The Little Farmer Boy- Chandler (NC) pre1975 (c. 1963) REC
[From Dillard Chandler's recording, The End of an Old Song, 1975.
This is Chandler's poorly remembered version of the House Carpenter-- and the "little farmer boy" eventually (in the last verse) becomes "the house carpenter"!!! Other more complete versions were known and collected from that area (Madison Co.) as early as 1916 by Cecil Sharp. The date should be c. 1963 when the recording made by John Cohen. It appears on several of Chandler's recordings including, The End of an Old Song, by Dillard Chandler in 1975.
The "Do you see that light cloud rising" stanzas are nearly identical to Mary Sands 1916 version. It appears that "little farmer boy" has been substituted for "house carpenter" until the last stanza. I've completed two stanzas and suggested changes in brackets (blue) to make this version more cohesive. There are some unusual stanzas that are not found elsewhere. Dellie Chandler Norton sings 'Little Farmer Boy" on a tape made at a singing class at Warren Wilson College in 1976. Clearly, from the title, this is a similar family version. Only Dellie's first verse is available online. Berzilla Wallin also sings the ballad. An excerpt may be heard at Digital Appalachia.
Sheila Kay Adams covered this family version on her cassette, A Spring in the Burton Cove on Granny Dell Records GDR-1210 (cassette- see text below at bottom of this page). Compare Chandler's fragmented verses to another Madison Co. singer, Doug Wallin's:
7 Then she dressed up in a yellow robe,
Most glorious to behold,
And she walked the street all around and about,
And shined like glittering gold.
8 No, I'm not weeping for my house,
Neither for my store;
I'm weeping for my tender little babe,
Who I left sitting on the floor.
10 "Take me out, oh, take me out,
Take me out," she cried,
For I'm too rich and cost-i-ly
To rot in the salt water sea.
R. Matteson 2013]
The Little Farmer Boy- Dillard Chandler (Madison, NC) pre1975 REC
"It's will you forsake your house and land,
Will you forsake your store?
It's will you forsake your little farmer boy,
That you'll never see anymore?
[If you will forsaken your little farmer boy
And go along with me,]
Says, "I'll forsake [take] you where that grass grows green,
On the banks of sweet Gory."
"It's I will forsake my house and land,
And I will forsake my store.
It's I will forsake my little farmer boy,
That I'll never see anymore.
Oh she dressed, she dressed in her yellow silk,
Oh its shine most glory [glorious] to behold.
[And she walked the street all around and about,
And shined like glittering gold.]
She pick-y-ied [pick-ed] up her tender little babe
And kisses she gave it three,
"Stay here, stay here my tender little babe,
For to keep your papa company."
Well she hadn't been gone three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Until they [there] sprang leak in the bottom of the ship,
And sunk out her eyes [for to rise] no more.
"It's take me out, take me out," she cried, [see above- verse 10]
Will I have to lay here and rot in the salt water sea,
Just you and me?
Do you see that light cloud rising
As light as any snow?
Well that's the place they called heaven,
Where I know I can't never [ever] go,
Where I know I can't never [ever] go.
Do you see that black cloud rising
As black as any crow?
That's the place called torment,
Where I knew [know] I's bound for to go,
Where I knew [know] I's bound for to go.
"So are you weeping for your house and land,
Are you weeping your store?
Are you weeping for your little farmer boy,
That you'll never see anymore,
That you'll never see anymore?"
I'm neither weeping for my house carpenter [house and land],
Nor neither about my store?
It's I am weeping about my house carpenter, [tender little babe]
That I left sitting on the floor,
That I left sitting on the floor.
----------------------------------------------
“The Little Farmer Boy" adapted from Dellie Chandler Norton by Sheila Kay Adams.
Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met," cried he,
“For I've lately returned from the saltwater sea
And it's all for the love of thee.
That I could 'a' married a king's daughter dear
I know she'd 'a' married me.
But I forsake her silver and her gold,
And it's all for the love of thee.
Well if you could 'a' married a king's daughter dear
I wished you'd 'a' married her
For I've lately married a little farmer boy,
And I think he's a fine young man.
"Well if you'll forsake your little farmer boy
And come and go with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
And the waters flow so free."
Well if I forsake my little farmer boy
And come and go with you
will you keep me in silver and in gold
Will you keep me from slavery?
Well I've got three ships a-sailing on the sea,
Three more are docked at land,
Three hundred and sixty little sailor boys,
Will be at your command.
She pick-ed up her tender little babe,
And kisses she gave it three,
Saying, "Stay at home with your papa little man,
And keep him company."
They had not been at sail more than two weeks,
I'm sure it were not three
when she fell down on the deck of the ship,
And wept most bitterly.
Oh are you cryin' for your house,
Are you cryin' for your store?
Are you crying' for your little farmer boy
That you'll never see no more?
"No, I'm not cryin' for my house
I'm not cryin' for my store.
I'm a-cryin' for my tender little babe
I left a-sittin' on the floor."
They had not been at sea three weeks,
I'm sure it were not four,
Whne there came a hole in the bottom of the ship
And she sunk to rise no more
"Oh take me back oh take me back[1]
Oh take me back cried she,
For I'm too young and lovely by far,
To rot in the salt water sea."
Oh don't you see a white cloud a-risin'
As white as any snow?"
"That's the place they call heaven
Where you and I'll never go."
"And don't you see a black cloud a-risin',
As black as any crow?"
"That's the place they call torment,
where you and I'll surely go."
1. See also Child 4