Golden Willow Tree- Ingersoll (IL) early1800s Scarborough B
[From Scarborough's "A Song Catcher." This although no exact date is given brought to Ingersoll's family in the "early part of the 19th century." Scarborough's notes follow:
R. Matteson 2014]
Another interesting version of this was given to me by Mrs. Ingersoll, of Scarsdale, as it had been handed down by oral transmission in her family for generations. It is one of a group that she calls Pike County Ballads, as they were sung in her grandmother's home many years ago by a relative from Pike County, Illinois, who came to spend a winter, and who entertained the family by singing old songs. They have been sung in the family ever since. She says "this is a sea chanty brought to our family through the visit of my grandfather's uncle early in the 19th century."
(B) The Golden Willow Tree"
I suppose you all know that in the Northern Sea
There's a ship that's called the Golden Willow Tree,
And she lay upon the lowlands low-o-oah,
And she lay upon the lowlands low.
She had not sailed more than week two or three,
Before she came to the Turkish Rovalee,
And she lay upon the lowlands low-o-oah,
And she lay upon the lowlands low.
"Oh, oh," cried the Captain, "We are undone,
They'll take our ship and kill us every one,
And sink us in the lowlands low-o-oah,
And sink us in the lowlands low'"
Up then spoke the little cabin boy,
Saying, "What will you give me if the ship I destroy,
And sink her in the lowlands low-o-oah,
And sink her in the lowlands low? "
"I have gold I'll give to thee,
An only daughter I'll wed to thee,
If you'll sink her in the lowlands low-o-oah,
If you'll sink her in the lowlands low."
Some were at cards and others were at dice,
While he was studying the very best device
To sink her in the lowlands low-o-oah,
To sink her in the lowlands low'
Then he jumped into the water and away swum he,
Until he came to the Turkish Rovalee,
As she lay upon the Iowlands low-o-oah,
As she laY uPon the lowlands low'
He had with him an instrument before prepared,
And into the ship's sides nine holes at one he bored,
And he sunk her in the lowlands low-o-oah,
And he sunk her in the lowlands low.
Then he turned around and back swum he,
Until he came to the Golden Willow Tree,
As she lay upon the lowlands low-o-oah,
As she lay upon the lowlands low.
"Oh, Captain, oh, Captain, take me on board,
And be unto me as good as Your word,
For I've sunk her in the lowlands low-o-oah,
For I've sunk her in the lowlands low."
"Oh, no," cried the Capt?in, "I'll not take you on board,
Nor be unto You as good as my word,
But I'll leave you in the lowlands low-o-oah,
But I'll leave you in the lowlands low."
So he turned on his back and down sank he,
And he bid farewell to the Golden Willow Tree,
As she lay upon the lowlands low-o-oah,
As she lay upon the lowlands low.