John Barbour- Decker (NL) 1959 Peacock
[From: Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, 1965, II, 534-5. Peacock also prints a tune variant from Everett Bennett, St Paul's, August 1958. He doesn't quote the full text, but remarks "In Mr Bennett's version, John Barbour does not indulge in the luxury of refusing the father's land - he takes daughter, dinner, and all."
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
JOHN BARBOUR- Mrs Charlotte Decker, Parson's Pond, August, 1959.
There was a lady in the east northeast,
Her silk it was of green,
And she was a-sitting in her father's hall
Watching the ships sailing,
Watching the ships sailing.
"Oh what is the matter with my daughter?" he said,
"She looks so pale and wan,
I think she has got some sore sickness
Or have laid with some young man,
Or have laid with some young man."
"I have not a-got any sore sickness,
Nor have laid with any young man,
But the only thing that grieves me most,
My love he stays too long,
My love he stays too long."
"Oh is he a lord or a duke," he said,
"Or is he a man of fame,
Or is he one of my seamen
Who plows the raging main?
Come, tell to me his name."
"He is no lord nor no duke," she said,
"Or yet a man of fame,
But he is one of your seamen
Who plows the raging main,
John Barbour is his name."
"Go and bring him down, you silly fool,
Go and bring him unto me,
For tomorrow morning at eight o'clock
Hangèd he shall be,
I will hang him to a tree."
"Oh do not kill John Barbour," she said,
"Nor hang him to a tree,
For if you kill John Barbor-ee
You won't get no good of me,
You won't get no good of me."
'Twas early next morning John Barbour he came down
Dressed in his suit of green,
With his two rolling eyes like diamonds bright,
And he was neat and clean,
And he was neat and clean.
"No wonder that my daughter, John Barbour," he said
"That she might fall in love with you,
For if I was a woman instead of a man
I would surely fall in love with you,
I would surely fall in love with you.
"Will you marry my daughter, John Barbour," he said
"Will you wed her by the hand,
And will you dine at my table,
Coming near for all my land,
Coming near for all my land?"
"Yes, I'll marry your daughter," John Barbour he said,
"I'll wed her by the hand,
And I will dine at your table,
And a fig for all your land,
And a fig for all your land."
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ABC notation
X:1
T:John Barbour
S:Mrs Charlotte Decker, Parson's Pond, August 1959
B:Peacock, Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, 1965, II, 534-5
N:PEA 152 No. 994
N:Child 100
N:Roud 64
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
M:2/2
K:C
G2|c2 E2 F G A G|E2 (3(DED) C2 c2|d2 G2 (EG) G2|
w:There was a la-dy in the east north_*east, Her silk it was_ of
(AG)-G4 (cd)|e2 d B c B A B|c2 (AG) E3 D|
w:green,_* And_ she was a-sit-ting in her fa-ther's_ hall Wat-
C3 C E2 G2|c6 (EF)|G3 E D2 (ED)|C6|]
w:ching the ships sail-ing, Wat_ching the ships sail_ing.