Barbara Allen- Nicholson (IN) 1946 Moser REC
[AFS Recording- AFS L14 ANGLO-AMERICAN SONGS AND BALLADS. From the Archive of Folk Song Edited by Duncan Emrich. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2012]
A1-BARBARA ALLEN. Sung with guitar by Bill Nicholson; accompanied on steel guitar by Zane Shrader of New Albany, Ind. Recorded at Renfro Valley, Ky., 1946, by Artus M. Moser.
The ballad of "Barbara Allen" continues to be the most popular of the old Scottish ballads found in the United States. This version, sung with guitar by Bill Nicholson and also accompanied by Zane Shrader playing an electric steel guitar, shows influences of current radio technique which can, of course be increasingly expected in the traditional ballads. It is a full version which may be compared with record no. AFS L1, A4, sung without accompaniment by Mrs. Rebecca Tarwater. For full references, see: Arthur Kyle Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia (Harvard University Press, 1929), pp. 302-345.
1. In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwellin'
Made every youth cry "Wel-a-way,"
Her name was Barbara Allen.
2. 'Twas in that merry month of May
When green buds were a-swellin',
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.
3. He sent his servant to the town
Where Barbara was a-dwellin',
"My master is sick and sends for you,
If your name be Barbara Allen."
4. Then slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she came nigh him,
But all she said when she got there,
"Young man, I think you're dyin'."
5. Do you remember in yonder town
When we were at the tavern,
You drank to the health of the ladies all around
But slighted Barbara Allen?
6. Oh, yes, you're sick, you're very sick,
And death on you is dwellin',
But no better, no better you never can be
For you can't have Barbara Allen."
7. As she was walking o'er the fields
She heard the death bell knelling,
Each stroke it took it seemed to say,
"Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
8. She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
She saw the pale corpse a-camin',
"Go bring the pale corpse over here to me,
That I may gaze upon him."
9. The more she looked, the more she mourned,
Till she fell to the ground a-cryin',
Saying, "Take me up and carry me home
For I think that I'm a-dyin'.
10. Father, oh father, go dig my grave,
Go dig it long and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow."
11. They buried him [her] there in the old church yard,
And buried William nigh her,
On William's grave grew a big red rose
On Barbara's grew a green briar.
12. They climbed and they climbed on the old church tower
Till they couldn't climb no higher,
They tied at the top in a true love's knot,
The red rose around the green briar.