665. I Have No Mother Now

665 I Have No Mother Now
'I Have No Mother Now.' Anonymous singer. No place or date given.  This is a version from the collection of this editor, made a considerable  number of years ago. Our stanza is almost identical with the third stanza  given by Miss Jewell Robbins. Melodically (cf. F-563) there are some  important differences, as can already be seen from the two scales. Measures  3 and 7 represent idioms that occur frequently either identically or similarly.  (Cf. 'Tom Dooley', IV 324-6.) Interestingly, in spite of the melodic differences,  the structures are identical.

My heart now ev - er lone - ly,
My life drear and sad.
'Twas her dear pres - ence
That made my spir - it glad.
From morn - ing un - til evening.
Care rests up - on my brow,
She's gone from me to heav - en —
I have no moth - er now.

Scale: Mode III, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: abacdbac (2,2,2, 2,2,2,2,2) = aa1ba1 (4,4,4,4) = Reprisenbar. Here too, the ending of b is  like that of a.