George Allen- Gravely (VA) 1968 REC
[From Ballads and Songs of the Blue Ridge Mountains: Persistence and Change Various Artists FW03831 / AH 3831, 1968. Recorded in the Field by Eric Davidson, Paul Newman, and Caleb Finch. Notes by Eric Davidson and Paul Newman follow.
Also Barney McCoy 'Spud' Gravely was recorded by Blanton Owen, c. 1970; Carroll County Virginia.
R. Matteson 2015]
Spud Gravely lives near Hillsville, in Carroll Country, Virginia. Although he is totally blind he continues to work his exceptionally beautiful valley farm. He at one time played autoharp, guitar, fiddle, and banjo; at present he usually plays guitar with a local Hillsville band. In recent years he has learned a great deal of modern commercial country music. His favorite music, however, is the old style music he plays when he gets together with his close friend Glen Smith, in whose sitting room we recorded the selections on this record.
Band 2. "George Allen": sung by Spud Gravely, with guitar. Child 85 "Lady Alice", Sharp 25 "Giles Collins". Numerous texts of this ballad have been collected in North Carolina and Virginia. In all of them the man's last name is Collins (either George, John, or Giles Collins). The substitution of the name Allen in this version for Collins may be due partly to the fact that Hillsville, Virginia, Spud 's home, was the home of the famous Allen family. Collins, on the other hand, is a less common name there.
The scale is Major (I, IV, V7 chord pattern is used); range: authentic; structure: abac ; meter: 2/ 4. The very regular 3/ 4 time and the I, IV, V7 chord pattern are noticeable characteristics of modern tunes which have been "squared-off" so that they fit properly with the guitar. The tune that Spud plays to this ballad is quite different from earlier ones collected, most of which use the pentatonic (f#) scale.
George Allen rode home one cold winter night
George Allen rode home so fine.
George Allen rode home one cold winter night
And taken sick and died.
Sweet Mary was in his sewing [sitting] room
Sewing silk so fine
And when she learned that poor Georgie was dead
She threw her silk aside.
[She followed poor Georgie to the hills and then
She followed him all around
She followed poor Georgie to the grave yard,
And watched them lay him down.] [1]
She weeped, she moaned, yes she weeped and she moaned
She weeped and moaned all day
Her mother said, "Oh Mary dear
You'll meet him again someday."
Yes, Georgie rode home one cold winter night
George Allen rode home so fine .
George Allen rode home one cold winter night
And taken sick and died.
1. from the Blaton Owen recording