George Allien- Gibson (VA) pre1936 Scarborough F
[From: A Song Catcher, Scarborough, 1937. All versions are pre-1936 when Scarborough died. Bronson usually give a date of 1931, without documentation.
I've added missing text to complete stanzas. See footnotes.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
George Allien[1]- Addie Gibson (Roach's Run, VA) pre1936 Scarborough F
George Allien rode home one cold winter night,
George Allien rode home so fair,
George Allien rode home one cold winter night,
Taking sick and died.
Miss Mary was sitting in her parlor sewing,
Sewing her silks so fine,
When she heard her George was dead,
She laid her silks aside.
She weep, she moan, she pray,
Oh Mary why do you weep so?
There are plenty more boys like George
But none so dear to my heart as George now dead and gone
Look up, look up this lonesome road,
Hang down your head and cry.
[The best of friends is bound to part
And why not you and I.][2]
Just like that lonsome dove
That flies from pine to pine,
Moaning for her own true love,
Any why can't I moarn for mine.
[Set down the coffin][3], Draw off the lid,
Lay back the linen so fine,
And kiss his cold sugar lips,
For I'm sure he will never kiss mine.
I wish to the Lord I had never been born,
Or died when I was young!
[I never would have seen your sparkling blue eyes
Or heard your lying tongue][4]
1. Original spelling kept; this name is perhaps taken from the local ballad sometimes titled "George Allen" (Wreck on the C & O).
2. Missing text text completing this verse from Roy Harvey's version of George Collins
3. Missing text from Scarborough A
4. additional text of this floating stanza from "All the Good Times"