Barbry Allen- Carr (TN) 1900 Burton/Manning
[From Folklore: Folksongs I by Burton and Manning, 1967. The title could surely be "Barbra Allen" but since it was "Barbry" in the music transcription- I've used that for the title.
cf. Anderson
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbry Allen- Sung by Mrs. Mattie Carr, April 1966. This song was learned from Mrs. Carr's husband, who is from Gatlinburg, sixty-six years ago.
1. It was one beautiful morning in May,
And the red buds they were swelling.
Sweet William lay on his bed of death
For courting Barbry Allen.
2. He sent his servants to the town;
He sent them to her dwelling:
"My master's sick and calls for you,
If your name be Earbra Allen."
3. Slowly, slowly, she gets up,
And slowly she goes to him.
And the only words that she did say
Was, "Young man, you are dying."
4. "Oh, yes, I'm sick and very sick,
And death be near my dwelling;
I never shall see my lime again,
If I can't get Barbra Allen."
5. "Oh, yes, you're sick and very sick,
And death be near your dwelling;
You never shall see your time again,
For you can't get Barbra Allen."
6. He turned his pale face to the wall
And bursted out a-crying;
She turned her back and left in scorn
Went down the stairs a-smiling.
7. She hadn't got more than a mile from town
Till she heard the church bell tolling.
And every toll did seem to say,
"Thou cruel Barbra Allen."
8. She looked to the east and she looked to the west;
She saw the hearse a-coming,
"Lay down, lay down, his corpse lay down;
I want to look upon them.[1]"
9. "Oh mother, Mother, make my bed,
Make it both long and narrow;
Sweet William died for me today
And I'll die for him tomorrow."
10. William lies in the old church yard,
And Barbra lies beside him.
And out of his grave grew a red, red rose
And out of hers a brier.
11. They grew and grew in the old church yard
Till they could not grow any higher;
They lopped and tied in a true lover's knot
That all true loves should marry.
1. him