Barbree Allen- Jepson (UT) 1888 Hubbard A
[From Hubbard's, Ballads and Songs from Utah, 1961. An excerpt of his notes follows.
R. Mateson 2015]
BARBARA ALLEN
This ballad, which has been widely current in Great Britain and America was published in Ramsay's Tea Table Miscellany 1740, Percy's Reliques, 1765. Child, No. 84, includes several versions and references.
A. Barbree Allen. Sung by James Jepson of Hurricane, Aug. 1I, 1947. He learned it about 1888 in Virgin from a young man who lived in Kanab.
In Lexington where I was raised,
There lived a gay young fellow,
He was taken sick and very, very sick
For the love of Barbree Allen.
He sent his servant in great haste
To call on Barbree Allen;
"My master says you must come there
If your name be Barbree Allen."
Slowly, slowly she arose,
And slowly she went unto him,
And all she said when she got there,
Was: "Young man I think you're dying."
"Yes, I am sick and very sick,
My poor heart blood is chilling,
And none the better will I be
Till I get Barbree Allen."
"Yes, you are sick and very sick,
Your poor heart blood is chilling,
And the none the better will you be,
For you won't get Barbree Allen."
He turned his pale face to the wall,
His pulse beat slow and feeble.
"Bid adieu, bid adieu to my friends all around,
Be kind to Barbree Allen."
As I was walking down the vale,
I heard the death bell tolling,
And every toll it seemed to say,
"Hardhearted Barbree Allen."
"Mother, mother, make my bed,
And make it long and narrow.
Sweet William died for me today
And I'll die for him tomorrow."
Sweet William lies in yon churchyard,
And Barbree lies beside him,
And out of his grave grew a blood-red rose,
And out of hers a briar.
They both ran up the high church wall
Till they could not run any higher,
And now I've concluded for to, end my song
With the rose wrapped round the briar.