Barbra Allen- Nelson (KY) 1959 Roberts B
[My title. From In the Pine; Roberts, 1978. His partial notes about the music follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
SCALE: Pentatonic. Cf. also Bronson TTCB III, No 39, p. 217, "The Gypsy Laddy" in phrases 2 and 3, almost identical. Cf. also TTCB II, p. 363, No. 115, in second and third phrases. In most versions verse 1 begins: "In Scarlet Town." Note the use of the "scotch snap," an idiom present also in American Negro music and in jazz. *Most probably the rhythm in measure 3 is a corruption of that in measure 1.
Barbra Allen- Collected in 1959 by Mary S. Nelson, from the singing of her husband, Orin, both of Greenup County.
1. In yonders town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin';
Made ev'ry youth cry, "Wee-a-way,"[1]
And her name was Barbara[2] Allen,
2. It was all in the month of May,
When the rose buds they were swellin'
Sweet Willie came from a western state,
And he courted Barbara Allen.
3. It was all in the month of June,
When the roses they were bloomin'
Sweet Willie on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.
4. He sent his servant to the town,
To the place where she was dwellin',
"My Master's sick and sent for You,
If your name be Barbara Allen.
5. "And death was painted on his face,
And o'er his heart is stealin,'
Go haste away to comfort him,
Oh, lovely Barbara Allen."
6. Slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she came to him,
And all she said when she got there,
"Young man, I think you're dying."
7. "Oh, yes, I'm sick, and very sick,
And death is on me dwellin',
No better, no better I'll never be,
If I can't have Barbara Allen."
8. "Oh, yes, you're sick, and very sick,
And death is on you dwellin,'
No better, no better you never will be,
For you can't have Barbara Allen."
9. He turned his pale face to the wall,
And his back upon the dear ones
"Adieu, adieu, my friends, adieu,
Be good to Barbara Allen."
10. As she was on her highway home,
She heard the birds a-singin'
And every one did seem to say
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.
11. She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
She saw his corpse a-comin,'
"Lay down, lay down that corpse of clay,
That I might look upon him."
12. The more she looked, the more she weeped,
She bursted out to cryin,'
"Oh, take me up and carry me home,
For I surely think I'm dyin.'
13. "Oh, Father dear, go dig my grave,
Go dig it long and narrow,
Sweet Willie died for my pure love,
And I shall die for sorrow."
14. They buried them both in the old church yard,
They buried them both together,
On Willie's grave there grew a red rose,
And Barbara's grew a briar.
15. They grew so high, they grew so tall,
They reached the old church tower,
They fell and tied in a truelove's bow,
The rose and the briar.
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1. Probably from "Well-a-way"
2. The music indicates this was sung in two syllables; Barb'ra.