James Camill- Proffitt (NC) 1960 REC Warner
[Below are three transcriptions of Frank Proffitt singing "James Camill" [sic].
Warner: Frank Proffitt told us he always considered this "in part a Proffitt family ballad. It was 'James Camill,' and we thought of it as an old ridding song, with a swing. . .The tune would be called a fiddle tune.
Warner nevertheless titles it "James Campbell." His transcription in Warner's book is different slightly than his recording. I assume the differences are mistakes in the transcription, not different versions by Proffitt.
Profitt later (1961) recorded the song for Evelyn Wells on Folk-Legacy Archives CD-1005 (1962).
R. Matteson 2013]
James Camill (James Campbell)- Proffitt (NC) 1960 BK Collected Warner w/music Traditional American Folk songs
Riding on the highlands,
Steep was on the way,
Riding in the lowlands
Hard by the Tay.
Out come his mother,
With feet all so bare,
Out come his sweetheart,
Riving [tearing] of her hair.
The meadow's all a-falling
And the sheep all unshorn,
The house is a-leaking
And the baby's unborn.
But bonny James Campbell
Nowhere can you see,
With a plume in his saddle
And a sword at his knee.
For to home come his saddle
All bloody to see,
Home come the steed
But never come he.
Below is my transcription of Frank Profitt's version on Her Smile Haunts Me Still (recorded Warner).
JAMES CAMPBELL- Frank Profitt on Her Smile Haunts Me Still (recorded Warner).
Listen: Frank Profitt- James Campbell
Booted and spurred and bridled rode he,
A plume in his saddle and a sword at his knee.
Back come his saddle, all bloody to see,
Home come(s) the steed but never comes he.
A-ridin' in the Highlands, steep was the way,
A-ridin' in the Lowlands, hard by the Tay.
Out come his old mother, feet all so bare,
Out come his bonny bride, a-rivin' [1] out her hair.
The meader's [2] all a-fallin' and the sheep is all unshorn,
The house is a-leakin' and the baby's unborn.
But bonny James Camill [3] nowhere can you see,
With a plume in his saddle and a sword at his knee.
For to home come the saddle all bloody to see,
Home comes the steed but never comes he.
1. a-tearin'
2. meadow's
3 Campbell
Below is Frank Profitt's version on Ballads and Songs of Tradition from the Folk-Legacy Archives CD-1005. This is the same transcription as Bronson No. 4. There are some obvious mistakes like second stanza third line: "with feet all so fair."
JAMES CAMPBELL- From Frank Profitt, Folk Legacy; Recorded Evelyn Wells 1961.
Booted and spurred and bridled rode he,
A plume in his saddle and a sword at his knee.
Back come his saddle, all bloody to see,
Back come the steed but never come he.
A-ridin' in the Highlands, steep was the way,
Ridin' in the Lowlands, hard by the Tay.
Out come his mother, with feet all so fair,
Out come his sweetheart, a'reivin' of her hair.
The meadow's all a'fallin' and the sheep is unshorn,
The house is a-leakin' and the baby's unborn,
But bonny James Campbell nowhere could be seen,
For back come the saddle but never come he.
Booted and spurred and bridled rode he,
A plume in his saddle and a sword at his knee.
Home come the saddle all bloody to see,
Home come the steed but never come he.