George Collins- Maxie (VA) 1914 Davis E
[From Traditional Ballads of Virginia, 1929, Kyle Davis Jr. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
LADY ALICE
(Child, No. 85)
The eighteen items belonging to this ballad in the Virginia collection may be quite adequately represented by the eight here given since the most widespread version of the song represented by C, D, E, F, and G shows an unusual constant and standard text, and there is no need of reprinting the identity or near-identity. The eighteen variants belong to two quite distinct versions, both of which differ widely from any Child version. One version, represented by A and B and known as "John Collins" or "Johnny Collins," has been found in only one county of the state, Highland. The other version, represented by all the other variants and known as " George Collins," "Giles Colin," " George Collin," or " George Collie," is quite widely known and sung. Some exceptionally fine melodies are the four which belong to the more popular version (see C, D, and E). The editor can personally testify to the special effectiveness of the second melody to D, as it is sung in the Blue Ridge mountains. The air is poignant and dirge-like, conforming to the mournful quality of the story, not mitigating it as the lilting air of this ballad's counterpart, "Lord Lovel," mitigates the-tragedy of that ballad. Reed Smith reports the ballad from a young man who frequently heard it sung in the Dismal swamp region of Virginia." It would be appropriate to that region! The other air given with B, clearly belongs to a different version. The appendix shows that this ballad, like "Lord Lovel," is easily parodied.
E. "George Collins." Collected by Miss Juliet Fauntleroy. Sung by Mrs. Dan Maxie (nee Holland), of Altavista, Va. Franklin County, March 2, 1914. With music.
1 George Collins drove home one cold winter night,
George Collins drove home so fine;
George drove home one cold winter night,
And was taken sick and died.
2 Sweet little Nellie in yonder hall,
Sewing her silk so fine;
But when she heard that George was dead,
She laid her silk aside.
3. She followed him up, she followed him around,
She followed him to his grave,
And there she fell on her bended knees,
She wept, she mourned, she prayed.
4. "Oh daughter, Oh daughter, what makes you weep so?
There's more young boys than George."
"Oh mother, Oh mother, he has my heart,
And now he's dead and gone."
5. "Set down the coffin, unscrew the lid,
Lav back the linen so fine,
And let me kiss his clay-cold lips,
For I'm sure he will never kiss mine.
6. "Don't you see that lonely little dove
A-sitting on yonder pine?
He's mourning for his own true love,
And why not I for mine?"