George Collins- Hart (GA-FL) 1950 Morris B
[From Folksongs of Florida by Alton C. Morris, 1950. Published by University of Florida Press, p. 292.
R. Matteson 2015]
"George Collins"- Sung by Mrs. J. A. Hart, Newberry, Fla. Learned from a relative in Georgia.
1. George Collins came home on Wednesday night
Was taken sick and died.
His only true love in the next door room
Was sewing her silks so fine.
2. And when she heard George Collins was dead,
She laid her silks aside;
She fell upon her bended knee;
She wept, she mourned, she cried.
3. "Take off, take off that coffin lid,
And raise that sheet so fine,
And let me kiss his cool little lips,
For I know he'll never kiss mine."
4. His Mary was sitting in yonder hall,
Sewing her silks so fine,
But when she heard poor George was dead
She laid her silks aside.
5. She followed him here, she followed him there
She followed him to the grave;
And there upon her bended knee,
She wept, she moaned, she Prayed.
6. "Oh daughter, oh daughter, oh get away,
And let me reason with you,
For don't you see that sad young man,
Is seeing you weep and mourn?"
7, "Pray mother, pray mother, oh leave me alone,
For I know I've lost a friend,
For the happiest hours I ever spent,
Was by George Collins' side.
8. "Don't you see that lonely dove,
A-flying from pine to pine,
A-mourning for its little self,
As I am mourning for mine.
9. "I'll follow George Collins day by day,
And I'll follow him to his grave;
For the happiest moment I ever spent,
Was spent by George Collins' side."