Barbry Allen- Souter (AR) 1960 Parler L
[From Ozark Collection (No. 12); Collected by Lew Hobson and Zane Hankins for M. C. Parler. Transcribed by Lew Hobson Reel 341, Item 13.
R. Matteson 2015]
Barbry Allen- Sung by Teddy Souter in Spring Hill, Louisiana on January 12, 1960
In Scarlet town where I was born
Was a fair maid dwelling
Made every youth cry well a day
And her name was Barbry Allen.
Twas in the merry, merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbry Allen.
He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was a dwellin',
Cried, "Master bids you come to him
If your name is Barbry Allen."
Oh yes I'm sick, I'm very sick
And I never will be better
Until I have the love of one
The love of Barbry Allen.
Then lightly tripped she down the stairs
He trembled like an aspen
Tis vain, tis vain my dear young man
To love for Barbry Allen.
She walked out in the green, green fields
She heard his death bells knelling
And every stroke they seem to say
Hard hearted Barbry Allen.
Her eyes looked east, her eyes looked west
She saw his pale corpse coming
She cried, "Bearers, bearers put him down
That I may look upon him."
The more she looked, the more she greived
Until she burst out crying
She cried "Bearers, bearers take him off
For I am now a dying."
Oh father, oh father, go dig my grave
Go dig it deep and narrow
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow.
They burried her in the old church yard
Sweet William's grave was near her
And from his heart a red, red rose
And from her heart a brier.
They grew and they grew o'er the old church wall
Till they wouldn't grow no higher
Until they tied a lovers' knot
The red rose and the brier.