The House Carpenter- Rice (MO) 1936 Randolph E; Bronson 99
[From a recording by Sidney Robertson Cowell as given in Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs, Vol. 1, 1946. Only the first stanza is given by Randolph, with music. A version was recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell from the same informant in 1936. Randolph here appears to be slack, by not transcribing the whole song and for getting it wrong. This is the "Lord Lovell" form of this ballad with the fourth line: And it's all for the love of thee-ee-ee. Randolph didn't have that correct. Was he worried about a copyright infringement? Who knows?
R. Matteson 2013]
The House Carpenter- Sung by David Rice (Springfield, MO) Dec. 14, 1936; Randolph E. Additional stanzas from Cowell's recording.
[music upcoming]
1. "We've met again, my love," he said.
"We've met again," said he;
"I'm just across from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee-ee-ee,
And it's all for the love of thee."
2. "I once could have married a king's daughter fair,
I'm sure she'd have married me,
But I have forsaken those crowns of gold
And it's all for the love of thee-ee-ee
And it's all for the love of thee."
3. O if you could have married a king's daughter fair,
I'm sure you were (?) to blame,
For I have married a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young ma-a-an,
And I think he's a nice young man.
4. If you with leave your house carpenter
And go along with me,
I will take You to where the grass grows green
On the banks of the sweet Willie-ee-ee,
On the banks of the sweet Willie.
5. "O if I should leave my house carpenter
And go along with thee,
What have you got to maintain me on
Or to keep me from slavery-y-y,
Or to keep me from slavery."
6. I have three ships all on the sea
A-sailing for dry land,
These have twenty oarsmen on each ship
That shall be at your comma-a-and,
That shall be at Your command.
7. She picked up her sweet little babe
And kisses gave it three,
Saying, Stay at home, you sweet little babe,
And keep your papa company-y-y,
And keep your papa company.
8. She dressed herself in scarlet red
And trimmed it off with green,
And every station they went through
They took her to be some que-ee-en
They took her to be some queen.
9. They hadn't been a-sailing more than two weeks
I'm sure it was not three,
Till this fair lady began to weep,
And she wept most bitterly-y-y,
And she wept most bitterly.
10. Is it for my silver and gold that you weep,
Or is it for my store?
Are you weeping for your house carpenter
That you left on the other sho-o-ore,
That you left on the other shore.
11. It is not for your silver and gold that I weep,
Neither is it for your store,
But I am weeping for my sweet little babe,
That I never shall see any mo-o-ore,
That I never shall see any more.
12. They hadn't been a-sailing more than three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Till they struck a leak in the bottom of the ship,
And it sank to rise no mo-o-ore
And it sank to rise no more.
13. A curse a curse to all mankind,
A curse a curse said she,
You've forsaken me of my house carpenter,
And now you're drownding me-ee-ee,
And now you're drownding me.