Barbery Ellen- Pompey (MO) 1960 Max Hunter B
[From the Max Hunter Collection; Cat. #0492 (MFH #38). I've made minor corrections in spelling and punctuation.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbery Ellen - As sung by Lee Pompey, Springfield, Missouri on May 22, 1960.
Listen: http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=0492
VERSE 1: In a Scarlet Town, where I was borned,
There was a fair maid dwellin';
Made every youth, "Cry well away,"
An' 'er name was Barbery Ellen.
VERSE 2: He sent his servant to the town,
To the place where she was dwellin';
Saying, "You must come to my master dear,
If your name be Barbery Ellen."
VERSE 3
Slowlie, slowlie, she got up
And slowlie she came nigh him
But the only thing she said to him,
"Young man I think your dyin'."
VERSE 4: O, I am sick an' very sick,
An' death is on me dwellin';
No better, no better, I never will be,
If I don't get Barbery Ellen.
VERSE 5: "O yes, your sick an' very sick
An death is in your dwellin'
No better, no better, you never will be
If you don't get Barbery Ellen."
VERSE 6: "Do you remember last Saturday night
In the town where we were dwellin'
You drank your health to the ladies all around
But you slighted Barbry Ellen?"
VERSE 7: "O yes, I remember last Saturday night
In the town where we were dwellin';
I drank my health to the ladies all around,
But my love to Barbery Ellen."
VERSE 8: He turned his pale face to the wall
He turned his back, upon her,
"Adieu, adieu, my good friends all
An' adieu to Barbery Ellen."
VERSE 9: As she was walking through the field,
She heard the death bells knellin';
An' every knell did seem to say
"Hard hearted Barbery Ellen."
VERSE 10: As she was walking through the fields
She heard the birds a singin';
An' every bird did seem to say
"Hard hearted Barbery Ellen."
VERSE 11: She looked to the east, she looked to the west
She saw the cold corpse comin';
"Lay down, lay down, that corpse of clay
That I may look upon 'im."
VERSE 12: "O Mother, dear Mother, go make my bed
Go make it long an' narrow;
Sweet William died for pure, pure love
An' I will die for sorrow."
VERSE 13: "O Father, O Father, go dig my grave
Go dig it long an' narrow;
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow."
VERSE 14: Sweet William was buried in one church yard
An' Barb'ry in another.
Out of William's grave grew a red, red rose
Out of Barbery's grave a green brier.
VERSE 15: They climbed and climbed to the steeple top
Till they could climb no higher
They wrapped an' twined in a true loves knot
The red rose around the brier