Barbry Allen- Caudle (AR) 1960 Parler O
[My title. From Ozark Collection (No. 15); Collected and transcribed by Vera Sullivan for M. C. Parler Reel 390 Item 2.
This is an archaic melody in a minor key.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbry Allen - Sung by Mrs. Eli Caudle of Greenland, Arkansas on June 19, 1960
http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/2625/rec/16
In London town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
Made youth cry well away
Her name was Barbry Allen.
All in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling
Young Jimmy Grove on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbary Allen.
He sent his servants to the town
The town that she did dwell in
Sayin', "Pretty maid come pity me
For I'm on my death bed dying."
But slowly slowly she came up
And slowly she came nigh him
All she said as there she came,
"Young man I think your dying."
He turned his face unto her
Straight with deadly sorrow sighing
"Oh pretty maid come pity me
For I'm on my death bed lying."
"If on your death bed you do lie,
What needs the tale your telling
I cannot keep you from your death
Farewell," said Barbry Allen.
He turned his face unto the wall
And death with him was dealing
Adieu adieu my friend adieu
Adieu to Barbary Allen.
As she was walking over the field
She heard the bells a-knelling;
And ever stroke did seem to say
Unworthy Barbara Allen.
She turned her body round about
And spied the corpse a coming
Lie down lie down the corpse
That I might look upon him.
The more she looked the more she grieved,[1]
. . .
. . .
. . .
"Oh mother, oh mother make my bed
And make it wide and narrow
Since my lover died for him today
I'll die for him tomorrow."
1. Informant stops singing, can't remember and skips rest of this verse.