Andrew Bardeen- Evans (MO) 1934 Randolph;
[From Randolph's Ozark Folksongs Vol 1; British Ballads and Songs; 1946. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2013]
31. ANDREW BARDEEN
It may be that this ballad, which Child (English and Scottish Popular Ballads, 1882-1898, No. 250) includes under the title "Henry Martyn," is derived from another Child item entitled Sir Andrew Barton" (No. 167). Cox (Folk-Songs of the South, 1925, pp. 150-151) reports a good variant from West Virginia. Reed Smith (South Carolina Ballads, 1928, pp. 156-158) prints a South Carolina text previously cited by Child. For other American references see JAFL 30, 1917, p. 327, also the headnote to a Missouri text reported by Belden (Ballads and Songs, 1940, pp. 87-89). Additional versions are those of Eddy (Ballads and Songsfrom Ohio, 1939, pp. 78-82) and Gardner (Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan, 1939, pp. 211-213).
Mr. Paul Holland, Springfield, Mo., Apr. 20, 1934, sang a good version of "Andrew Bardeen" to a skilled guitar accompaniment. Mr. Holland learned the song from his grandfather, and thinks it is a very rare piece. In fact, he seems to believe that it is unknown to anybody outside the Holland family and refuses to let me record either the words or the music.
Mrs. Emma L. Dusenbury, Mena, Ark., is another old-time Ozarker who knows a part of his ballad. She calls it "Andy Bratann," with a strong accent upon the second syllable. "So sad to think," she says, "that them two older brothers would let the young-un contract all the evil for them. They'd orter share an'share alike, if there was wrong to be done, an' gold to be had."
Andrew Bardeen- Contributed by Mr. Bruce Evans, Rogersville, Mo., Apr. 19, 1934. Mr. Evans tells me that his mother's people learned the song in Breathitt County, Kentucky.
1. There was three brothers in old Scotland,
Three lovin' brothers was they,
They all cast lots to see who should go
A-robbin' all o'er the salt sea.
2. The lot it fell to Andrew Bardeen,
He being the youngest of three,
Was forced to go robbing all o'er the salt sea
To maintain his two brothers and he.
3. He had not sailed more than a week in the year,
When a ship he did espy,
Come sailing so far off and so far on
Till at last it come sailing so high.
4. Who are you? Who are you? cries Andrew Bardeen,
Who are you? And where are you bound?
We're the merry rich merchants from old England,
Won't you please for to let us pass on?
5. Oh no, oh no, cries Andrew Bardeen,
Oh no, that never can be.
Your ship and your cargo we'll take all away
And your merry men we'll drown in the sea.
6. Go build me a boat, cries Captain Charles Stuart,
Go build it both safe and strong,
That I may go capture this king of the sea,
Or my life it will not last me long.
7. He had not sailed more than a week in the year,
When a ship he did espy,
Come sailing so far off and so far on
Till at last it come sailing so high.
8. Who are you? Who are you? cries Captain Charles Stuart,
Who are you? And where are you bound?
We're the merry Scotch robbers from old Scotland,
Won't you please for to let us pass on?
9. Oh no, oh no, cries Captain Charles Stuart,
Oh no, that never can be,
Your ship and your cargo we'll take all away
And your merry men we'll drown in the sea.
10. Come on, come on, cries Andrew Bardeen,
'Tis I that don't fear you a pin,
'Tis you that can show your bright brasses without,
But we'll show you bright steel within.
11. 'Twas at that moment the battle began,
And loudly the cannon did roar,
They had not fought more than a last and a half,
Till Captain Charles Stuart gave o'er.
12. Go back, go back, cries Andrew Bardeen,
And tell King George Third for me,
That he may be king of the whole wide land,
But I will be king of the sea.
X:1
T:Andrew Bardeen
S:Bronson from Randolph from Bruce Evans, Rogersville, Mo, April 19, 1934
B:Bronson - Traditional Tunes of The Child Ballads; Randolph - Ozark Folk Songs
L:1/4
M:4/4
K:E Phr
E|c c E/G/B/A/|E E2
w:There was three broth-ers in old Scot-land,
E|c c A/B/ B|G2 z
w:Three lov-in' broth-ers was they,
G|c c E> G|G A/A/ B>
w:They all cast lots to see who should go
B|G E A/ A G/|F E2|]
w:A-rob-bin' all o'er the salt sea