Bluegrass Messengers

Barbara Allen- United States Songster (OH) 1836 

[From: The United States Songster: a choice selection of about one hundred and seventy of the most popular songs; Cincinnati OH, 1836.

Barbara Allen was also published in America in the American Songster, Baltimore, 1836, and in the Southern Warbler, Charleston, 1845.

R. Matteson 2012, 2015]

Barbara Allen- The United States Songster: a choice selection of about one hundred and seventy of the most popular songs; Cincinnati OH 1836

In Scarlet Town, where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin',
And every youth cried well awa';—  
Her name was Barbary Allen.

All in the merry month of May,  
When green buds they were swelling.
Young Jemmy Grove on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his man unto her then,
  To the town where she did dwell in,
Saying, you must come to my master,   
If your name be Barbara Allen;

For death is printed on his face,  
And o'er his heart is stealin',
Then haste away to comfort him,
O! lovely Barbara Allen.

Though death be printed on his face,
  And o'er his heart be stealin'
Yet little better shall he be,  
For bonny Barbara Allen.

So slowly, slowly, she came up,  
And slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said, when there she came.
Young man, I think you're dying.

He turn'd his face unto her straight,
  With deadly sorrow sighing,
Oh ! pretty maid come pity me,  
I'm on my death-bed lying.

If on your death-bed you do lie,  
What needs the tale you're tellin',
I cannot keep you from your death;—
Farewell! said Barbara Allen.

He turn'd his face unto the wall,
  And death was with him dealin',
Adieu, adieu, my dear friends, all  
Adieu to Barbara Allen.

As she was walking o'er the fields,  
She heard the bells a knellin',
And every stroke did seem to say,
Unworthy Barbara Allen.

She turn'd her body round about,
  And spied the corpse a coming,
Lay down, lay down, the corpse, she said,  
That I may look upon him.

With scornful eyes she looked down;  
Her cheeks with laughter swellin',
Whilst all her friends cried out amain,
Unworthy Barbara Allen!

When he was dead and laid in grave,  
Her heart was struck with sorrow, 
O mother, mother, make my bed,
  For I shall die to-morrow.

Hard-hearted creature, him to slight,  
Who loved me so dearly,
O! that I'd been more kind to him,
When he was alive and near me.

She on her death-bed as she lay,
  Begg'd to be buried by him,
And sore repented of the day,  
That she did e'er deny him.

Farewell! she said, ye virgins all,  
And shun the fault I fell in,
Henceforth take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbara Allen.