Brown Girl- Martin (AR) 1962 Upton
[From Ozark Folksong Collection- Reel 401 Item 6. Collected by Brenda Jo Upton.
R. Matteson 2014]
BROWN GIRL- sung by Mrs. Montie Martin Jasper, Arkansas April 24, 1962
Mother, oh mother, come give me advice,
Advise me as your own.
Whether fair Ellen I must see,
or bring the brown girl home.
The brown girl had both house and land,
Fair Ellen she had none.
I think it'd be the best advice
To bring the brown girl home.
My bridle, my saddle, my iron gray speed,
Fair Ellen I must see.
Fair Ellen sitting by her window side
To see who she could spy.
Nobody but Lord Thomas himself
Came riding along by.
"Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas, Lord Thomas" she said,
"What news did you bring to me."
"I've come to invite you to my wedding."
"Bad news, bad news," said she.
She dressed herself in mournings black,
Her waiter all trimmed with green.
And every town that she passed through,
They taken her to be some queen.
She rode 'til she came to Lord Thomas' gate,
She knocked so loud it rang.
Nobody but Lord Thomas himself
To rise and let her in.
He taken her by her lily white hand
And led her through the hall.
He made her acquainted as he passed through
Til he made her acquainted with all.
Came around to Lord Thomas' bride,
I think she's very brown.
When you could've married as fair young lady
As ever the sun shined on.
The brown girl had a little knife,
And it both keen and sharp.
She drew it through fair Ellen's dear side,
It pierced[1]unto her heart.
Lord Thomas he had a pistol sword,
Which hanging by his side.
He cut the brown skinned girls head off
And kicked it against the wall.
Oh mother dear mother go dig my grave
And dig it both wide and deep.
And place Fair Ellen in my arms,
The brown girl at my feet.
And place the Bible all under my head
The sounder I shall sleep.
1. originally- "appeared"