Cold Blows the Winter's Wind- Delorme (NY) 1943 Olney
[From Ballad Migrant in New England; Flanders and also Ancient Ballads; 1966. Lily Delorme is not asked or did not give any info about this very rare ballad- which is suspicious and may indicate a print origin.
The informant, “Grandma” Lily Delorme, of Hardscrabble on the Saranac, NY, learned songs from parents and her grandfather, Gideon Baker, who fought in the War of 1812. Delorme was one of the best informants of Flanders and Olney (also Porter who recorded 100 of her songs). Most of her ballads date back into the 1800s since she was born in 1869 in Schuyler Falls, New York and learned them from her family. Mrs. Lily Delorme's offficial residence was Cadyville, New York. Her father was born in Starksboro, Vermont; her mother, in Schuyler Falls, New York.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
Cold Blows the Winter's Wind- Sung by Lily Delorme of Cadyville, NY; Collected by Olney & Porter Aug. 16, 1943.
Cold blows the winter's wind, sweetheart,
Cold blows the drops of rain;
I never had but one sweetheart
And in the greenwood she was slain.
I'll do as much for my sweetheart
As any young man may;
I'll sit all on her grave and mourn
A twelvemonth and a day.
A twelvemonth and a day being past,
Her ghost began to speak:
'Why sit upon my grave and mourn
And will not let me sleep?'
'What do you want of me, sweetheart?
What do you want of me, I pray?'
'One kiss of your clay cold lips
And that is all I want of thee.'
'My lips are colder than clay, sweetheart,
My breast I'm sure is not strong,
If one kiss of my clay cold lips you have,
Your time it won't be long.'