Knoxville Girl- Frank Couch (KY) 1954 Roberts
[Sang Branch Settlers, Roberts; 1974. Recording is online.
This version is very similar to Knoxville commercial recordings (Tanner) - last stanza is different.
R. Matteson 2016]
15. The Knoxville Girl- sung by Frank Couch (Jim' Couch's son) in 1954.
I met a little girl in Knoxville town
The town we all know well;
And ev'ry Sunday evening
While in her home to dwell.
We often took an evening walk
About a mile from town;
I picked a stick up from the ground
I knocked that fair girl down.
She fell upon her bended knees,
for mercy she did cry,
"Willie, my dear, don't kill me here,
I'm unprepared to die."
She never spoke another word,
I only beat her more,
She never spoke another word,
I beat her in her gore.
I took her by her golden curls,
I drug her round and round,
I took her by her golden curls,
I drug her round and round.
I took her by her golden curls,
I drug her round and round,
I threw her in the river
That flows to Knoxville town.
4. I went in home about 12 o'clock,
About 12 o'clock at night,
My mother she was worried
And woke up in a fright.
"Son, O son, what have you done
To bloody your poor soul[1]?"
The answer that I gave her,
"Been bleeding from my nose."
The sheriff he come and got me
And put me in the cell,
My friends all turned against me
And none will go my bail.
They're goin' to hang me up so high,
Between the earth and sky,
They're goin' to hang me up so high,
Between the earth and sky.
1. clothes