The Hangman's Song- (VA-TN) 1934 Cambiaire
[No informant named, or specific location. From: Eastern Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads- Cambiaire, 1934.
This is nearly identical to the Kentucky version from Wyman's Lonesome Tunes published in 1916. In both versions (and other similar versions) added to the first two verses is a chorus of "True Lover's Farewell," the text which I sing as a stanza of "Careless Love."
Other Kentucky versions are very similar and it's possible they are from different sources. Long lumps this in with Wyman's version-- assuming that Cambiaire's nearly identical text is reprinted from the same source as Wyman's- an informant named Lucy Ann Cook.
R. Matteson 2015]
8. THE HANGMAN'S SONG (from Wyman/Brockway, 1916)
"HANGMAN, Hangman, slack up your rope
O slack it for a while,
I looked over yonder and I see Paw coming
He's walked for many a long mile."
"Say Paw, say Paw, have you brung me any gold,
Any gold for to pay my fine?"
"No sir, no sir, I brung you no gold,
No gold for to pay your fine,
But I've just come for to see you hanged;
Hanged on the gallows line."
"O you won't love and it's hard to be beloved,
And it's hard to make up your time,
You have broke the heart of many a true love,
True love, but you won't break mine."
"Hangman, hangman, slack up your rope
O slack it for a while,
I looked over yonder and I see Maw coming
She's walked for many a long mile."
"Say Maw, say Maw, have you brung me any gold,
Any gold for to pay my fine? "
" No sir, no sir, I brung you no gold,
No gold for to pay your fine,
But I've just come for to see you hanged;
Hanged on the gallows line."
" O you won't love and it's hard to be beloved
And it's hard to make up your time,
You have broke the heart of many a true love,
True love, but you won't break mine."
"Hangman, hangman, slack up your rope
O slack it for a while,
I looked over yonder and I see my sweetheart coming
She's walked for many a long mile."
"Sweetheart, sweetheart, have you brung me any gold,
Any gold for to pay my fine?"
"Yes, yes sir, I've brought you some gold,
Some gold for to pay your fine,
For I've just come for to take you home,
From on the gallows' line."