Brisk Young Lover- Della Moore (GA) 1909 Sharp A
[From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachian, II dated 1917 and 2nd edition of 1932 by Cecil Sharp with versions by Campbell, edited and texts transcribed by Karpeles.
This version was collected by Isabel Rawn of NC, who went to college in Georgia and taught there. This MS was sent to Campbell who gave it to Sharp. Usually credited to Campbell, Rawn is not mentioned in EFSSA.
It has the Brisk Young Lover opening stanza.
R. Matteson 2017]
The Brisk Young Lover- Sung by Miss DELLA MOORE at Rabun Co., Ga., May 2, 1909.
Heptatonic. Mode T, a + b ( mixolydian).
1. There was a young man who courted me,
He stole my heart away from me,
He stole it away with a free good-will;
Wherever he goes I love him still.
2 There is a house in this same town,
He often goes there and sits down;
He'll take a strange girl upon his knee,
And he'll tell her things that he won't tell me.
3 It troubles me so, and I'll tell you for why,
Because she has more gold than I,
But it's gold will melt and silver will fly,
But mine is love that will never die.
4 I went upstairs to make my bed,
To lay me down to rest my head.
My old mother came to my bedside,
Saying : What's the matter with my child?
5 O mother, O mother, you do not know
Of the grief and pain and sorrow.
Go bring me a chair and I'll sit down,
With pen and ink I'll write it down.
6 At the end of each line I dropped a tear,
At the end of every word cried: O my dear.
My old father he came home, saying:
Where has my daughter gone?
7 He went upstairs and the door he broke,
And there he found her hanging to a rope.
He took his knife and cut her down,
And on her breast a note he found.
8 Saying: Foolish, foolish girl am I
To hang myself for an untrue man.
Come all ye friends, I bid you good-bye,
For I hope you must live, but I must die.