US & Canada Versions 243. James Harris (The Daemon Lover) The House Carpenter
[Of the 330 North American versions in my collection 3 are from print sources (identified by the composed "banks of old Tennessee" in the third stanza) and only several are of questionable traditional origin or based on print. Four of the versions or fragments of versions appear only in my headnotes below (McGill KY, 1917 and several other versions from literary publications; i.e. The White Turkey etc.). A number of versions are missing which are primarily the WPA versions from 1930s-40s and some of the LOC versions that have not been issued on commercial recordings. Other versions were collected but not published including those by Davis TBVa 1929 and Cox FSS, 1925 which, if they still exist, are housed in University collections. It's safe to say that around 400 traditional versions have been collected in North America-- almost all from the United States. It's doubtful that these missing versions will shed new light on the ballad since the editors declined to print most of these versions and excellent or unusual versions would have been published.
It's ironic that in North America this ballad about an unfaithful house carpenter's wife is usually titled "The House Carpenter" or rarely "The Ship('s) Carpenter" when the house or ship carpenter himself plays a small role in this ballad story. The message of this ballad in North America is clear and biblical: The wages of sin are death. The house carpenter's wife receives her spiritual and mortal punishment after abandoning her husband and child to go off with a former lover on the sea. We fully expect the vessel to spring a leak and to sink to rise no more. Further judgement is pronounced in the "What hills? (What banks?)" stanzas that sometimes are found in North American versions. The house carpenter's wife begins:
"What hills, what hills are before us now,
As white as any snow?"
"It's the hills of Heaven, my love," he replied.
"Where all good people go."
"What hills, what hills before us now,
As black as any crow?"
"It's the hills of hell, my love," he replied,
"Where I and you must go."
Similar stanzas appear in Child E and F both from Scotland. These stanzas are all that remain of the supernatural in North America[1]. The seducer and sea captain who responds to her "What hills" questions is revealed now as the demon lover by his knowledge of the afterlife. In North America there is no revenant (ghost) visit by the deceased John Harris as found in Child A; no cloven foot as found in Child F, printed by Sir Walter Scott in 1802[1]. Also the relationship with her former lover is unclear- there are no vows with her former lover who is represented as a sea captain who has recently acquired wealth. After he proves he has the wealth (seven ships sailing on the sea and more on dry land) to "maintain her on" she seems only too willing to go off and leave her house carpenter and baby.
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Alisoun Gardner-Medwin, author of The Ancestry of "The House-Carpenter": A Study of the Family History of the American Forms of Child 243 [See attached to Recordings & info page], believes "that the ballad came to the Appalachian Mountains before 1775." Although I agree with her assessment, she offers no real evidence. Curiously there are no extant collected traditional versions that refer to a date of origin, before 1850. A 1775 date may be presumed by tracing the lineage of certain families isolated in the Appalachians. The Hicks/Harmon versions, for example, are likely brought from Virginia before the Revolutionary War to Watagua County, North Carolina.
The point of origin is mainly the Virginia colony where the House of Burgesses was established as early as 1619, years before the Price broadside was registered in 1657. Certainly Child B, the popular broadside similar to versions found in North America, was in circulation in the British Isles by 1750 and should have been brought to America by 1775. The ballad became popular shortly after the Civil War in Appalachia. Cecil Sharp collected a number of versions there (A-V plus many in MS) from 1916 to 1918 which date back through these elderly informants to this post Civil War period. Davis reported 52 versions from Virginia (plus 2 in an Appendix) in his 1929 edition of TBVa. North Carolina is similarly represented as a repository with versions from Sharp (Madison County) and over 40 versions from The Brown Collection, Abrams Collection and Greer Collection. The ballad is well represented inland in West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and moved to Missouri and Arkansas.
Older versions can be traced back through individual families such has the Chandler/Wallin family in Madison County, NC and the Hick/Harmon family originally from Beech Mountain in Watauga County NC. The Hicks/ Harmon family includes versions by Sam Harmon (LC recording) and his daughter, Mrs. Hiram Proctor (Henry C), after they moved to Cade's Cove, Tennessee, a version by Nora Hicks (Brown Collection) of the Mast's Gap Hicks in NC, a 1939 version by Smith Harmon descendant of Goulder Harmon who was Counce Harmon's brother, a recording by Lee Monroe Presnell, a version by Jane Hicks Gentry (Sharp H) who had moved to Madison County from Watauga County, NC, a version by Rena Hicks (Burton), wife of Nathan Hicks whose son-in-law Frank Proffitt (recording) also had a version. It is likely that most of these versions are traced back to Big Sammy Hicks (also Council Harmon) and his father David Hicks (also Hix) of now Goochland, Virginia who settled in the Beech Mountain area before the Revolutionary War (c. 1760s).
The printed broadsides c.1850 seem to have had little or no effect on southern versions which were already part of tradition in the mountains. Versions based on print will have the "banks of Tennessee" line as the last line of the usually third stanza. Several versions from New England show some influence (see Flanders M, other resemble the broadside but lack the exact "banks of the Tennessee" quote). The popularity of the ballad in the United States has led to cross-fertilization with other ballads and folk songs. Davis printed two such composite ballads in the TBVa Appendix. Others have taken the name of their composite (Rocky Mountain Top; Gypsy Daisy). In general the ballad has remained consistent varying mainly in the ending.
Those closest to the broadside have the "curse" ending; those closest to Child E and F (Scottish) have the "what hills" ending; some rare versions have the "suicide" ending (Irish?) also found curiously in two Maritime Canada versions.
Curiously the ballad is rare in Canada with just three versions. Peacock found a version in Newfoundland but no other versions have been found in Nova Scotia or Maritime Canada. There's brief explanation why from Clinton Heylin (See in John Minear's excerpt in 2012 Demon Lover in New England).
The US and Canadian versions are related mainly to Child B:
"The Distressed Ship Carpenter" from "The Rambler's Garland" an 18th century chap book c. 1785
Well met, well met, my own true love
Long time I've been seeking thee.
I'm lately come from the salt sea
And all for the sake, love, of thee.
I might have had a king's daughter,
And fain she would have married me.
But I've forsaken all her Crowns of Gold
And all for the sake, love, of thee.
If you might have had a king's daughter
I think you are much to blame.
I would not for five hundred pounds
That my husband should hear the same.
For my husband is a Carpenter
A young ship-carpenter is he.
And by him I have a little son,
Or else, love, I'd go with thee.
But if I should leave my husband dear,
Likewise my little son also
What have you to maintain me withal,
If I along with you go?
I have seven ships upon the seas,
And one of them brought me to land
And seventeen mariners to wait on thee,
For to be, love, at thy command.
A pair of slippers thou shalt have
They shall be made of beaten gold.
Nay & be a lined with velvet soft
To keep thy feet from the cold.
A gilded boat there thou also have
The oars shall be gilded also.
And mariners (seven) to row thee along
For to keep thee from overthrow.
They had not been long upon the sea,
Before she began to weep.
What weep you for my gold he said
Or for my fee do weep?
O do you weep for some other one
That you love more than me?
No I do weep for my little son
That should have come along with me.
She had not been upon the seas
Passing days three and four
But the mariner & she were dying,
And never were heard of more.
When the tidings to old England came
The ship carpenter's wife was drowned
He wrung his hands & tore his hair
And grievously fell in a swoon.
O cursed be these mariners
For they do lead a wicked life
They ruined me, a ship carpenter
By deluding away my wife.
Most US and Canadian versions stick closely to Child B with other stanzas from the two related broadsides that were printed in the US circa 1860.
HOUSE CARPENTER (Philadelphia Broadside c. 1858)
"Well met, well met, my own true love,
Well met, well met," cried he--
"For I've just returned from the Salt Sea,
All for the love of thee."
"I might have married the King's daughter, dear,"
"You might have married her," cried she--
"For I am married to a House Carpenter.
And a fine young man is he."
"If you will forsake your House Carpenter,
And go along with me,
I will take you where the grass grows high.
On the banks of old Tennessee."
"If I forsake my House Carpenter,
And go long with thee,
What have you go to keep me upon,
And keep me from misery?"
Says he, "I've got six ships at sea,
All sailing to dry land,
One hundred and ten of your own countrymen,
Love, they shall be at your command."
She took her babe upon her knee,
And kissed it one, two, or three,
Saying, "stay at home, my darling sweet babe,
And keep your father's company."
They had not sailed four weeks or more,
Four weeks or scarcely three,
When she thought of her darling sweet babe at home,
And she wept most bitterly.
Says he, "are you weeping for gold my love,
Or are you weeping for fear,
Or are you weeping for your House Carpenter,
That you left and followed me."
"I am not weeping for gold," she replied,
"Nor am I weeping for fear,
But I am weeping alone for my sweet little babe,
That I left with my House Carpenter."
"Oh, dry up your tears my own true love,
And cease your weeping," cried he,
"For soon you'll see your own happy home.
On the banks of old Tennessee."
They had not sailed five weeks or more,
Five weeks, or scarcely four,
When the ship struck a rock and sprung a leak,
And they were never seen any more.
A curse be on the sea-faring men,
Oh, cursed be their lives,
For while they are robbing the House Carpenter,
And coaxing away their wives.
The ballad was also quoted in literature. This unusual opening was taken from The White Turkey by Elizabeth Cherry Waltz from Louisville KY, as published in The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, Volume 44; Volume 66; 1903. Pa Gladden is the lead and it is set in Olive Hill, Kentucky:
Out of it also came a song that stirred the very heartstrings of Pa Gladden:
" 'Hi, pretty Polly,
And have I now found you here?
I might have married the king's daughter fair,
if it wasn't for the love of you.' "
Pa Gladden paused on the threshold, quavering a reply:
"'If you could have married the king's daughter fair,
I'm sure you were to blame;
For it's I that have married a house-carpenter,
And I'm sure he's a nice young man.'"
"I didn't know that you knew that old song, Pa Gladden," cried Persephone from her wooden rocker and over a pair of woolen socks she was darning. "My mother used to sing it, and she heard it from her grandmother."
The opening stanza is unique in North America by naming the house carpenter's wife.
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Another version was quoted in The Epworth Herald, Volume 14; 1903 in an article, The Ballads of other Days by J. L. Harbour:
A ballad called “The house carpenter” had great vogue in the rural districts of the West when the writer was a boy. It was the sad story of a wandering lover, who came home to find his betrothed married to another, whereupon he proposed an elopement. As an allurement to this unwise proceeding he says:
“I have seven ships that have just sailed in,
And seven more at sea,
Two hundred and ten fine young men,
All for to wait on thee.”
The young wife and mother is unable to withstand this inducement, and we are told that—
“She called her baby to her lap,
And gave it kisses three,
Saying, “Stay at home my sweet little babe,
And keep your father compa-nee.’”
Remorse very properly takes possession of the eloping mother, and it is related that—
“They had not sailed two days or more,
I am sure it was not three,
When she began to weep and to mourn,
And she wept most bitter-lee.”
Being reproached for this, and asked why she weeps so “bitterlee,” she responds in these words:
“I do not weep for house and land,
I do no not weep for fear,
But I do weep for the sweet little babe,
That I left when I sailed on here.”
The end of the whole affair is that—
“They had not sailed three days or more,
I'm sure it was not three,
When the ship sprung a leak and they all went down
To the bottom of the sea-hee-hee.”
Aunt Sally's voice would rise to a shrill and prolonged shriek on the “sea-hee-hee” words, and she would often add: “Served her jist right, the trollopin' thing, to go off an leave her baby like that!”
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Here's an excerpt from her article, "'Following Music' in a Mountain Land," by Josephine McGill (The Musical Quarterly, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jul., 1917), pp. 364-384) in which she quotes two different versions of the ballad:
The singer of Fair Margaret and Sweet William initiated the collector into the charms of another song locally popular and likewise one of the most esteemed in the formal compilations of English and Scotch ballads where it appears as The Demon Lover and The Old Salt Sea. Prosaically known in the mountains as The House Carpenter or The Ship Carpenter, this ballad relates a wife's desertion of home and husband when, in the disguise of a former suitor, the demon lover wickedly beguiles her:
Well met, well met, my own true love;
Well met, well met, says he;
I've just returned from the old salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee.
I could have married a king's daughter dear,
And she fain would have married me;
But a crown of gold I did refuse,
It was all fir the love of thee.
Whereupon the lady retorts that he might as well have availed himself of that matrimonial opportunity as she is now wedded to a house Carpenter-whom, however the Iniquitous One persuades her to leave. It is said that the American versions of the ballad tend to eliminate or minimize the supernatural elements. In the resent ballad this is true on the whole; but with what effect of sinister fancy the supernatural appears in the final stanza of this song:
What hills, what hills are those, my love,
That look so white like snow?
They are the hills of heaven, my love,
Where we will never go.
What hills, what hills, are yon, my love,
That look so black and low?
They are the hills of hell, my love,
Where you and I must go.
This ballad offers a good example of what happens to the ballads in general in a region so far from the scene of their original composition. This House Carpenter for instance borrows lines now and then from The Lass of Loch Royal or Fair Annie of Loch Royal:
O who will shoe your feet, my love,
And who will glove your hand,
And who will kiss your red rosy lips
When I'm in a far distant land.
The surprise and delight of the collector may be fancied on hearing in still another version of the House Carpenter entitled Old True Love, these lines:
Her cheeks were like some blooming red rose
All in the month of June;
Her voice is like some sweet instrument
That's just been put in tune.
So fare you well, my own true love,
So fare you well a while;
I'm going away but to come back again
Though it were ten thousand mile.
These stanzas, however, have a tune of their own-quaint, plaintive, charming, with abrupt harmonic changes, fascinating but difficult to notate. The House Carpenter is sung to two tunes, both minor and interesting. They end differently-one by this descent: 3-2-1; the other, by 4-7-1; both intervals are common. The balladist who sang The House Carpenter had a large repertoire, at one time even greater. Because of it the young people used to flock to her cabin from miles away-a commentary upon the rich social values the ballads have had for the lonely highlanders, to say nothing of their power of stirring half-starved imaginations.
* * *
As pointed out by Child in his headnotes, two stanzas of the ballad was cited in Graham's Illustrated Magazine, September, 1858.
* * *
It's important to recognize that in some versions that standard opening stanza is an exchange of greetings between two former lovers; the house carpenter's wife and the unnamed seaman (James Harris). She says, "Well met (Good to meet you)," to which he replies the same.
"Well met, well met, my own true love, (him)
Well met, well met," said he.
In some version the dialogue is punctuated as above (Brown A for example), while most attribute the first two lines to the unnamed male lover (James Harris, the deamon lover):
"Well met, well met, my own true love," (her)
"Well met, well met," said he. {him)
"I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee."
In his 1866 book, The Story of Kennett (Square, PA), by Bayard Taylor gives this version of the House Carpenter that makes the dialogue perfectly clear:
She says, —
'Well-met, well-met, my own true-love!'
'Well-met, well-met,' cried he;
'For 't is I have returned from the salt, salt sea,
And it's all for the love of thee!'
In several US versions "met" has become "Matt" or "Med" and is considered a proper name. When Fred High was around 73, he included this ballad in his songbook, "Old, Old Folk Songs" which was published around 1951 (I have a copy) about the same time he recorded this version for Celeste Parler. High's own transcription begins:
"Well mad, well mad, my owne true love,
Well mad said he."
Either he fixed the ballad up or wrote it down wrong-- probably the latter :) Apparently "Mad" which should have been "Med" was a proper name in High's version. Here's more from Parler who recorded High's explanation on Oct. 20, 1953 (Ozark Folksongs Reel 156 Item 4):
Comment on The House Carpenter (Fred was singing this just for fun, but I recorded some of the last stanzas in order to get his misconception of "Well met, well met" on the tape. For the entire ballad c f. Reel.)
MC Parler: What did you say her name was?
Fred: Matt.
MCParler: And what did you say you thought it was to start with?
Fred: When I started in, "Well Matt," he said to her you know. (Fred told me before he started singing that he had just figured out what her name was - that he used to think it was Med! ) So he sings the first line: Well, Matt, well, Matt, my own true love.
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As mentioned above in some, usually Appalachian versions, there is a two stanza ending that begins, "What banks" or "What hills":
8 What banks, what banks before us now,
As white as any snow?
It's the banks of Heaven, my love, she replied.
Where all good people go.
9 What banks, what banks before us now,
As black as any crow?
It's the banks of hell, my love, he replied,
Where I and you must go.
In some versions these two stanzas follow the sinking of their ship. These same ending stanzas are found in Child E and F. Compare with Motherwell's Scottish version, c. 1820s, which is Child E:
14 'O what a bright, bright hill is yon,
That shines so clear to see?'
'O it is the hill of heaven,' he said
'Where you shall never be.'
15 'O what a black, dark hill is yon,
That looks so dark to me?'
'O it is the hill of hell,' he said,
'Where you and I shall be.
There are some variations on this ending. Here's one from Dellie Chandler Norton, curiously titled "The Little Farmer Boy":
"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."
[see: The Little Farmer Boy- Chandler (NC) pre1975 REC and also Little Farmer Boy- Dellie Norton (NC) 1976 REC ]
"Torment" is found occasionally in other regional versions. It's unclear when "the little farmer boy" replaced "the house carpenter" as the husband. It seems to be found only in several Sodom, NC versions by the Chandler/Wallin family, including Dellie Chandler Norton, Dillard Chandler, Rosa Wallin and Sheila Kay Adams. Sharp did not find it in Madison County in 1916 where he collected a number of versions. In many Madison County versions there is an extra stanza which also is found in Child 4:
"Oh take me back oh take me back
Oh take me back cried she,
For I'm too young and lovely by far,
To rot in the salt water sea."
Both the extra stanza and the change of the carpenter's name appear to be recent modifications by members of the Chander/Wallin family. It should be noted that the apparent source, Dellie Chandler Norton, had a sister (Berzilla Chandler Wallin) who did not sing "little farmer boy" which dates the change to the early 1900 (Norton was born in 1898).
US Commercial Recordings: I've put some of the individual early versions and the three early recordings (left hand panel). One good modal recording is Ashley's: Listen: The House Carpenter- "Tom" Ashley- 1930.
[Can't You Remember When Your Heart Was Mine? by the Carolina Tar Heels in 1928 was the first old-time country recording of "The House Carpenter" although the first verse was taken from a different song. The Greers recorded it in 1929 but it was never issued. For the Greers music see: Brown Collection and also the I. G. Greer Collection at Appalachian State University. Tom Ashley's version was recorded in 1930 and again with Tex Isley in 1966. Bradley Kincaid recorded the ballad in 1933.
The two recordings with nearly identical texts by Ashley are transcribed - see: The House Carpenter- Ashley. Ashley's tune is modal with banjo accompaniment and is similar to the Appalachian versions that Cecil Sharp collected in 1916. Ashley's verses 3 and 7 are taken from versions of Young Hunting.
I've now added the 330 or so texts I have- see contents below on this page. There are also many more (probably at least one hundred) that have been collected that are inaccessible, either because they are housed in a collection (WPA Virginia) and not available or they were deemed poor versions and the text and music were not used. For example Roberts (Kentucky) mentions he has 17 versions in his collection but prints only one text with music in his book, In the Pines. Davis (Virginia) collected 52 texts and only 29 were published because some of the texts were not as good. The same can be said of Cox, Sharp and the Brown collection. The unpublished Davis' texts and sometimes scores are housed at the University of Virginia (Special Collections) and can be accessed only by visiting the University of Virginia repository and looking through the manuscripts.
Bronson's US & Canada versions with tunes:
Group A a: 1-73 with multiples a-n; 73 + 24= 97
Group A b: 74-94 with multiples o-r; 20 + 4= 24
Group A c: 95-114 with multiples 109b; 9 + 1= 10
Group A d: 115-122 no multiples; 8
Group A e: 124, 125, 127-132 with no multiples; 8
Group A f: 135-136 with no multiples; 2
Group A g: 137-139 with no multiples; 3
Group A h: 74-94 with no multiples ; 1
Appendix: Banks of Claudy (Barry) 1
Group B: 144-145 with no multiples; 2
Bronson's totals: 157 versions with music. Not mentioned in Bronson (See Barry/Flanders) is that the standard US tune (although there are many variants) is sometimes taken, or vice-verse, from The False Young Man (Sharp No. 94). Some of the US House Carpenter texts have taken one or two stanzas from The False Young Man. I first learned a False Young Man variant from a Lily Mae Ledford recording-- she sang it in a minor key and titled it, White Oak Mountain. She learned it from from her cousin Lillie Branham.
R. Matteson 2012, 2016
1. only Flanders M has a cloven foot but it seems to be remembered from print.]
CONTENTS: (Individual versions are attached to this page on left hand column- click to open or click highlighted blue title below)
1) House Carpenter- (PA) Broadside circa 1860 -- this is the "Philadelphia" broadside, published in the late 1850s- early 1860s. It can be viewed at Bodleian Broadside collection, with the imprint: J. H. Johnson, Song Publisher, Stationer And Printer, No. 7 N. Tenth Street, 3 doors above Market, Philadelphia, Pa., dated ca1860.
2) The House Carpenter- (NY) DeMarsan broadside 1860 -- The text was reprinted by Phillips Barry in the Journal of American Folklore Vol. 18, No. 70, July-Sept., 1905. De Marsan was a reissue of an earlier copy attributed to J. Andrews of New York, in the Harris collection at Brown University.
3) The House Carpenter- Wales (VT) c.1860 Flanders L -- Fragment from Ancient Ballads III, Flanders; 1963. From Mrs. Wales of Burlington, Vermont, in early 1932, learned from her grandmother, Mrs. Bissell, and also her sisters. Mrs. Bissell and her sisters "sang a great deal while living on the farm of their father, Phineas Moulton, at Randolph, Vermont, before 1860."
4) The House Carpenter- Chandler (MO) 1862 Belden D -- From: Ballads and Songs collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society, 1940, version D. Sung by T. B. Chandler (Farmington, MO) c.1862. Learned from his mother during the Civil War (1861 to 1865). Collected in 1912.
5) The House Carpenter- McMullin (UT) 1864 Hubbard
If You Will Leave Your House Carpenter- (IO) 1865
The Ship Carpenter- Larkin (IL) 1866 Musick
The Ballad of the House Carpenter-(PA) 1866 Taylor
The House Carpender- Willard (NY) 1869 Cutting
The House Carpenter- Beck (IO) 1872 Stout B
The House Carpenter- (VA) 1874 Davis G
The House Carpenter- Devlin (NY) c.1875 REC Lomax
The House Carpenter- Griffin (GA-FL) 1877 Morris A
The House Carpenter- Luther (NH) 1877 Flanders F
The House Carpenter- (NY) c.1882 Wehman's
The House Carpenter- Baber (MO) 1889 Randolph A
The House Carpenter- Gilbert (TN) c.1890 McDowell
Salt Water Sea- Grubb (VA) 1891 Davis II
The House Carpenter- Yowell (VA) 1895 Davis H
The House Carpenter- McCord (MO) 1901 Randolph N
House Carpenter- Ingenthron (MO) 1901 Randolph O
House Carpenter- Hatcher (VA) c.1902 Halpert REC
The House Carpenter- (MO) 1903 Williams/Belden A
The House Carpenter- Setters (MO) 1904 Randolph J
The House Carpenter- Stepp (MO) 1904 Belden B
The Old Salt Sea- (KY) Pettit pre1907 Kittredge
The House Carpenter- Conner (PA) 1908 Barry JAF
The House Carpenter- Mason (NE) 1908 Pound
House Carpenter- Rickman (MO) 1909 Belden C
House Carpenter- Bishop (KY) 1909 Sharp C
House Carpenter- Havens (TN) 1909 Anderson B
The House Carpenter- Newsome (WV) c.1910 Cox
House Carpenter- Gevedon (KY) 1910 Roberts
The House Carpenter- Greer (NC) 1913 Brown C
The House Carpenter- Clement (SC) 1913 Smith A
The House Carpenter- King (SC) 1913 Smith B
The House Carpenter- Maxie (VA) 1914 Davis D
The House Carpenter- (VA) 1914 Davis I
The House Carpenter- Hogan (VA) 1914 Davis V
The House Carpenter- Stinnet (VA) 1914 Davis W
The House Carpenter- Maxie (VA) 1914 Davis Y
As I Was Walking Out- McAlpin (VA) 1914 Davis Aa
The House Carpenter- Paugh (WV) 1915 Cox D
The House Carpenter- Paugh (WV) c.1915 Cox E
The House Carpenter- Armistead (VA) 1915 Davis J
The House Carpenter- Wright (VA) 1915 Davis K
The House Carpenter- Sprouse (VA) 1915 Davis T
The House Carpenter- Quarles (VA) 1915 Davis Z
The House Carpenter- Corum (NC) 1915 Brown E
The House Carpenter- Tab Ward (NC) 1915 Burton
House Carpenter- Kagley (TN) 1915 Anderson A
House Carpenter- Sands (NC) 1916 Sharp A
House Carpenter- Buckner (NC) 1916 Sharp B
House Carpenter- Shelton (NC) 1916 Sharp D
House Carpenter- Ramsey (TN) 1916 Sharp E
House Carpenter- Shelton (NC) 1916 Sharp F
House Carpenter- Shelton (NC) 1916 Sharp G
House Carpenter- Gentry (NC) 1916 Sharp H
House Carpenter- House (NC) 1916 Sharp I
House Carpenter- Chandler (NC) 1916 Sharp J
House Carpenter- Crane (TN) 1916 Sharp K
The House Carpenter- Case (MO) 1916 Belden G
The House Carpenter- Toney (WV) 1916 Cox A
House Carpenter- (WV) 1916 Fairmont High School
The Ship Carpender- Wiley (VA) 1916 Davis M
The House Carpenter- Wiley B (VA) 1916 Davis N
The House Carpenter- McNew (VA) 1916 Davis P
The House Carpenter- Fuller (VA) 1916 Davis S
A-Roving- Shields (VA) 1916 Peel/Davis Ab
The House Carpenter- Doyel (MO) 1917 Belden H
The House Carpenter- Federer (WV) 1917 Cox B
The House Carpenter- Gregg (WV) 1917 Cox C
House Carpenter- Ray (TN) 1917 Sharp L
House Carpenter- Carter (KY) 1917 Sharp O
House Carpenter- Pratt (KY) 1917 Sharp Q
House Carpenter- Students Berea (KY) 1917 Sharp S
House Carpenter- Kinnard (KY) 1917 Sharp T
House Carpenter- Students (KY) 1917 Sharp U
House Carpenter- Connor (NC) 1917 Sharp MS
House Carpenter- Poff (KY) 1917 Sharp MS
House Carpenter- Patrick (KY) 1917 Sharp MS
House Carpenter- Pope (KY) 1917 Sharp MS
House Carpenter's Wife- Pearson (VA) 1917 Davis AA
The House Carpenter- Gross (VA) 1918 Sharp MS
House Carpenter- Bennett (NC) 1918 Sharp M
House Carpenter- Chrisom (NC) 1918 Sharp N
House Carpenter- Donald (VA) 1918 Sharp P
House Carpenter- Roberts (VA) 1918 Sharp R
House Carpenter- Boone (NC) 1918 Sharp V
On the Banks of the Sweet Laurie- (VA)1918 Davis E
House Carpenter- Jones (VA) 1918 Sharp MS
House Carpenter- Grey (VA) 1918 Sharp MS
House Carpenter- Bowyer (VA) 1918 Sharp MS
Neither for your Gold- Godfrey (NC) 1918 Sharp MS
Forsaken House Carpenter- Moore (NC) 1919 Greer E
The Ship Carpenter- Cruickshank (MO) 1920 Belden I
The House Carpenter- Shaffir (VA) 1920 Davis F
The House Carpenter- Carpenter (VA) 1920 Davis Q
The House Carpenter- Via (VA) 1920 Davis U
The House Carpenter- Lewis (NC) c.1920 Brown A
The House Carpenter- Gordon (NC) c.1920 Brown B
The House Carpenter- Carpenter (NC) c.1920 Brown F
The Daemon Lover- (KY) 1920 Wyman & Brockway
The House Carpenter- Hart (VA) 1921 Davis B
The House Carpenter- Anderson (VA) 1921 Davis L
The House Carpenter- Mulleins (VA) 1921 Davis R
The Faithless Wife- (MN- Great Lakes) Dean 1922
The House Carpenter- Ross (OH) pre1922 Eddy A
The House Carpenter- Sefton (OH) pre1922 Eddy B
The House Carpenter- Moores (OH) pre1922 Eddy E
The House Carpenter- Richardson (VA) 1922 Davis C
The Daemon Lover- Armstrong (VA) 1922 Davis O
I Have Forty Ships- Rhew (NC) 1922 Brown G
The House Carpenter- Tillett (NC) 1922 Brown 4H
The House Carpenter- Marshall (VA) 1923 Davis X
House Carpenter- Haynes (MA) 1923 R. Gordon
The House Carpenter- Duvall (MO) 1924 Randolph H
The Demon Lover- Copper (NC) 1924 Chappell
The House Carpenter- Pritt (VA) 1924 Davis A
The House Carpenter's Wife- Hewitt (WV) 1924 Cox
The House Carpenter-Hare (WV) pre1925 Cox L
The House Carpenter- Gott (ME) pre1926 Barry A
The House Carpenter- Neal (IN ) c.1926 Neal
The House Carpenter- Ross (MO) 1927 Randolph F
The House Carpenter- 1927 Sandburg
The House Carpenter- Bradley (MO) 1928 Randolph B
The House Carpenter- Proctor (TN) 1928 Henry C
The House Carpenter- Young (ME) 1928 Barry B
Remember When Your Heart Was Mine? (NC) 1928
The House Carpenter- Johnson (NC) 1929 Henry A
The House Carpenter- Franklin (NC) 1929 Henry B
The House Carpenter- Flowers (MS) 1930 Hudson B
The House Carpenter- Sherwood (NC) c.1930 Greer A
House Carpenter- Rorick (VA-OH) c.1930 REC
The House Carpenter- Burns (NE) 1930 Burns
The House Carpenter- Tom Ashley (NC) 1930 REC
House Carpenter- Swetman (MS-KY) 1930 Hudson A
The House Carpenter- Merrill (NH) 1931 Flanders A
The House Carpenter- Kelley (MO) 1931 Randolph C
House Carpenter- Setters (KY) 1931 Scarborough F
The Banks of Claudy- Sullivan (VT) 1932 Flanders N
The House Carpenter- (NC) pre1932 Greer B
The House Carpenter- (NC) pre1932 Greer C
The House Carpenter- (NC) pre1932 Greer D
Well Met, Well Met- (TN) pre1932 Henry D
The House Carpenter- Marshall (TX) 1932 Major
The House Carpenter- Russell (VA) 1932 Davis BB
The House Carpenter- Gibbs (VA) 1932 Davis CC
The House Carpenter- Gladden (VA) 1932 Davis EE
Sweet Wildee- Keesee (VA) 1932 Davis FF
Banks of the Sweet Willie- Lewis (VA)1932 Davis GG
The House Carpenter- Webb (VA) 1932 Davis HH
The House Carpenter- Ellis (TX) pre1932 Dobie B
The House Carpenter- Kincaid (KY) 1933 REC
House Carpenter- Jones (NC) 1933; Warner REC
The House Carpenter- Pettit (KY) 1933 Niles
Well Met, Well Met- Jacobs (WI) 1933 Treat
The House Carpenter- Short (MO) 1933 Randolph I
The House Carpenter- Morris (VA) 1933 Davis AA*
The House Carpenter- Barbour (IL) 1933 McIntosh
The House Carpenter- Moses (NY) 1934 Flanders B
The House Carpenter- George (VT) 1934 Flanders D
The House Carpenter- Williamson (VA) 1934 Davis JJ
I Married a Carpenter- Vincent (LA) 1934 REC Lomax
House Carpenter- McClellan (MI) 1935 Gardner A
The House Carpenter- Evilsizer (MI) 1935 Gardner B
The House Carpenter- Muchler (MI) 1935 Gardner C
The House Carpenter- Ward (IN) 1935 Brewster A
The House Carpenter- Hopkins (IN) 1935 Brewster B
The House Carpenter- Bryant (IN) 1935 Brewster C
The Salt, Salt Sea- Sullivan (IN) 1935 Brewster D
House Carpenter- McCullough (IN) 1935 Brewster F
The House Carpenter- Williams (IN) 1935 Brewster G
The House Carpenter- Leslie (IN) 1935 Brewster H
The Salt Sea- Whitehead (VA) 1935 Davis DD
House Carpenter- Lam (VA) 1935 Wilkinson MS
House Carpenter- Mace (VA) 1935 Wilkinson MS
House Carpenter- Morris (VA) 1935 Wilkinson MS
House Carpenter 1- McAllister (VA) 1935 Wilkinson
The House Carpenter- Jackson (KY) 1935 Lomax REC
House Carpenter- Johnson (NC) 1935 McNeil B
The House Carpenter- Rice (MO) 1936 Randolph E
The House Carpenter- Lomax (IN) 1936 Brewster E
The House Carpenter- Shriver (IN) 1936 Brewster I
The House Carpenter- Doyel (MO) 1936 Barbour
House Carpenter- Collier (VA) 1936 Scarborough A
House Carpenter- Morris (VA) 1936 Scarborough B
House Carpenter- Stevens (VA)1936 Scarborough C
House Carpenter- Keene (VA) 1936 Scarborough D
House Carpenter- Clawson (NC) 1936 Scarborough E
House Carpenter- Hite (VA) 1936 Wilkinson MS
House Carpenter- Snead (VA) 1936 Wilkinson MS
House Carpenter- Allen (VA) 1936 Wilkinson MS
The House Carpenter- (TN) 1936 Crabtree
House Carpenter- Zimmerman (IO) pre1936 Stout A
House Carpenter- Dusenbury (AR) c. 1936 BK
House Carpenter- Anderson (VA) 1936 Wilkinson MS
The House Carpenter- Michael (NC) 1937 Brown 4E
House Carpenter- Nye (KY) c.1937 REC Lomax
House Carpenter- Warde Ford (WS) 1937 Cowell REC
The Ship Carpenter- Walters (KY) 1937 REC Lomax
The House Carpenter- Capps (TN) 1937 Kirkland
Rocky Mountain Top- Burnett (KY) 1937 Kirkland B
The Ship Carpenter- Walters (KY) 1937 Lomax REC
Ship's Carpenter- McFarland (KY) 1937 Lomax REC
House Carpenter- Lawhorne (VA) 1937 Wilkinson MS
The House Carpenter- Wilson (NC) 1938 Brown K
Banks of the Citoree- Bostic (NC) 1938 Brown 4A(1)
The House Carpenter- Hayes(NC) 1938 Abrams F
The House Carpenter- Smith (TX) 1938 Owens
The House Carpenter- Smith Harmon (NC) c.1939
House Carpenter- York (NC) 1939 Brown L
The House Carpenter- Summer (OH) pre1939 Eddy C
The House Carpenter- Bowman (OH) pre1939 Eddy D
The House Carpenter- Miller (NC) 1939 Brown 4A(2)
The House Carpenter- Mrs. York (NC) 1939 Brown 4K
House Carpenter- Graham (CA) 1939 REC Cowell
House Carpenter- Maxey (VA) 1939 Halpert
The House Carpenter- Williams (WV) 1939 Cox
The House Carpenter- Hooper (NC) c.1939 Collins
The Ship's Carpenter- Edwards (NY) 1940s Cazden
The House Carpenter- Dethrow (MO) 1940 Randolph D
The House Carpenter- Short (MO) 1940 Randolph K
The House Carpenter- Johnson (NC) 1940 Brown M
The Housecarpenter- N. Hicks (NC) 1940 Brown 4-A
The House Carpenter- Wallin (NC) c.1940 Yates REC
The House Carpenter- Church (NC) 1940 Abrams REC
The Defeated Knight- Fish (NH) pre1940 Flanders E
House Carpenter- Wallin (NC) c. 1940, REC 1992
House Carpenter- Copeland (MO) 1941 Randolph M
The Young Turtle Dove- Luther (NH) 1941 Flanders G
The House Carpenter- Reynolds (NH) 1941 Flanders K
The House Carpenter- Hall (AR) 1942 Randolph L
House Carpenter- McDonald (AR) 1942 Randolph P
The House Carpenter- Richards (NH) 1942 Flanders I
The House Carpenter- Mancour (VT) 1942 Flanders J
The House Carpenter- Best (NC) pre1943 Brown I
The House Carpenter- (NC) pre1943 Boyd/Brown H
The House Carpenter- Thomas (NC) pre1943 Brown J
House Carpenter- Hauser (NC) pre1943 Brown 4-J
The House Carpenter- McGee (NC) 1943 Abrams REC
The House Carpenter- Tucker (MD) pre1944 Carey
House Carpenter- McGraw (IN) 1944 Doering JOAFL
The House Carpenter- Cornwright (NY) 1944 Cutting
House Carpenter- Cutting (NY) 1944 Cutting B
House Carpenter- McGraw (IN) pre1944 Doering JAF
Said an Old True Love- Frye (NC) 1945 Brown N
House Carpenter- Williams (NC) 1945 Abrams REC
The House Carpenter- (New England)1945 Flanders C
The Daemon Lover- Price (RI-MA) 1945 Flanders M
The Sea Captain- (AR) pre1946 Garrison
House Carpenter- B. Green (NC) 1946 Abrams REC
House Carpenter- Bessie Green(NC) 1946 Abrams REC
The House Carpenter- Gregory (NC) 1946 Abrams REC
House Carpenter- Johnson (ME) pre1946 Alderson
The House Carpenter- McCoy (MO) 1946 Randolph G
The Ship's Carpenter- Reber (UT) 1947 Hubbard A
The House Carpenter- Clawson (UT) 1947 Hubbard B
The House Carpenter- Sorrels (UT) 1947 Hand
House Carpenter- Downing (AZ) 1948 Eskin
The House Carpenter- Horn (TN) 1949 Boswell
The House Carpenter- Degreenia(CT) 1949 Flanders H
Housecarpenter- Wright (OH) 1950s Grimes
The House Carpenter- McClellan (FL) 1950 Morris B
The House Carpenter- Kelter (NY) pre-1950 Ruch
Well Met- Small (VA) 1950 Karpeles
House Carpenter- Allen (VA) 1950 Karpeles
House Carpenter- Crane (TN) 1950 Karpeles REC
The House Carpenter's Wife- High (AR) 1951
The Sea-Faring Man- Parsley (AR) 1951 Carlisle
House Carpenter- Eliz Ford (CA-WS) 1952 Cowell REC
House Carpenter- Hall (AL) 1952 Browne
The House Carpenter- Griffin (AR) 1953 Parler
House Carpenter- Riddle (AR) 1953 Wolf
The House Carpenter- Griffin (AR) 1953 Parler
House Carpenter- Ireland (NB) 1954 Creighton
The House Carpenter- Fields (IN) 1954 List
Well Met- Skaggs (AR) 1954 Parler
The House Carpenter- Lee M. Presnell (NC) 1956 REC
The House Carpenter- Steele (KY) 1957 Kahn REC
The Gypsy Daisy- Couchey (NY) 1957 Porter
The House Carpenter- Toothman (WV) 1957 Musick A
The House Carpenter- Hawkins (WV) 1957 Musick B
House Carpenter- Harvey (MO) 1958 Hunter
House Carpenter- Parker (AR) 1958 Hunter REC
The House Carpenter- Quigley (AR) 1958 Hunter REC
House Carpenter- Phillips (AR) 1958 Hunter REC
Little Farmer Boy- Dellie Norton (NC) pre1958 REC
House Carpenter- McAllister (VA) 1959 Worthington
The House Carpenter- Vass (VA) pre1959 Shellans
House Carpenter- Kilgore (AR) 1959 Parler
House Carpenter- Edens (AR) 1960 Hunter REC
House Carpenter- Pratt (OK) 1960 Parler
House Carpenter- Sargent (AR) 1960 & 1963 Parler
The House Carpenter- Shifflett (VA) 1961 Foss
The House Carpenter- Clark (ON) 1961 Fowke
The House Carpenter- Ritchie (KY) 1961 REC
House Carpenter- Smith (AR) 1961 Parler
The Young Ship's Carpenter- Galpin (NL) 1961
House Carpenter- Cole (VA) 1962 Foss
House Carpenter- F. Shifflett (VA) 1962 Foss
House Carpenter- Tate (NC) 1962 Foss
House Carpenter- Collins (NC) 1962 Foss
The House Carpenter- Martin (AR) 1962 Parler
The House Carpenter- Watson (NC) pre1963 REC
House Carpenter- Martin (CO) 1963 Lumpkin REC
House Carpenter- Greer (CO) 1963 Lumpkin REC
The House Carpenter- Ritchie/Watson (KY) 1963 REC
The House Carpenter- Nelms (OK) pre1964 Moores
The House Carpenter- McGuire (TN) 1964 Burton
House Carpenter- Addison (CO) 1964 Lumpkin REC
One Ship Lined In Gold- Brewer (AR) 1964 Parler
House Carpenter- Alexander (CO) 1965 Lumpkin REC
The House Carpenter- Payne (NC) pre1966 Burton
The House Carpenter- Presnell (NC) pre1966 Burton
The House Carpenter- Hedy West (GA) 1966 REC
House Carpenter- Rorick (VA) 1969 REC
House Carpenter- Gilbert (AR) 1969 Hunter REC
House Carpenter- Baird (NC) pre1971 Burton C
The House Carpenter's Wife- Wilson(WV) 1975 Gainer
House Carpenter- Parker (AR) 1975 Hunter REC
The Little Farmer Boy- Chandler (NC) pre1975 REC
House Carpenter- McAlexander (VA) 1976 Lornell REC
The Salt Sea- Rena Hicks (NC) pre1978 Burton
House Carpenter's Wife- Cowden (AR) 1979 McNeil A
________________________________________
Source Folk-Legacy FSA 22 (`Traditional Music of Beech Mountain 1')
House Carpenter- Sung by Lena Armstrons with Etta Armstrong of Beech Mountain, NC
"Well met well met, my own true love,"
"Well met," she replied to me;
I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee,
I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee."
I could have married the King's daughter,
And she would have married me,
But I've forsaken her silver and gold,
And it's all for the love of thee,
But I've forsaken her silver and gold,
And it's all for the love of thee.
If you could have married the king's daughter,
I'm sure you'd a better been
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man.
If you will leave your house carpenter
And go along with me
I'll take you where the grass is evergreen
On the banks of Sweet Willie. [bis. as above]
She picked up her sweet little babe
And gave it kisses three
Saying stay at home my sweet little babe
And keep your papa company.
John Minear; 2012 Demon Lover in New England (Excerpt: Canadian Versions)
With regard to versions of "The Daemon Lover"/"The House Carpenter" found in either Newfoundland or Nova Scotia, Clinton Heylin has a nice summary of the evidence, or rather the lack of evidence. Kenneth Peacock's version from Newfoundland that we have discussed above is the only example found so far. Here is what Heylin has to say about this:
"The notion that American strains of 'The Dæmon Lover' were transplanted during the early waves of emigration, i.e. no later than the mid-eighteenth century, finds a form of reverse corroboration in the almost total absence of renditions from the coastal outposts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. These two English colonies were inhabited by British settlers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries but in the case of Newfoundland the early settlers came almost exclusively from the Western counties of England - Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset - where the fishing trade had been a mainstay of the local economy for a thousand years. A list of settlers on the southern shore, compiled in 1675, contained only English names. The Irish began to settle there from 1713 on but Scots remained few and far between.
Nova Scotia, despite its name (New Scotland), bestowed on it in 1622 by Sir William Alexander, was not an inviting prospect for settlement until the French renounced all rights to the territory after the Seven Years War. As W.S. MacNutt observes, "The advance-guard of the great immigration of Highland Scots to Nova Scotia did not arrive until 1773, when The Hector came to Pictou via Philadelphia."7 Not until the period 1801-1803, when eleven ships from Scotland arrived at Pictou, can "the great immigration" be said to have begun in earnest.
These two territories, early British settlements, as isolated by the sea as any Virginian mountain-range, might have been expected to yield a commensurate amount of British popular ballads. The yield has, if anything, been disproportionately small. Maud Karpeles, who visited Newfoundland in 1929, later wrote, "I had hoped that Newfoundland might yield a wealth of songs comparable with the riches that Cecil Sharp and I had discovered in the Southern Appalachian Mountains a decade earlier."8 In fact, Karpeles found just 24 Child ballads - many badly mangled by tradition - in her excavations, compared with the 45 Child ballads Sharp and she had found in the hills of Eastern America. 'The Dæmon Lover', which had yielded 22 renditions in the Appalachians, failed to yield even a solitary fragment in Newfoundland. Kenneth Peacock's even more thorough excavations in the Fifties yielded but a single 'House Carpenter', and that an English broadside derivative. In Nova Scotia, neither Helen Creighton nor W. Roy MacKenzie succeeded in tracking down one 'Dæmon Lover'. Creighton's haul was a mere eleven Child ballads. MacKenzie reluctantly admitted, in his The Quest Of The Ballad, "I have not ceased to cherish the hope that I may yet extort from some crafty singer the admission that he knows 'a line or two' of 'James Harris' ... but so far I have had to content myself with the ... unsatisfying knowledge that [it was] ... once current in the northern part of Nova Scotia."9"
______________________________
Missing Versions: See Roud Collection: Missing WPA versions and Halpert's versions at bottom of this page
Well Met, Well Met- 17. Bailes (WV) 1924 Woofter; Combs Collection U of Cal. LA, CA
Well Met, Well Met- 13. unknown source; Combs Collection U of Cal. LA, CA
James Harris (text, tune, R). Kirkland, Popular 75. Raymond Stanley, Knoxville.
James Harris (text). Duncan, Ballads 91. Mrs. A. A. Tucker, Soddy.
James Harris (text). Duncan, Ballads 93. Mrs. Exona Hughes, Flat Top.
James Harris (R). LC. Samuel Harmon, Maryville. [See Henry C- from his daughter]
James Harris (R). LC. Mrs. L. L. McDowell, Smithville. [Version form her book in this collection]
James Harris (R). LC. John Adkins, Luttrell.
James Harris (R). LC. Mr. and Mrs. Cleophas Franklin, Maryville. [See Henry]
James Harris (text). Duncan, Ballads 94. Mrs. Rosa Hughes, Flat Top.
James Harris (text). Mason 19. Mrs. Dema Bowen, Geedville.
Frank Proffitt The House Carpenter I'm Going Back to North Carolina - Frank Proffitt - 3
Finley Adams The House Carpenter The Library of Congress
I.N. Marlor House Carpenter The Library of Congress
Sarah Ogan Gunning The House Carpenter The Silver Dagger 1976
Horton, Abe. Old Time Music from Fancy Gap, Heritage (Galax) 019 (XIX), LP (1978), trk# 17
Horton, Abe. 39th National Folk Festival, NCTA NCTA 77, LP (1977), trk# A.04
McGuire, Audrey. Tennessee: The Folk Heritage, Vol. 2. The Mountains, Tennessee Folklore Soc. TFS 103, LP (1980), trk# 4 [1964]
Rorick, Dorothy. Old Originals, Vol. 2, Rounder 0058, LP (1978), trk# 18 [1974/03/07]
Rorick, Dorothy. Old Time Music. The Essential Collection, Rounder 1166, CD (2002), trk# 12 [1974/03/07]
Virginia The House Carpenter. ("Well met, well met, said an old sweetheart") Collected by Mr. R. F. Pence, of Roanoke, Va., and Mr. Fred F. Knobloch, of Crozet, Va. Sung by Mrs. J. K. Roberts, of Woodridge, Va. Albemarle County. January 16, 1932.
Missing New England Versions:
House Carpenter- Mrs. Myra Daniels, East Calais, Vermont in Helen Hartness Flanders Collection (Middlebury College, Vermont) C4 A 04 (Myra Daniels, an East Calais resident who — along with her brother, Elmer George of North Montpelier — contributed about 90 tunes to the collection between 1935 and 1954. [Green] Daniels also recorded a version for Flanders, not given in Ancient Ballads perhaps because it is the same as the George version.)
House Carpenter- Mort Montonyea, Sloatsburg, New York; collected by Herbert Halpert, Library of Congress AAFS recording 3667 A2 & B1
-----------------
Daemon lover [House Carpenter] [Child 243] Moser, Artus (recordist) Graves, W. B., Mrs. (singer) AFS 07898 A (AFS Number) 1943
---------------
Two versions in Bronson TTCB with tunes but no texts:
Bronson 116. "The House Carpenter"
Hand, WF, XVIII (1959), p.42. Sung by Mrs. Rosalie Sorrels, Salt Lake Ciry, Utah, July 20, 1957. Tune learned from her uncle, perhaps of Virginia; text learned c. 1947 from her grandmother's ballad notebook, since lost.
Bronson 40 [The Daemon Lover] (no text)
Sharp MSS., 4611. Sung by David Webb, Burnsville, N.C., September 22, 1919.
---------------
Southern Folklore - Volume 52 - Page 227 1995 -
And it's if you could have married the King's daughter fair,
Then I'm sure you're much to blame,
For I am well married then to a house carpenter,
And I proudly wear his name,
for I think him a fine young man.
And it's if you leave this house carpenter,
------------------
Well Met, Well Met, My Own True Love [additional title of De Marsan]
H. De Marsan, publisher, 60 Chatham Street, New-York., 1864
------------------
Yankee-notions, Volume 5, Issues 1-12
T. W. Strong, 1856
----
Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America
by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
243. JAMES HARRIS or THE DAEMON LOVER
Texts: Adventure, 730 '23, 191 / Barry, Brit Bids Me, 304. / Belden, Mo F-S, 79 / BTewster, BldsSgsInd, 136; Brown Coll/ JBFSSNE, VI, 7; VII, io/ Bull U Sc 162,pu / Chappell, F-S Rnke Alb, 38 / Child, IV, 361 / Cox, F-S South, 139 / Cox, Trd Bid W Va, 38 / Cox, W. Va. School Journal and Educator, XLIV, 388 / Crabtree, Overton Cnty, 208 / Cutting, Adirondack Cnty, 69 / Davis, 7rd Bid Fa, 439 / Dean, The Flying Cloud, 55 / Duncan, No Hamilton Cnty, 91 / Eddy, Bids Sgs Ohio, 70 / Flanders, Garl Gn Mt Sg, 80 / Flanders, New Gn Mt Sgstr, 95 / Focus, IV, 162 / Gardner and Chickering, Bids Sgs So Mich, 54 / Garrison, Searcy Cnty, 27 / Gilbert, Lost Chords, 35 / Grapurchat, East Radford (Va.) State Teachers College, 8 25 '32 / Alberta P. Hannum, Thursday April, 89 / Harper's Mgz (May, 1915), 91 1 / Henry, F-S So Hghlds, 1 16 / Henry, Sgs Sng So Aplchns, 59 / Hudson, F-S Miss, 119 / Hudson, Spec Miss F-L, # 19 / Hummel, Oz F-S / JAFL, XVIII, 207; XIX, 295 ; XX, 257; XXV, 274 ; XXVI, 360; XXX, 325 ; XXXV, 347; XLIX, 209; XHI, 274; XLV, 21 ; XL VIII, 295; LII, 465 LVII, 74 / Luther, Amcns Their Sgs, 17 / Macintosh, So III F-S, 33 / Mason, Cannon Cnty, 19 / Minish Mss / MLN, XIX, 238 / Mod Phil, II, 575 / Morris, F-S Flo, 464 / Musick, F-L Kirksville, io / Neal, Brown Cnty, 69 / New York broadside: "The House Carpenter" (J. Andrews, N.Y., c. 1850) / Owens, Studies Tex F-S, 34/ Ozark Life, V, #8 / Perry, Carter Cnty, 160 / Pound, Am JBlds Sgs, 43 / Pound, Neor Syllables, io / PTFLS, X, 159 / Randolph, OzF-S, I, i66/ Randolph, OzMtFlk, 201 / Sandburg, Am Sgbag, 66 / Scarborough,
Sgctchr So Mts, 150 / SharpC, EngF-S So Aplchns, #29 / SharpK, Eng F-S So Aplchns, I, 244 / Shearin and Combs, Ky Syllabus, 8 / SFLQ, II, 75; VIII, 160 / Reed Smith, SC Bids, 151 / Smith and Rufty, Am Anth Old Wrld Bids, 44 / Stout, F-L la, 11 / Thomas, Devil's Ditties, 172 / Va FLS Bidl, ^fes 2 12 / Wilson, Bckzods Am, 96 / Wyman and Brockway, 20 Ky Mt Sgs, 54.
Local Titles: A Warning for Married Women, James Harris, Little Closet Door, (Well Met, Well Met) My Old True Love, On the Banks of the Sweet Laurie, The Banks of Claudy, The Carpenter's Wife, The Daemon Lover, The House Carpenter, The Faithless Wife, The House Carpenter's Wife, The Salt Salt Sea, The Salt Water Sea, The Sea Captain, The Ship Carpenter.
Story Types: A: A sailor returns home and, though faithful himself even to the point of refusing a princess, finds his true love happily married to a carpenter. However, by promises and cajoling, he persuades the woman to leave her husband and children and sail off with him. She consents, but soon regrets leaving her baby and sometimes envisions torment that is in store for her. lite ship sinks. Often, a stanza is added telling of her contrition or of the condition of her deserted babe and husband. But curses on deceiving men and warnings to erring women also conclude various texts.
Examples: Barry (A), Belden (C), Davis (B), SharpK (A).
B : The story is similar to that of Type A. However, the demonaic quality of the lover is still evident to some degree through his ability to interpret the woman's vision, or through some similar hint.
Examples: Davis (M, N), Scarborough (D, E), SharpK (B, L).
C: The usual story is told. However, after the lover identifies Heaven and Hell "where you and I must go", he sinks the ship purposely.
Examples: PTFLS, X, 161 (B).
D: The story is similar to that of Type A. However, the girl leaps over-board and drowns, while the lover goes down with the ship.
Examples: Cox, F-S South (D); Eddy (A); PTFLS, X, 161 (A).
E : The usual story is told. However, the boat does not sink, although the girl rues her decision to run away. This type is of course the result of fragmentation. Examples: Chappell
F: A type of story, independent of 'The House Carpenter tradition, has been found. In this type George Allis reminds the wife of her late promises that she would go with him in seven years and a day. She goes, in what prove to be golden ships with silken sails, but is "sorry sore" on seeing the banks of Claudy where seven ships sink to the bottom and are never more seen. Allis is clearly a ghost, but his demonaic qualities are not made fully apparent- Examples ; SFSSNE, VI, 9.
Discussion: The story of the Child (IV, 361) versions is that of Jane Reynolds and a sailor, James Harris, who exchange marriage vows. The young man is pressed into service and reported dead after three years. Jane marries a ship carpenter, and they live happily for four years and have children. One night when the carpenter is absent from home, a spirit raps
on the window and says that he is James Harris come to clain his love after seven long years. She explains what has happened, but consents to go where he says he can support her well. In most versions, she repents on shipboard, but the boat goes down and she dies in one manner or another. Anyway, she is never heard of again, and her husband hangs himself.
In America, the lover and the wife (except for the "Fair Ellen" name that seems to have drifted into the song from Lord Thomas and Fair Annet; see Davis, Trd Bid Fa, E, F, K, N, Q) have lost their names (Type A). The carpenter is usually a "house" carpenter and not a "ship" carpenter. (In Gilbert's text the ship carpenter steals the house carpenter's wife.) The action before the arrival of the spirit and the aftermath concerning the death of the carpenter are left out. And the demonaic nature of the lover has been rationalized. In connection with this final point, a number of versions (Type B) retain vestiges of the eerie lover in the form of the "hills of heaven" stanzas (Child E and F), although the cloven foot is not present. The PTFLS, X, 161, B version (Type C) follows Child E and F somewhat further in that the lover sinks the ship to get to Hell. Type D stories show a variation not in Child, as the grief of the girl reaches a suicidal peak. This change seems to me to be a sentimentalization. Type E is caused by omission and could result from the cutting short of any text. However, such abbreviation might well be important enough to cause a new version. Type F follows Child A in keeping the name of the lover and, with the text in Greig, Last Leaves Traditional Bid, 196, is one of the few versions surviving that is not a part of The House Carpenter tradition. The text was also recognized by an Irish woman in New York The miraculous gilded ship(s) is in Child A, B, C, and F. Check
BFSSNE, VII, 10 for an additional line.
Most American copies are close to the deMarsan (N. Y.) broadside (c. 1860), printed by Barry in JAFL, XVIII, 207. This text resembled Child B most closely. Belden, Mo F-S, 79 expresses the opinion that print has perpetuated this ballad orally, and on p. 80 he discusses the Missouri American texts in detail. Davis, op. cit. y 439 also is a source of information.
James Harris has been subject to much corruption in its American travels. Davis, op. cit., 440, 4631!. discusses these changes and prints examples. His list o corrupting songs includes The False Young Man, The True Lover's Farewell, The Rejected Lover, The Wagoner's Lad, Cold Winter's Night, and Careless Love. See also the Duncan, No Hamilton Cnty, "Little Closet Door" text, p. 91 and the Corruption Chart at the end of this paper.
It should be noted that in only a few American versions does the girl weep for her husband. (See Belden, op. cit., C and Davis, op. cit., I.), and in Davis, op. cit., the girl refuses to go, but leaves anyway. Also note the change in the first stanza ("I could have married a railroader. . . but I married a house carpenter") in Cox, Trd Bid W Va, 12 (D).
There is no parallel European tradition of this ballad. However the Danes have a song concerning a treacherous woman, and the English song did originate in Scotland two facts that may or may not be related.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Kincaid, Favorite Old-Time Songs & Mountrain Ballads 2 (1929) p.18
Performer Kincaid, Bradley
Place collected USA : Kentucky
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2856 A2
Performer Hicks, Mrs. Nathan
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Rominger
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2810 B2
Performer Ison, Mrs. Sarah
Place collected USA : Virginia : Norton
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2804 B1
Performer Harmon, Samuel
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Maryville
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 550 A1
Performer Stafford, Dan V.
Place collected USA : Virginia : Whitetop
Collector Lomax, John A.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2774 B1
Performer Adams, Finley
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Dunham
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2764 B1
Performer Blevins, G.W.
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 1362 A2
Performer Ward, Mr. & Mrs. Crockett
Place collected USA : Virginia : Galax
Collector Lomax, John A.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 986 B1
Performer MacClellan, Mrs. C.S.
Place collected USA : Florida : High Springs
Collector Morris, Alton C.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 1745 A & B1
Performer Haden, Mrs.
Place collected USA : Indiana : Princeton
Collector Lomax, Alan & Elizabeth
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 853 A2
Performer Grogan, Mrs. Julie
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Silverstone
Collector Lomax, John A.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2843 A2 & B1
Performer Turbyfill, Mrs. Lena Bare
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Elk Park
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2861 B1
Performer Farmer, Mrs. Mary Franklin
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Crossnore
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2820 B3
Performer Cain, Mrs. Mary Fuller
Place collected USA : Virginia : Clintwood
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 845 B
Performer Miller, Mrs. Myra Barnett
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Tuckaseigee
Collector Lomax, John A.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 1299 A1
Performer Cullipher, Mrs. Ruth Clark & Angie Clark
Place collected USA : S. Carolina : Mullins
Collector Lomax, John A.
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2870 B1, 2871 A1
Performer Hampton, Mrs. Sabra Bare
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Morgantown
Collector Halpert, Herbert
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2235 B1
Performer Weddle, Mrs. Susan
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Elon College
Collector Collins, Fletcher
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Mary Elizabeth Barnicle-Tillman Cadle Collection (Archives of Appalachia, E. Tenn. State Univ.) Disc BC-300
Performer Donaldson, Nat
Place collected USA : Kentucky : Pineville
Collector Barnicle, Mary Elizabeth
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Mary Elizabeth Barnicle-Tillman Cadle Collection (Archives of Appalachia, E. Tenn. State Univ.) Disc BC-564
Performer Unidentified male
Place collected USA
Collector Cadle, Tillman
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
JAMES HARRIS
Source Mary Elizabeth Barnicle-Tillman Cadle Collection (Archives of Appalachia, E. Tenn. State Univ.) Disc BC-420
Performer Canupp, Betty
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Knoxville
Collector Cadle, Tillman
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source West Virginia Folklore 2:2 (Jan 1952) p.12
Performer Hawkins, Mrs. Madeline
Place collected USA : W. Virginia
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Buford, Folk Songs of Florida and Texas (1941) pp.15-22
Performer Spann, Mrs. S.R.
Place collected USA : Florida / Texas
Collector Buford, Mary Elizabeth
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER'S WIFE
Source Rainey, Songs of the Ozark Folk (1976) pp.24-25
Performer Cowden, Noble
Place collected USA : Arkansas : Cushman
Collector Rainey, Leo
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Musical Traditions MTCD 341-2 ('Meeting's a Pleasure 2')
Performer Workman, Nimrod
Place collected USA : W. Virginia : Chattaroy
Collector Wilson, Mark
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.88-95 (version a)
Performer Tucker, Mrs. A.A.
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Soddy
Collector Duncan, Ruby
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
LITTLE CLOSET DOOR
Source Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.88-95 (version b)
Performer Hughes, Mrs. Exona
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Flat Top
Collector Duncan, Ruby
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Duncan, Ballads & Folk Songs Collected in Northern Hamilton County (1939) pp.88-95 (version c)
Performer Hughes, Mrs. Rosa
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Flat Top
Collector Duncan, Ruby
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
JAMES HARRIS
Source Mason, Folk Songs and Folk Tales of Cannon County, Tennessee (1939) p.19
Performer Bowen, Mrs. Dema
DEMON LOVER, THE
Source Raine & Sharp, Mountain Ballads for Social Singing (1923) pp.14-15
Performer
Place collected USA
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source North Carolina Folklore Journal 21:3 (1973) 142-143
Performer Bostic, Della Adams
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Mooresboro
Collector Bostic, betty
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 1737 B2, 1738 A1
Performer Bryant, Mrs. T.M.
Place collected USA : Indiana : Evansville
Collector Lomax, Alan & Elizabeth
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Folk Legacy CD-125 ('Ballads & Songs of Tradition')
Performer Thompson, Dave
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Sugar Grove
Collector Haggerty, Lee / Henry Felt
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Folk Legacy CD-125 ('Ballads & Songs of Tradition')
Performer Presnell, Lee Monroe
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Beech Mountain
Collector Hamilton , Diane / Paul Clayton / Liam Clancy
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source BRI Records BRI 002 (`Virginia Traditions: Ballads from British Tradition'
Performer Rorick, Dorothy
Place collected USA : Virginia : Galax
Collector Wilson, Joe
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER'S WIFE, THE
Source Boette, Singa Hipsy Doodle pp.9-10
Performer Wilson, Aunt Mary
Place collected USA : W. Virginia
Collector Gainer, Patrick W.
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Bush, Folk Songs of Central West Virginia 1 pp.77-79
Performer Boggs, Laurie
Place collected USA : W. Virginia : Ivydale
Collector Bush, Michael E.
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Burton, Some Ballad Folks pp.104-105
Performer Baird, Bertha
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Beech Mountain
Collector Burton, Thomas G.
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Kirkland: Southern Folklore Quarterly (1938) pp.75-76 (version a)
Performer Capps, Dr. Claudius M.
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Knoxville
Collector Kirkland, Edwin Capers & Mary Neal
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Folk-Legacy FSA 22 (`Traditional Music of Beech Mountain 1')
Performer Armstrong, Lena
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Beech Mountain
Collector Paton, Sandy
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Folktrax 925-90 ('Frank Proffitt 2')
Performer Proffitt, Frank
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Watauga County
Collector Warner, Anne & Frank
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source Mason: Southern Folklore Quarterly 11 (1947) pp.127-129
Performer Bowen, Mrs. Dema
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Cannon County
Collector Mason, Robert Leslie
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TOP, THE
Source Kirkland: Southern Folklore Quarterly (1938) pp.75-76 (version b)
Performer Stanley, Raymond
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Knoxville
Collector Kirkland, Edwin Capers & Mary Neal
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version d)
Performer Rogers, Mrs. Alba
Place collected USA : Virginia : Glamorgan
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version e)
Performer Hubbard, Joe
Place collected USA : Virginia : Esserville
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version o)
Performer Ison, Mrs. Sarah
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER'S SONG
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version a)
Performer Watson, Miss Dorothy
Place collected USA : Virginia : Ararat
Collector Blair, Gertrude
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version b)
Performer
Place collected USA : Virginia : Franklin County
Collector Sloan, Raymond H.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version c)
Performer Wagoner, Mrs. Alice
Place collected USA : Virginia : Endicott
Collector Sloan, Raymond H.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version f)
Performer Robbins, Mrs. Neely
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version g)
Performer Castle, Howard
Place collected USA : Virginia : Esserville
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version h)
Performer Bentley, Martin
Place collected USA : Virginia : Esserville
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version i)
Performer Wells, Joe
Place collected USA : Virginia : Esserville
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version k)
Performer Hamilton, Mrs. M.J.
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version m)
Performer Blevins, George W.
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Adams, John Taylor
HOUSE CARPENTER, THE
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version n)
Performer Shupe, Mrs. Martha
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
SWEET WILLIAM
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version l)
Performer Mullins, Miss Gladys
Place collected USA : Virginia : Pound
Collector Adams, John Taylor
WE'RE MET WE'RE MET
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version p)
Performer Yowell, Mrs. Judy
Place collected USA : Virginia : Culpeper
Collector Jeffries, Margaret
NICE YOUNG MAN
Source WPA Collection, Univ. of Virginia, Charlotteville, No.687 (version j)
Performer Hamilton, Mrs. Nellie
Place collected USA : Virginia : Wise
Collector Hamilton, Emory L.
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2742 B2
Performer Maxey, H.L.
Place collected USA : Virginia : Ferrum
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 3171 A1
Performer Marlor, I. N.
Place collected USA : N. Carolina : Boyd's Cove
Collector Robertson, Sidney
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2935 B1
Performer Adkins, John
Place collected USA : Tennessee : Luttrell
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 3061 A&B
Performer Walker, Mrs. Carrie
Place collected USA : Mississippi : Magee
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2983 B2, 2984 A1
Performer Puckett, Mrs. Dizia
Place collected USA : Mississippi : Tishomingo
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2775 B3
Performer Kilgore, Mrs. Esco
Place collected USA : Virginia : Norton
Collector Halpert, Herbert
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Library of Congress AAFS recording 2781 A2
Performer Shupe, Mrs. Martha
Place collected USA : Virginia : Hamiltontown
Collector Halpert, Herbert
Roud number 14 | Roud number search
HOUSE CARPENTER
Source Gwilym Davies Collection
Performer Marks, Phillis
Place collected USA : W. Virginia : Glenville
Collector Davies, Gwilym