Bold Lantern- Broughton (KY) 1917 Sharp D
[My title- probably for for Bold Lamkin. From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians; collected by Cecil J. Sharp and Olive Dame Campbell; Edited by Maud Karpeles; 1932, Volume I. Notes from 1932 edition follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
No. 27. Lamkin.
Texts without tunes:—Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads y No. 93. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xiii. 117; xxix. 162.
Texts with tunes :—Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, i. 61. E. M. Leather's Folk-Lore of Herefordshire, p. 199. Journal of the Folk-Song Society, i. 212 ; ii. 111; p. 81. Gavin Greig's Last Leaves, No. 34. Folk-Songs of England, iv, p. 38 (also published in English Folk Songs, Selected Edition, ii. 24, and One Hundred English Folk-Songs, p. 62). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxxv. 344. British Ballads from Maine, p. 200. Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 354 and 583.
Sharp diary 1917 page 136. Tuesday 8 May 1917 - Barbourville
After breakfast went out for a long tramp in atrocious mud along the road we went on Sunday morning. Called on several cabins, Mrs Sutton, Banvaver[?], & Adams, but got nothing. Mrs Adams however gave us the names of one or two singers. They were all very friendly in the mountain manner and our visits were very pleasant though abortive so far as songs go. We returned at noon and after a hurried lunch went off again to our singers. Mrs Alice Sloan tried to keep children away & succeeded except for Mrs Poff’s little girl who squalled incessantly. Mrs Broughton the mother, a dear old lady, sang most of the songs being the fount & origin of them. Returned at 3.30 dreadfully tired. After a short rest looked through & posted proofs which had arrived in the morning then began writing out tunes, adjourning at 6.45 for dinner. Wrote Campbell & Norman Wilkinson.
D. [Bold Lantern] Sung by Mrs. MOLLIE BROGHTON at Barbourville, Knox Co., Ky., May 8, 1917
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
1. Where is the land-lord?
O is he at home?
He's gone to California
To visit his son.
2 Where is the landlady?
Is she at home?
She's up in her chamber
A-sleeping above.
3 How can we get her down here
This lonesome long night?
We'll stick her little baby
With needles and pins.
4 Go feed it on breast-milk,
Go feed it on pie {sometimes pap),[1]
Go rock it in the cradle
And then it won't cry.
5 I fed it on breast-milk,
I fed it on pie,
I've rocked it in the cradle,
And yet it will cry.
6 She come running downstairs,
Not thinking any harm,
And just as she run downstairs,
He grabbed her in his arms.
7 Bold Lantern, bold Lantern,
Spare my life one hour;
You shall have my daughter Betsy,
The branch of all flowers.
8 O keep your daughter Betsy
And send her to Ford,
For to carry the silver basin
That catched your heart's blood.
9 Bold Lantern, bold Lantern,
Spare my sweet life;
You shall have all the gold
Your horse shall carry down.
10 O keep your gold
And send it to Ford,
To carry your heart's blood;
It shall overflow.
1. See Davis D, Child D 13