Barbra Allen- Slagel (MO) 1963 Parler Y
[Fragment from Ozark Collection (No. 28); Collected by Doug Dunham for M. C. Parler. Reel 305 Item 19.
R. Matteson 2015]
BARB'RA ALLEN --Sung by Bill Slagel, who lived 10 miles SW of Goodman, Mo. Instrumental back-up banjo: Max Dunham. Recorded Jan. 2, 1963.
In yonder town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
They courted her for miles around,
And her name was Barb'ra Allen.
Oh, mother, oh, mother, go dig me a grave,
Go dig it deep and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow.
They buried him in the churchyard grave,
And they buried her beside him,
On William's grave a red, red, rose,
On Barb'ra's grave, a briar.
They grew and grew to the top of the church,
Till they couldn't grow any higher,
They locked entwined in a true lover's knot,
And the rose grew around the briar.