American Survivals of an Old English Ballad
by Mellinger E. Henry
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 39, No. 152 (Apr. - Jun., 1926), pp. 211-212
NOTES AND QUERIES
AMERICAN SURVIVALS OF AN OLD ENGLISH BALLAD. -
The following version of "Barbara Allen," which is No. 84 of the Child collection of "English and Scottish Popular Ballads," was sung by Miss Mary Riddle, of Black Mountain, North Carolina. from whom the writer obtained it. This ballad was first printed in "The Tea-table Miscellany," 1740, and next in Percy's "Reliques," 1765. Professor Reed Smith in "The Traditional Ballad and its
South Carolina Survivals," states that ten texts have been discovered in South Carolina running from five to sixteen stanzas and says, "Of all the ballads in America 'Barbara Allen' leads both in number of versions and number of tunes." He adds that it "has appeared in ten song books and several broadsides."
Professor John H. Cox writes that twelve variants have been found in West Virginia. Professor Cecil J. Sharp and Mrs. Olive
Dame Campbell give ten texts and ten tunes in their "English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians." Dr. C. Alphonso Smith quoted a Virginia version in "Ballads Surviving in the United States" (Musical Quarterly, 2, No. I, p. 122). Professor James Watt Raine quotes a Kentucky version of nineteen stanzas with music in his charming book, "The Land of the Saddle Bags," which contains an interesting collection of ballads from the Southland. Miss Louise Pound in "American Ballads and Songs" gives two versions, one from Missouri and one from North Carolina. "Lonesome Tunes" by Loraine Wyman and Howard Brockway has both the words and music of a version from Knott County, Kentucky. The following North Carolina version may vary sufficiently to add a bit of interest to the song.
BARBARA ALLEN
1. It was a pleasant morning in May
When all the green buds were swelling
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.
2. He sent a servant into the town
And unto Barbara's dwelling
Saying, "Your master's sick and sent for you
If your name is Barbara Allen."
3. It's slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she went to him,
But all she said when she got there:
"Young man, I think you're dying."
4. "Oh, yes I'm sick and very sick
And sorrow within me dwelling
And no better, no better I never will be
If I don't get Barbara Allen."
5. "It's no better, no better you never will be,
For you can't get Barbara Allen."
He turned his face unto the wall.'
He turned his back upon her.
6. "It's, young man, young man, to remember when we
Were in yonder town a-drinking,
You drank a health to the ladies all around
And slighted Barbara Allen."
7. "Oh yes, oh yes, I do remember when we
Were in yonder town a-drinking -
I drank a health to the ladies all around,
And my love to Barbara Allen."
8. And when she had got a mile away from town
She heard his death bell tolling.
And every toll it seemed to say,
"Stop there, Barbara Allen."
9. She turned around to view the ground -
She saw his corpse coming.
"Stop there, lay him down, down
That I may look upon him,
Sweet William died for me today -
I'll die for him tomorrow."
10. Sweet William was buried in the old church-yard
And Barbara was buried beside him.
And out of his grave sprang a deep red rose
And out of Barbara's a brier.
11. They grew and grew to the old church top
And, of course, they could grow no higher.
They wrapped and tied in a true love-knot,
The rose wrapped round the brier.
MELLINGER E. HENRY.
Ridgefield, N. J.