Hangman- Walker Family (KY) pre1977 McNeil B
[From: W. K. McNeil - Southern Folk Ballads, I, 1987. This version is from I Kind of Believe It's a Gift: Field Recordings Of Traditional Music From South Central Kentucky. The selections are culled from the Western Kentucky University Folkore, Folklife and Oral History Archive, all recorded between the years of 1959-1977.
R. Matteson 2015]
Hangman- Collected in 1977 by Burt Feintuch from the Walker Family (Bernice, vocal; Sammie and Ivan, fiddles and Nell guitar); Barren and Metcalfe Counties, KY. Transcription Beisswenger.
Hangman, hangman, hold your rope, hold your rope a little while,
Thought I saw my father a-coming, from many, a many a mile.
Father, Father, have you gold, have you gold to set me free,
Or have you come to see me hung upon the gallows free?
Oh, son, oh, son, I have no gold, have no gold to set you free,
I have come for to see you hung upon this gallows tree.
Hangman, hangman, hold your rope, hold your rope a little while,
Thought I saw my mother a coming from a many, many a mile.
Mother, Mother, have you gold, have you gold to set me free,
Or have you come for to see me hung upon this gallows tree?
Oh, Son, oh, Son, I have no gold, have no gold to set you free.
I have come for to see you hung upon this gallows tree.
Hangman, hangman, hold your rope, hold your rope a little while,
Thought I saw my sister a coming from a many, many a mile,
Sister, sister, have you gold, have you gold to set me free,
Have you come to see me hung upon this gallows tree?
Oh, Brother, oh, Brother, I have no gold, have no gold to set you free,
I have come for to see you hung upon this gallows tree.
Hangman, hangman, hold your rope, hold your rope a little while'
Thought I saw my brother a coming from a many, many a mile.
Brother, oh, Brother, have you gold, have you gold to set me free,
Or have you come for to see me hung upon this gallows tree?
Oh, Brother, oh, Brother, I have no gold, have no gold to set you free.
I have come for to see you hung upon the gallows tree.
Hangman, hangman, hold your rope, hold your rope a little while,
Thought I saw my sweetheart a coming from a many, many a mile.
Sweetheart, sweetheart, have you gold, have you gold to set me free,
Have you come to see me hung upon the gallows tree?
Sweetheart, Sweetheart, I have the gold; I have the gold to set you free,
I haven't come to see you hung upon this gallows tree.