155. We Have Met and We Have Parted

155

We Have Met and We Have Parted

The parting of lovers after a quarrel or a misunderstanding is
the theme of countless folk lyrics — countless because, using various
combinations of familiar motives, they often lack integration; it is
impossible to say with certainty that two texts are forms of one
song. An attempt, however, is here made to group at least some
of them under discrete titles for convenience in reference. The
seven texts and the fragment here assembled under the above title
seem to represent one song. It is found also in Kentucky (JAFL
XLix 219-20), Tennessee (SSSA 165-6), and Missouri (BSM
212-3) ; more or less like it are songs reported from Tennessee
(JAFL XLV 77-8) and Georgia (JAFL xliv 96-7), and items listed
in Shearin's Syllabus and in the Archive of American Folk Song
under the title 'Broken Engagement' may be forms of this song.

A
'We Have Met and We Have Parted.' Communicated by I. G. Greer of
Boone, Watauga county. Not dated, but most of his contributions were
sent in in 191 5-16.

1 We have met and we have parted,
We have said our last goodbye.
You have proved to be false-hearted,
Yet I scorn to breathe a sigh.

Chorus :

Though I loved you, dear, I loved you
More than all this world, I know.
But you've broken the troth that binds us ;
You may now forever go.

2 Go, but not to deceive another,
Go, try and win her for your bride.
This poor broken heart I'll smother,
For love shall never conquer pride.

3 'Tis getting time that we were parted.
For the night is growing late.

You have left me broken-hearted ;
Thus I go to meet my fate.

4 Oh, I wish that I was marble.
Cold and white upon some shore ;
This poor heart would know no trouble,
I should feel love's pain no more.

 

OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 4II

5 I will send you back your letters
And the ring I love so well,

For we've met and we've parted.
Still 'tis hard to say farewell.

6 Here is your ring ; I pray you take it,
Give it to the one you love.

My poor heart you have broken.
Oh, you know that you have sinned !

7 When your name is called in heaven
You may neither scringe nor sigh.
Think of nothing you are leaving —
Oh, 'tis hard to say goodbye!

8 We are parting now forever,
Gathering flowers from the dell.
Oh, I pray that you may never
Feel the pain I cannot tell.

9 Along the river bank I'll loiter
Till I see you free once more.
Then I'll plunge beneath its water
And land on some fair shore.

10 There among the trees and bushes
Where the dark green willows wave,
Where the gentle zephyr rushes,
There will be my lonely grave.

B

The Broken Engagement.' Contributed, with the tune, by C. E. Buckner
of Asheville in May 1920.

1 We have met and we have parted,
We have said our last goodbye.
You have proved to me false-hearted,
Though I fain would have^ a sigh.

Chorus:

For I loved you, dearly loved you.
More than all this world, I know.
But you've broken the trust you plighted ;
Now you may forever go.

2 Go, but not to deceive another.
Try to win her for your bride.
While this broken heart I'll smother.
Love can never conquer pride.

'So the manuscript. Is "heave" intended?

 

412

 

NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

 

3 Here's your ring ; I pray you take it.
Give it to the one you love,
Though you placed it on my finger
In the presence of our God.

4 We are parting now forever,
Gathering flowers upon the dell;
And I pray that you may never
Feel the pain I cannot tell.

5 Oh, 'tis time that we are parting,
For the night is growing late.

You have proved to me false-hearted.
Now ril go and meet my fate.

6 On the river bank I'll loiter
Till I see your face no more.
Then I'll plunge beneath the water
And I'll light on some fair shore.

7 Then among the reeds and bushes
Where the deep green willows wave
And the gentle zephyr rushes
There you'll find my lonely grave.

8 When your name is called in heaven
You may neither screnge nor sigh.
Think of nothing you are leaving.
Oh, 'tis hard to say goodbye !

9 Here's my hand. Oh, clasp it gently
As you did in days of yore,

For we're parting now forever.
Parting now forevermore.

10 When at last we meet in heaven.
Where we ne'er will part any more,
Where there'll be no broken-hearted
On that bright celestial shore.

1 1 For I loved you dearly, loved you
More than all this world I know.
But you've proved to be false-hearted,
Now I bid you ever go.

 

'Rroken Engagement.' From Mrs. Minnie Church, Heaton Avery
county in 193a Shorter and less coherent, especially in the last two
stanzas, than A.

 

OLDER BALLADS — MOSTLY BRITISH 413

Darling, we have long been parted.
How I miss the love of old !
I am almost broken-hearted ;
For my love has never grown cold.

I am dreaming of you, darling,
Dreaming of your eyes so blue.
Take me back ; for love I'm dying;
I can love no one but you.

Think how often we have wandered
Down beside the foamy sea.
There you promised you'd be true, dear,
That you loved no one but me.

Oh, I love you dearly, love you
More than all the world can know.
But you've broken the vow you made me ;
You may now forever go.

Go ! But don't forsake another.
I am with a royal pride,
And this broken heart does smother ;
Love can never conquer pride.

Now I'll give you back your letters
And the ring I love so well.
We must meet him for that treasure
Where we'll never say farewell.

 

Lovers' Farewell.' Contributed by W. Amos Abrams ; not dated : six
stanzas and the chorus. The stanzas in their order as they come cor-
respond to stanzas i, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 of A, with numerous slight variations.

E
'I Wish That I Was Marble.' From the manuscripts of G. S. Robinson
of Asheville, copied off August 4, 1939. Like D it consists of six
stanzas and the chorus, and as in D all the stanzas are found in A, but
the stanzas are not the same as in D. They are, successively, stanzas
1, 2, 5, 10, 4, 7 of A — again with numerous small differences in the text.

F
'Met, Loved, and Parted.' From the manuscript songbook of Mrs. Mary
Martin Copley, Route 8, Durham, obtained by Jesse T. Carpenter. Five
stanzas (with chorus), the first three of which are, with slight variations,
stanzas i, 5, and 2 of A ; the last two stanzas are not quite like any in
the preceding texts :

 

When you've won her love and aflfection
Cast a lingering thought on me,

 

414 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE

On the one who loved you so dearly
And would have died for thee.

5 We have parted now forever,
We have said our last farewell.
I will think of you, but never
Will I love again so well.

 

'Sweet the Hour When First I Met You.' On this manuscript Dr.
Brown has noted under date July 14, 1940: "From MSS of Mr. Obie
Johnson, Crossnore; not sung by Mr. Johnson (I knew this song when
I was a boy)." The chorus appears to have been supplied by Dr. Brown.

1 Sweet was the hour when first I met thee,
Sad the hour of parting be.

By and by you will forget me,
By and by, when far away.

2 In the past I loved you dearly,
Loved you more than tongue can tell.
Little did I think you'd ever,

Ever say farewell.

3 Go but to deceive another.
Go and worship at her shrine,
Win her heart and cruelly break it
Just as you have broken mine.

4 Tell me, darling, tell me truly
Why you are unkind to me ;
For I know that I could never,
Never be unkind to thee.

5 Go but to deceive another,
Try to win her for your bride.

I a broken heart must smother;
Love can never conquer pride.

6 One more word, and all is over,
One more word to the one I love.
If on earth we meet, no, never.
Pray we'll meet in heaven above.

"I think," says the manuscript, "there was a chorus which went thus:

For I've loved you, dearly loved you,
More than all this world can know ;
But you've proven to me false-hearted
And I say, forever go."

H
Mrs. Daisy Jones Couch of Durham knew the first stanza only.

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155
We Have Met and We Have Parted

 

'We Have Met and We Have Parted.' Sung by Dr. I. G. Greer. Recorded as
MS score at Boone, Watauga county, probably during 1915-16. This text is
almost the second stanza in SSSA 165. The chorus also is very similar.

 

Scale: Hexachordal, plagal. Tonal center: f. Structure: aa^bb^a^ (4,4,2,2,4)
= abai (8,4,4).

 

A(I)
'Through the Woods and Through the Bushes.' Sung by Miss Eugenia Clark.
Recorded as Ms score at Colletsville, Caldwell county, June 1921. With the
exception of the first line, the remainder of the stanza given here is identical
with that of stanza 10 of the preceding 1S5A. Compare also the text of 153I,
stanza 8. With slight variations this tune is also identical with that of 155 A;
it lacks, however, the chorus found there.


Scale: Hexachordal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: ababi (2,2,2,2) = aai (4,4).

 

B

'The Broken Engagement.' Sung by anonymous singer. Recorded as ms score
at Asheville in May 1920.

 

 

Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: aa^aai (4,4,4,4) =
aa (8,8).

 

B(l)

'The Broken Engagement.' Sung by Dr. I. G. Greer for the present editor.
Recorded at Chapel Hill, 1952. Our stanza is very similar to the first stanza
of 'This Night We Part Forever' from Miss Pearle Webb, No. 159 in II 422 f.

 

Scale : Heptachordal. Tonal Center : b-flat. Structure : abcdabcd (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2)
^ abab (4,4,4,4).

 

'Lovers' Last Farewell.' Sung by Miss Millie Saunders. Recorded at Jonas
Ridge (Rip Shin Ridge), Burke county, June 30, 1940. The words of the first
stanza are not clear. The remaining stanzas are given below, of which the
third is given with the score. For a similar text compare this stanza with the
third of 'The Butcher's Boy' (II 273, version 81B) ; also OFS iv 333, No. 81 iC.


Scale: Hexatonic (4). Tonal Center: c. Structure: abab (4.4.4.4) = aa (8,8).

2 I thought I heard my true love say,
'I will return and come this way.
You love some other, you don't love me.
You care not for my company.'

4 'There is a flower,' I heard them say,
'That can be seen from day to day.'
And if that flower I want to find,

It sure'll be placed in this heart of mine.

5 So, farewell you well, my own true love,
Oh, meet me in that land above.

And when we meet there in that land
We'll take no more this parting hand.