Barbara Allen- Floyd (SC) 1937 Lomax/Joyner
[From Folk song in South Carolina, Charles Joyner, 1971. This was transcribed from a Lomax recording made in 1937.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbara Allen- As sung by Minnie Floyd, Murrells Inlet, 1937. Recorded by John A. Lomax. Library of Congress. Transcribed by C. W. Joyner.
Early early in the spring
When the green buds was a-swelling
Sweet William lies on his death bed
For the love of Barbara Allen
He sent his servant to the town
To the town where she was dwelling
My master says you must come near
If your name be Barbara Allen
Slowly slowly she got up
And slowly she went to him
Slowly she drew the curtains away
Young man I think you're dying.
I'm low, I'm low, I'm low indeed
And death is with me dwelling
One kiss from you would comfort me
If your name be Barbara Allen.
Don't you remember that long summer day
When you was at your table drinking
You treated the ladies all around
And slighted Barbara Allen.
He turned his pale face to the wall
He turned his back upon her,
Adieu adieu to my friends all around
Adieu to Barbara Allen.
As she turned up for to go home
She heard death bells a-ringing
They rung so loud all through the town
Hard hearted Barbara Allen
She look-ed east she look-ed west,
And saw his corpse a-coming.
Lie me down lie me down on the lovely corpse
Let me have have one more glimpse upon him
With scornful eye she look-ed on
Her cheeks with mouth a-swelling
While the rest of the ladies cried all around
Hard- hearted Barbara Allen.
The more she looked the more she grieved
Till she busted out a-crying,
Oh take away and put him in his grave,
For now I am a-dying
Dear mother fix my bed she said
Fix it so high and narrow
Sweet William died for the love of me
And I must die for sorrow.
Sweet William was buried at his church door
And her a little piece further
And out of his grave there sprang a red rose
And out of her a brier
They growed up high on his church door
And they could not grow no higher
They met and tied in a true-love knot
The red rose round the brier.