George Collins- Norton (NC) 1916 Sharp E
[My title. Single stanza from English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians; 1917. Collected by Olive Dame Campbell and Cecil J. Sharp. His diary notes follow.
Also additional text in Sharp MSS., 3273/2385- Bronson 5.
R. Matteson 2015]
Sharp diary 1916 page 248. Wednesday 16 August 1916 - Big Laurel
No Frizzly Bill! Things look so hopeless here that I try to get a horse to take my luggage to Alleghany or Allanstand and get thither for the rest of the week. Suddenly Miss Henricks remarks that Mrs Tom Rice down the road is Granny Banks’s daughter. Off I go to find that she is a small mine to be worked. Get several interesting songs from her and in the afternoon others from Viney Norton. On the whole a very good day. Wrote to Frankland King for more music books.
E. [George Collins] Sung by Miss VINEY NORTON at Big Laurel, N. C, Aug. 16, 1916. Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
1. Go hand me down my looking glass,
Go hand me down my comb,
And let me comb little George's hair
For I know he'll never comb mine.
George Collins rode home one stormy night.
He taken sick and died;
Mrs. Collins was sewing a seam of silk
She laid it down and cried.
She followed him up, she followed him down,
She followed him to the grave,
And there she stood on her bended knees
While they buried Georgie then.
Unscrew the coffin, push back the
Lay back the linen so fine,
And let me kiss his cold, clay lips
For I know he'll never kiss mine.