The House Carpenter- Griffin (AR) 1953 Parler; Bronson 100
[Transcription by Bronson in TTCB III, 1966 no. 100 from LC/AAFS, rec. No. 11,891(A20). This version also is found in the Ozark Folk Song Collection online. Later in her life Parler became Vance Randolph's wife-- her collection and Carlisle's make up the main body of Ozark Folk Songs online.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
"The House Carpenter"- Sung by Mrs. Hallie Griffin, Conway, Ark., December 12, 1953. Collected by Mary Celestia Parler.
1. Well met, well met, my own true love,
It is all for the sake of thee.
I have returned from the salt salt sea,
And it's all for the sake of thee,
And it's all for the sake of thee.
2. I had the offer of a king's daughter fair,
She offered marriage to me,
But I refused a handful of gold,
And it's all for the sake of thee,
And it's all for the sake of thee.
3. If you've had the offer of a king's daughter fair,
I'm sure have done wrong,
For I have married a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man,
And I think he's a nice young man.
4. But won't you leave your house carpenter,
And go along with me?
I will carry you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the sweet Willie,
0n the banks of the sweet Willie.
5. If I were to leave my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
What have you got to sustain me upon
Or keep me from slavery,
Or keep me from slavery?
6. I have seven ships sailing on the sea,
They shall sail at your command,
One hundred twenty-five sailor boys
To keep you from slavery,
To keep you from slavery.
7. She caught her babes unto her arms
And gave them kisses three,
Saying, Stay at home, my sweet little babes
And keep your father company,
And keep him company.
8. She dressed herself in silk so fine
Most beautiful to behold,
And as she walked the streets around
She shone like the glittering gold,
She shone like the glittering gold.
9. They had not been on the sea more than [two] weeks,
I'm sure it was not three,
Till this fair damsel began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly,
(And) she wept most bitterly.
10. What are you weeping for? said the seafaring man,
Are you weeping for our gold?
Or is it for Your house carpenter
That you'll never see any more?
That you'll never see any more?
11. I am not weeping for your gold
And neither for your store,
But I do weep for my sweet little babes
That I'll never see any more,
That I'll never see any more.
12. They had not been on the sea more than [three] weeks
I'm sure it wasn't four,
Till this fair vessel sprung a leak
And sank to rise no more,
And sank to rise no more.
13. What a curse it will be to the seafaring men,
Likewise a sailor's life,
Robbing of the house carpenter,
And stealing away his wife,
And stealing away his wife.