Barbara Allen- Williamson (VA) 1933 Davis CC*
[From Davis, More Traditional Ballads of Virginia. Davis selected 8 versions out of the 26 new versions collected in Virginia since 1929, Traditional Ballads of Virginia was published. Note that Davis CC* is different from Davis CC from TBVa, 1929. I have not included Davis' extensive notes.
The Brown's Cove area was one of the leading repositories of old ballads in Virginia (see also Sharp, Davis, Wilkinson, Scarborough, Foss etc for other local versions).
R. Matteson 2015]
CC* "Barbara Allen." Collected by Miss Juliet Fauntleroy, of Altavista, Va. Sung by Mrs. Kit Williamson, of Yellow Branch, Va., who learned it from her mother, Campbell County. August 26, 1933. Tune noted by Mrs. Paul Cheatham, of Lynchburg, Va.
'Twas in the late season of the year
When yellow leaves was fallin',
Sweet William he was taken sick
For the love of Barbara Allen.
He sent a messenger to the town,
The town where she was dwellin',
"Rise up, rise up to my master's call,
If your name be Barbara Allen."
Slowly, slowly rose she up,
And slowly went she to him.
She drew the curtain from his face,
"Young man, I think you're dyin'."
4 "Yes, I'm low, I'm low indeed,
And death within me dwellin',
No better will I ever be,
Until I get Barbara Allen."
5 "Yes, you're low, you're low indeed,
And death within you dwellin',
No better will you ever be
By getting Barbara Allen."
6 He turned his face unto the wall,
She turned her back uPon him.
"Adieu, adieu to my friends all,
And adieu to Barbara Allen."
7 "Do you remember in the town,
The town where you was drinkin',
You treated all the ladies around,
And slighted Barbara Allen."
8 "Yes, I remember in the town,
The town where I was drinkin',
I treated all the ladies round,
And treated Barbara Allen."
g As she was walkin' down the street,
She heard a death bell ringin'.
She thought she heard her own heart say,
"Come back here, Barbara Allen."
10 She looked to east and then to west,
She spied a corpse a-comin'',
"Lie down, lie down this fair young man'
And let me gaze upon him."
11. The more she gazed, the more she wept,
And bursted out a-cryin',
"Take away, take away this fair young man,
For I think I am a-dyin'.
12 "Oh Mother, Oh Mother, go make my bed,
Go make it soft and narrow,
Sweet William died for pure, true love,
And I will die for sorrow.
13 "Oh Father, Oh Father, go dig my grave,
Go dig it deep and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
And I'll die for him tomorrow.
14 "Oh, cursed be my namesay,
Oh, cursed be my nature,
For this young man I could have saved
By using my endeavor."
15 Sweet William was carried to the new church yard,
And there he was buried,
And by his side lay his true love,
By the name of Barbara Allen.
16 Sweet William sprang he up a rose,
And out of Barb's a brier.
They linked and grew in a true love's knot,
For all true loves to admire.