drearily,
Where the rattlesnakes whir and the winds blow free!
Oh, bury me out on the lone prairie.
73.
DEATH OF A MAIDEN FAIR.
"Cowboy Song". Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia,
December, 1930. Miss Tucker is the granddaughter of Mrs. and Mr. Samuel
Harmon, formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee.
Cf. B. E. Denton, A Two-Gun Cyclone, Dallas, Texas, 1927, P. 142.
I.
There was a fair maiden;
She lived on the plains;
She helped me herd cattle
Through the cold rain and snow.
2.
She help me herd cattle
The year in and up;
She would take a drink with me
From the strong whisky cup.
3.
She drink as strong whisky
That effects a man's soul;
She help me herd cattle
Through the cold rain and snow.
4.
I learned her the cow trade -
A ranger's command -
How to hold a six-shooter
In a neat little hand.
5.
How to hold a six-shooter
And never to run
As long as she had a bullet
Or a load for her gun.
6.
We camp by the canyon
In the fall of the year;
We stood there one season
With a herd of fat steers.
154 _7ournal of American Folk-Lore.
7.
The red skins broke on us
In the middle of the night.
8.
She arose from her bed
With a gun in each hand;
"Come, all of you young cowboys,
Let's win this fair land."
9.
Loud roared the thunder
And down came the rain;
In come a stray bullet
And blew out her brains.
I0.
I jumped in my saddle
And this was the cry:
"Come, all of you, young cowboys,
Right here we must die,
For these redskins has murdered
My dear darling wife."
74. THE GROUND HOG
A. "Whistle Pig". Obtained from Miss Mary N. Blair, 431 Broadway, Paterson, N. J., who sang the song at "The Pines", Branchville, N. J., May 25, 1930. Miss Blair learned the song in North Carolina where she formerly lived. See Wyman and Brockway, p. 30; Bradley Kincaid, Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, p. 31; Shearin and Combs, p. 38; Cox, No. 176; Richardson and Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, p. 92.
1. Come on, boys, and let's go down;
Come on, boys, and let's go down;
Let's catch a whistle pig in the groun';
Come-a-ring-tail, poddle-link-a-di-de-oh.
2. Up come Jonah from the plow;
Up come Jonah from the plow;
Catch the whistle pig, catch him now;
Come-a-ring-tail, poddle-link-a-di-de-oh.
3. Up come Susan from the spring;
Up come Susan from the spring;
Whistle pig grease all over her chin;
Come-a-ring-tail, poddle-link-a-di-de-oh.
4. One big nigger was the mammy of us all;
One big nigger was the mammy of us all;
She fed us on whistle pig before we could crawl;
Come-a-ring-tail, poddle-link-a-di-de-oh.
B. "WHISTLE PIG".
Obtained from C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 13, 1930.
1. Blow your horn and call your dogs;
Blow your horn and call your dogs;
We'll go to the back woods and catch a ground hog.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
2. Treed him in a rock; treed him in a log;
Treed him in a rock; treed him in a log;
Dagon, boys, what a big ground hog!
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
3. He jumped out and started to run;
He jumped out and started to run;
Bet I get himn with my old gun.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
4. Skin that whistle pig; save the hide;
Skin that whistle pig; save the hide;
Makes the best shoe strings ever I tied.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
5. Take that ground hog; put him on to bile;
Take that ground hog; put him on to bile;
Bet, by jinks, you could smell him a mile.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
6. Up come Vester from the plow;
Up come Vester from the plow;
I want some whistle pig; I want it now.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
7. Up come Grace with a snigger and a grin;
Up come Grace with a snigger and a grin;
Ground hog gravy all over her chin.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
8. Up come Cloe happy as a cane;
Up come Cloe happy as a cane;
Swan she'd eat them red hot brains.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
9. They eat whistle pig all they could hold;
They eat whistle pig all they could hold;
Till there was none left in the bowl.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
10. I set a steel trap up on the hill;
I set a steel trap up on the hill;
Now we'll have whistle pig at our will.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
11. One old woman was the mother of us all;
One old woman was the mother of us all;
She fed us on whistle pig as soon as we could crawl.
Tam-a rig-tail fodi dink di-de-o.
C. Groundhog
Obtained from Mrs. C. L. Franklin. This version is practically identical with that of Bradley Kincaid, p. 31, referred to under A.
75. THE OLD GRAY MARE
This is another Harmon song. It was sent by Mrs. Mary Tucker, Varnell, Georgia, December 27, 1930. Mrs. Tucker is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Harmon, formerly of Cade's Cove, Tennessee. The first two stanzas seem to be set to the tune of the fiddle. After that each stanza has an additional prose line. Cf. Perrow, Journal, XXVI, 123.
1. Once I had an old gray mare,
Once I had an old gray mare,
Once I had an old gray mare;
I saddle her up and rode her to the fair.
2. When I got there she was getting pretty tired,
When I got there she was getting pretty tired,
When I got there she was getting pretty tired;
She laid down in the old church yard.
3. Some began to sing and some began to pray,
Some began to sing and some began to pray,
Some began to sing and some began to pray;
My old mare began to bray -
She wanted religion.
4. We tuk her to the river to have her baptised,
We tuk her to the river to have her baptised,
We tuk her to the river to have her baptised;
We got her in the water up to her eyes -
The water wasn't deep enough.
5. The preacher went to souse her under,
The preacher went to souse her under,
The preacher went to souse her under;
His foot slipped and he made a blunder -
He stepped on a slick rock.
6. My old mare she walked right out,
My old mare she walked right out,
My old mare she walked right out;
My old mare began to shout -
She had religion.
7. She started to walk a log and she fell off,
She started to walk a log and she fell off,
She started to walk a log and she fell off;
My old mare died with the whooping cough -
It wasn't; it was a bad cold.
8. I got on my old mare's track,
I got on my old mare's track,
I got on my old mare's track;
I found her in a mud-hole flat of her back -
She wasn't satisfied with her baptising.
9. I out with my knife and I began,
I out with my knife and I began,
I out with my knife and I began;
It wasn't many hours till I had her skinned -
That was one Sunday morning as I came from meeting.
10. I carried my hide home and put it in the loft,
I carried my hide home and put it in the loft,
I carried my hide home and put it in the loft,
Long came a rogue and carried it off -
He wanted to make him a pair of boots out of it.
76. BIG-EYE RABBIT
No local title. Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, who learned it when a child from his father, William Franklin. See "American Mountain Songs", by Ethel Park Richardson and
Sigmund Spaeth, New York, 1927, p. I00.
1. Big eyed rabbit behind the pine;
Big eyed rabbit, you are mine.
Rabbit skipped; rabbit hopped;
Rabbit ate my turnip top.
I cocked my gun; the hammer flew;
I tore that rabbit square in two.
77. SAL'S GOT A MEAT-SKIN
No local title. Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. See Ethel Park Richardson and Sigmund Spaeth, American Mountain Songs, New York, 1927, p. 94.
1. Sal got a meat skin laid away;
Sal got a meat skin laid away;
Sal got a meat skin laid away
To grease my wooden leg every day.
78. SANDY
Learned by Mrs. Henry, when she was a child, in Decatur, Georgia. See Journal, XXVII, 292.
Sandy had a nice little mill;
The mill belongs to Sandy still.
Said I to Sandy, "Won't you lend me your mill ?"
"Of course, I will," said Sandy.
79. IRISH BARBER
Obtained from Edna Bohanan, Indian Gap, Route No. 15, Sevierville, Sevier County, Tennessee, August, 1929.
Shoemaker, p. 128 (2nd edition), has part of this song. It is entitled "Camp Barber's Song, Black Forest". Mrs. J. C. F., who contributed Col. Shoemaker's song, says: "This song was sung by an uncle in the fifties. There may be other verses, but I have never heard any. My uncle passed away in '65, but my mother used to sing to me many of the songs he liked. It may be classed as a true 'folk song', but was sung by the common people..."
1. There was in a city not far from a spot
A barber who set up a snug little shop,
With his looks so sad, and his smiles so sweet,
That he drew everybody right in from the street.
2. He had bad customers he thought he would stop,
That no one for credit should come to his shop.
So he bought him a razor full of nicks and rust
To shave the poor devils who came for trust.
3. An old Irishman, who was passing that way -
Whose beard had been growing for many a day -
He looked at the barber and lay down his hoe:
Says, "Will you trust me a shave, for the pure love of God?"
4. "Walk in," says the barber, "and sit down in my chair,
Your beard shall be taken right down to a hair."
"Oh, murder," cried Pat, "what are you doing?
Leave off them tricks, or my chin will be ruined."
5. "Hold still," says the barber, "don't make such a din,
For the moving of your jaws, I'll be cutting on your chin."
"Not cut but sawed," cried Pat. "That razor you've got
Wouldn't cut butter if it was made hot."
6. "Ye, then, how would you like to be shaved with a saw?
You're pulling every tooth right out of my jaw.
Now leave off your tricks and don't shave any more."
With that Patty jumped right out of the door.
7. "Folk, you may lather and shave your friends till you are sick
Be jabbers! I'd rather be shaved with a brick.
With lather and shave, shampoo and comb"
8. Not long after that when Pat was passing that way -
He heard a poor donkey set up a terrible bray.
"Oh, murder," cried Pat, "listen at that neigh,
He's giving another poor devil the 'Love of God' shave!"
80. THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG
"Just Before the Last Great Charge". Obtained from Miss Rachel Tucker, Varnell, Georgia. See "The Charge at Fredericksburg" in The Flying Cloud and 150 Other Old Time Poems and Ballads, compiled by M. C. Dean, p. 14; W. Roy Mackenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, No. 118; Pound, Folk Song of Nebraska and the Central West: a Syllabus, p. 39; Shearin and Combs, A Syllabus of Kentucky Folk-Songs, p. 14; Phillips Barry, Journal, XXVII, 70.
1. Just before the last great charge
To Salgeres, drew[1] a ring
With the shake of a hand and a parting word:
"We may never meet again."
2. One of them was a blue eyed boy,
Just eighteen months ago,
Down on his chin, red on his cheek, -
He, only boy I know.
3. The other was a tall dark, slim man;
The world looked dim to him;
He only thought of the one he loved,
She most dear to him.
4. "I have a fair fond face upon my breast -
I wore it to the fight -
With a sunny, cruel and bright blue eye,
Just like the morning light.
5. "The morning light is dear to me;
It gladdens the only light,
But little did I think of the form of death
When she promised to be my bride.
6. "As we ride up this hill together
And you ride back again,
There some little trouble I like to bring
7. "Write my blue-eyed girl a letter
And send her this fair, fond face;
Tell her just where I laid -
Lord, where is my resting place?
8. "Tell her my soul will wait for her;
The border will lay between
Heaven and earth, and it won't belong
Until she comes to me."
9. The tears dim the blue-eyed boy;
His heart was low with pain,
"If you return..................
I ask you to do the same.
10. "I have a mother at home waiting for me,
Her face all covered with woe,
One by one ..........................
She barried [2] her husband and sons.
11. "She kissed me when my country called
And begged me nay;
Here we lay side by side
As you often heard them say."
12. No one to write to the blue-eyed girl;
Or write to the mother at home.
[1] he drew.
[2] barried: buried.
81. THE DRUMMER BOY OF SHILOH
"The Drummer Boy". Obtained from Mrs. Willam Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. See Belden, A Partial List of Song Ballads and Other Popular Poetry Known in Missouri, No. 123. For the former popularity of songs of the Civil War period in community singing see "Some Songs of Long Ago" by Pauline Grahame in The Palimpsest, p. IoI, Vol X, No. 3, March, 1929. Published by The State Historical Society, Iowa City, Iowa.
1. On Shilo's dark and bloody ground
The dead and wounded lay around.
Amid these were a drummer boy
Who beat the drum that day.
2. A wounded soldier helt him up;
This drum was by his side;
He clasped his hands and raised his eyes,
And prayed before he died.
3. "Look down upon the battle-field
As Thou art a Heavenly Friend;
Have mercy on our simple souls."
The soldiers cried, "Amen."
4. They gathered 'round the little group;
Each soldier knelt and cried:
"Oh, listen to the drummer boy.
Who prayed before he died."
5. They fold the winding sheet;
I've pound a key unto his grave.
How many loved the drummer boy
Who prayed before he died!
6. How many homes are desolate!
How many hearts are sore!
How many loved the drummer boy!
Who prayed before he died!
82. THE DYING SOLDIER
Obtained from Mrs. William Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. See Dean, The Flying Cloud and 250 Other Old Time Poems and Ballads, p. 5. The present song appears to be modeled on the older song. Cf. also Perrow, Journal, XXVIII, 165.
1. There was a dying soldier boy
Lay near the battle field.
His comrades gathered round him
And by his side did kneel.
At length he raised his drooping head
And a murmuring word he said:
"Oh, who will care for mother
Now her soldier boy is dead?"
2. "Go tell my old father
In death I prayed for him;
I prayed that I might meet him
In a world that's free from sin
His son he lies dying
At the battle of Mill Springs.
3. "Go tell my little sisters,
That I long to see,
That I never more shall take them
By the fire-side on my knee
And sing to them the good old songs
That they love to hear me sing.
Their brother, he lies dying
At the battle of Mill Springs.
4. "Comrades, listen, comrades,
'Tis the girl I speak of now:
If she was here this night,
She would soothe my aching brow;
But little does she think of me,
As she walks along and sings.
Her true-love, he lies dying
At the battle of Mill Springs."
5. I listen for to hear him speak;
Again he murmured a farewell:
"I fought for the Union;
For the Union I have fell."
He kissed the stars and stripes
And he laid them by his side
And he gave three cheers for the Union
And he dropped his head and died.
83. ELIZA JANE
A.
Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July 7, 1930. See Sandburg, p. 133; Bradley Kincaid (Favorite Old-Time Songs and Mountain Ballads, Chicago, 1929), p. 29; Cf. also Journal, XLI, 575. Professor Newman I. White, in his American Negro Folk Songs (p. 172), has so illuminating a note on this song that it is given entire as follows:
"Various songs about Eliza Jane are sung by both whites and Negroes, in addition to other songs into which a stanza, or a line, or a part of the chorus, has been attracted from the Eliza Jane songs. Probably they go back to one or more common originals, but I have seen no printed version older than several here given. A comparison with other published versions shows that they all depend on five episodes, generally treated in distinct songs; a proposal, a sleigh-ride, a visit to Eliza Jane, goodbye, and Eliza's death on the train.
'Goodbye, Eliza Jane' was copyrighted in 1903 by Harry Von Tilzer, author of several other ragtime 'coon' songs which have found their way into popular tradition; for example, 'Alexander', 'Please Go Way and Let Me Sleep' (cf. XIV, no. 32), and 'What you Goin' to Do When the Rent Comes Round?' (cf. no. 43, in this
chapter.) Intrusions from other songs are common. In particular the sleighride, which looks suspicious in a Negro song, has become very much mixed with a mule song. [Hold on to the Sleigh/Woah Mule]
I find the following Eliza Jane variants: J A F L, 1890o, p. 290 (from Virginia); ibid., 1893, p. 131 (from North Carolina mountain whites); Perrow, 1915, pp. I78--I180 (eight variants, from Tennessee, Mississippi, Indiana, and Kentucky, all but two from whites); 166 7ournal of American Folk-Lore. Burlin (Hampton Series), 1919, iv, 41; Talley, 1922, p. 134; Odum, 1925, PP. 235, 237 (republished from J A F L, I9II), 1926, p. 180; Scarborough, 1925, pp. 8, 169, 192, 227."
1. Woa, mule, woa!
Woa, mule, I say!
I ain't got time to kiss you
'Fraid my mule will run away.
Chorus: Po little Liza, my po gal;
Po little Liza Jane.
Po little Liza, my po gal;
She died upon the train.
2. When I go a fishing,
I go with a hook and line;
When I go to marry,
I go with a willing mind.
Chorus:
3. Once I had a fortune;
I laid it in my trunk;
I spent it all a-gambling,
When I got on a drunk.
Chorus:
4. I left my wife in the mountains;
I left her all alone;
Went down to the railroad;
Said, "Honey, I am gone."
Chorus:
B. Liza Jane
Recorded by Mrs. Florence Stokes Henry from the singing of Mrs. Lee Johnson, Pyatt, North Carolina, July 14, 1930. Mrs. Johnson says that she has known the song from childhood.
1. Woa, mule, woa, mule,
Woa, mule, I say.
I ain't got time to kiss you,
I'm busy with my mule.
Chorus: Po' little Liza, my po' gal;
Po' little Liza, my po' gal;
Po' little Liza, my po' gal;
She died upon a train.
2. When I go a-fishing,
I go with a hook and line;
When I go a-marrying,
I go with a willing mind.
Chorus:
84. LULU
Obtained from C. L. Franklin, Crossnore; Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. Louise Rank Bascom in "Ballads and Songs of Western North Carolina", Journal, XXII, 248, remarks: "Of the ruder ballads, 'Lulu' is an example, though it is obviously not of mountain origin, from the very fact of the allusion to 'ole Missus'. Still it is probable that many of the stanzas have been invented in the highlands." Cf. Newman I. White, American Negro- Folk-Songs, p. 305. See also Reed Smith, The Traditional Ballad and Its South Carolina Survivals, p. 19, in his treatise on "Communal Composition" (reprinted in his South Carolina Ballads, p. 20). Cf. also Scarborough, p. 104.
1. Shine, little Lulu,
Shine your best;
Your poor old granny
Gone to rest.
2. Lulu shouted;
Lulu squalled;
Lulu kicked a
Hole in the ground.
3. Pennies makes nickles;
Nickles makes dimes;
I go to see Lulu gal
A whole heap of times.
85. CINDY
Obtained from Mrs. Clophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, February, 1930. See Professor Newman I. White's American Negro Folk-Songs, p. 161; Bradley Kincaid's My Favorite Old-Time Mountain Songs, Chicago, 1929, p. 23. Most of the stanzas of this song are nearly identical with those of
the latter, but the arrangement is different. Professor White says, "Without definite evidence, I am of the opinion that this is an old banjo song of the whites" (p. 161). Cf. also R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, Nov. 27, 1927, p. 23.
1. Cindy in the summer time,
Cindy in the fall;
If I can't get Cindy all the time,
I won't leave her at all.
Chorus: Get along home, Cindy, Cindy;
Get along home, Cindy, Cindy;
Get along home, Cindy, Cindy;
I'm going to leave you now.
2. You ought to see my Cindy.
She lives away down South
She's so sweet the honey bees
Swarm around her mouth.
Chorus:
3. I wish I was an apple
A-hanging on a tree;
Every time that Cindy passed
She'd take a bite of me.
Chorus:
4. I took my Cindy to preaching
And what you reckon she done?
She stood right up in the preacher's face
And chewed her chewing gum.
Chorus:
5. Cindy went to preaching;
She shouted all around;
She got so full of glory
She rolled her stockings down.
Chorus:
6. When I go a-fishing,
I go with hook and line;
And when I go to marry,
I go with a willing mind.
Chorus:
86. FRAGMENTS OF NEGRO SONGS
These fragments were recorded from the singing of William P. Corbett. Frost Proof, Florida, who learned them many years ago from Negroes in Laurens County, Georgia.
A. (no title)
My Friend, Garfiel'.
I'm gwine to weep like er willo';
I'll moan like er dove,
Kase my po frien' Garfiel' is dead -
Sweet love!
B. (no title)
Fling dat hook in de middle of de pon'
To ketch dat gal
Wid de red frock on.
0l' lady, can't you git up in the mornin'?
C. (no title)
Wish I had a jug o' rum,
An sugar by the pound -
Great big bowl to stir it in -
Pritty gal to stir it 'round -
Pritty gal to stir it 'round.
D. (no title)
Leader: Crowfish runnin' down de stream.
Refrain: Yes, my love, I'll meet you.
Leader: Ax dat cat-fish what he mean.
Refrain: I'll meet you bye and bye.
Leader: Ho' dat corn, ho' dat corn, Moses,
Ho' dat corn.
Refrain: Meet you bye and bye.
87. MASSA HAD A LITTLE YALLER GAL
Mrs. Henry learned the following fragment in Atlanta, Ga. when she was a child. See Newman I. White's American Negro Folk Songs, pp. 152-155; Scarborough, pp. 66-68; Odum's The Negro and His Songs, p. 236.
The chorus with some variation will be found in "Bile 'Em Cabbage Down", a song in Richardson and Spaeth's American Mountain Songs, p. 88.
1. Massa had a little yaller gal;
Brung her from the south;
Had her hair done up so tight
She could not shut her mouth.
Chorus: Bile that cabbage down;
Bake them 'taters brown;
Look here, yaller gal, I'll have no foolishness!
Turn that hoe-cake 'round.
88. OLD SHIP OF ZION
Obtained from Mr. C. L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1930. See G. D. Pike, The Jubilee Singers, etc., Boston 1873, p. 192; William Francis Allen, Charles Pickard Ware, and Lucy McKim Garrison, Slave Songs of the United States, New York, 1929, p. 102; J. B. T. Marsh, The Story of the Jubilee Singers with Their Songs, Boston (n. d.), p. 152 (same version as that given by Pike); Howard W. Odum and Guy B. Johnson, The Negro and His Songs, Chapel Hill, N. C., 1925, P. 117; Newman I. White, A merican Negro Folk-Songs, p. 93; Kennedy, Mellows, New York, 1925, p. 41; T. W. Higginson, Atlantic Monthly, June, 1867, p. 685.
1. Leader:What's that a-coming yonder?
Refrain: When she comes;
What's that a-coming yonder?
When she comes.
2. It's the old ship of Zion,
When she comes;
It's the old ship of Zion,
When she comes.
3. Oh, with what she'll be loaded?
When she comes;
Oh, with what she'll be loaded?
When she comes.
4. She'll be loaded with bright angels,
When she comes;
She'll be loaded with bright angels,
When she comes.
5. Oh, how do you know they'll be angels?
When she comes;
Oh, how do you know they'll be angels?
When she comes.
6. We'll know by their shining,
When she comes;
We'll know by their shining,
When she comes.
7. We will neither rock nor todder,
When she comes,
We will neither rock nor todder,
When she comes.
8. She'll be coming around the mountain,
When she comes;
She'll be coming around the mountain,
When she comes.
9. We'll kill the domernecker rooster,
When she comes;
We'll kill the domernecker rooster,
When she comes.
10. We'll have some chicken and gravy,
When she comes;
We'll have some chicken and gravy,
When she comes.
89. FRAGMENTARY LINES OF A NEGRO SONG.
Recorded by the writer from the singing of Negroes during the Appalachian Trail Conference at Skyland, Virginia, May 30, 1930. The quick time of the colored entertainers made it difficult to catch the words.
The song is probably related in part to the many "gospel train" songs. Cf. Odum and Johnson, The Negro and His Songs, p. 117; J. B. T. Marsh, The Story of the Jubilee Singers (Revised Edition), Boston, p. 150 (No. 27);
White, American Negro Folk-Songs, pp. 64, 441-2.
I want to see Jesus in the morning -
Bathe in the River.
I want to go to heaven -
Bathe in the river.
Oh, chillun, get on board;
Oh, chillun, get on board;
Oh, Jesus is aboard;
Oh, chillun, get aboard;
Oh, preacher, get on board.
(Repeat)
90. I AM STANDING IN THE SHOES OF JOHN
This song was taken down from the singing of Cleophas L. Franklin, Crossnore, Avery County, North Carolina, July, 1929. He said he had learned it from the singing of Negroes.
1. I am standing in the shoes of John;
I am standing in the shoes of John;
I am standing, standing, standing;
I am standing, standing, standing;
I am standing in the shoes of John.
2. If they fit me, I will put them on;
If they fit me, I will put them on;
If they fitter me, fitter me, fitter me;
If they fitter me, fitter me, fitter me;
If they fit me, I will put them on.
3. I am going up to get my crown;
I am going up to get my crown;
I am gwine, gwine, gwine;
I am gwine, gwine, gwine;
I am going up to get my crown.
91. FRAGMENT OF A NEGRO SONG.
Learned by Mrs. Florence Stokes Henry, when a child in Decatur, Georgia. Cf. R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, January 8, 1928, p. 23; Perrow, Journal, XXVI, 16o.
(First two lines recitative)
God made man, man made money;
God made bees and the bees made honey.
Oh, mourner brother, you shall be free.
Shout to glory, sister, you shall be free.
When am I gonna be free?
When the Good Lord sets you free.
92. THE BLACK SHEEP
Obtained from Miss Mary Riddle; Black Mountain, North Carolina. Shearin and Combs (p. 33) remark that the class of songs to which The Black Sheep belongs "in lieu of a more accurate name may be called moralities, since they contain a moral incident or reflection." As the text received from Miss Riddle is practically identical with that printed in Spaeth's Weep Some More, My Lady (p. 173) it is omitted here. The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, March 15, 1926, printed a version more nearly identical with Miss Riddle's text than that of Spaeth. The song tells the story of how Jack and Tom prevailed on their old but wealthy father to send away their brother, Ted, the "black sheep". Later just as Jack and Tom are about to send their father to the poorhouse, Ted reappears and saves his father from this indignity. Ted is at last appreciated by his father at his true worth.
93. THE FROG AND THE MOUSE
This fragment is not from the southern highlands. It was obtained from Professor Allan Westcott, I Thompson Street, Annapolis, Md., who had it from his grandfather in northern New York. See Journal, XXXV, 392; Wyman and Brockway, 25; Campbell and Sharp, No. 119; Cox, No. 162; Hudson, Journal, XXXIX, 166; Sandburg, 143; Scarborough, 46 ff.; R. W. Gordon, New York Times Magazine, Jan. 8, 1928; Henry, Journal, XLII, 297; Richardson and Spaeth's American Mountain Songs, 78; Bradley Kincaid's My Favorite Mountain
Ballads and Old Time Songs, 16.
Kimo, caro, delto, saro,
Strim, stramn, pummididdle,
Lally bony rightum,
(or perhaps Lie upon a rightum)
Rightum bully mitty Kimo.
94. SPRINGFIELD MOUNTAIN
This song is not from the southern highlands. It was also obtained from Professor Allan Westcott, I Thompson Street, Annapolis, Maryland, April, 1930, who had it from his father in northern New York. The Westcotts came to New York from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The first line of each stanza is sung very slowly. The second line of each goes very fast. In the chorus just the opposite is the case. See Shoemaker, p. 142 (2nd edition); Cox, No. 81; Pound, No. 42; Belden, A Partial List of Song-Ballads and Other Popular Poetry Known in Missouri, No. 133; Journal, XIII, pp. 105-112; XVIII, pp. 295-302; XXII, pp. 366-367; XXVIII, 169; XXIX, 188; XXXV, 415. Add Bulletin of the Folk-Song Society of the Northeast, Number 2, pp. Io--12.
1. In Springfield Mountains there did dwell
A sprightly youth and I knew him well.
Chorus: Ri-tick-i-nick-i-nari, tick-i-nick-i-nari.
Tick-i-nick-i-nay, no-ni-no-nay.
2. One Sunday morning he did go
Out in the meadow for to mow.
Chorus:
3. He had not mowed across the field
Before a sarpent nabbed his heel.
Chorus:
4. They took him to his Sally dear
Which made her feel most mighty queer;
Chorus:
5. Oh, Samuel dear, why did you go
Out in the meadow for to mow ?
Chorus:
6. Oh, Sally dear, oh, don't you know
'Twas pappy's grass we had to mow?
Chorus:
(The last two songs are reprinted by courtesy of the Bulletin of the Folk-Song Society of the Northeast.)