Merrie Golden Tree- Moss (NC) 1925 Lunsford/Gordon
[Bascom Lamar Lunsford secured a version titled "Merrie Golden Tree" from Ada Moss in 1925 while Robert Gordon was visiting him in North Carolina. Lunsford's version however has some changes; the chorus, 3rd stanza (structure and to rhyme) and especially "smote his breast" which he must have added to make his version (Merry Golden Tree) more archaic. Lunsford recorded his version in the 1956 Riverside LP 'Minstrel of the Appalachians.' Here's some information from two sources.
From: Minstrel of the Appalachians: The Story of Bascom Lamar Lunsford by Loyal Jones: He took Gordon to such a program in Jackson County, North Carolina, where he offered a five-dollar gold piece for the best ballad. He remembered that "just preceding the program I secured 'The Merry Golden Tree' from Miss Ada Moss of the Canadian section of Jackson County.
From: Good friends and bad Enemies: Robert Winslow Gordon and the Study of American Folksong by Debora G. Kodish - 1986:
Ada Moss contributed "The Merry Golden Tree," just before the evening's program, and therefore was ineligible to receive the five-dollar gold piece, but Gordon recorded her and expressed himself very kindly about the program and manner in which these songs were secured.
Miss Ada Moss of Cullowhee sang a version of "The Merrie Golden Tree" that Gordon printed soon after in Adventure Magazine.
Compare to the Lunsford's version (Merry Golden Tree) recorded in 1956.
R. Matteson 2014]
The Merrie Golden Tree- Sung by Ada Moss; from Adventure Magazine (c. 1925) reprinted in the 1978 Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress - Volume 35 - Page 227.
There was a little ship all on that sea
And the name that they gave it was the Merrie Golden Tree,
As she sails on the lowland, lonesome,
As the sails on the lonesome sea.
There was another little ship all on that sea,
And the name that they gave it was the Merrie Turkolee, [1]
As she sails on the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
As she sails on the lonesome sea.
There was a little boy all on that ship [2]
And he said "Captain, captain, what will you give me
If I sink that old ship in the middle of the sea,
As she sails on the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
As she sails on the lonesome sea?"
I'll give you money, and I'll pay your fee,
And besides my oldest daughter I will marry unto you,
If you'll sink her in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
If you'll sink her in the lonesome sea."
He bowed his little head and off swam he,
He swam and he swam till he came to the Merrie Merrie Turkolee,
As she sails in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
As she sails in the lonesome sea.
He had a little tool all fitted for use,
And he bored nine holes in her old hull at once,
As she sails in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
As she sails in the lonesome sea.
He bowed his little head and back swam he,
He swam and he swam till he came to the Merrie Golden Tree
As she sails in the lowland lonesome, lonesome
As she sails in the lonesome sea.
He said, "Captain, captain, take me on board
Or you won't be as good as you told me you would,
If I'd sink her in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
If I'd sink her in the lonesome sea."
"I won't give you money, nor I won't pay your fee,
Nor my oldest daughter I'll not marry unto you
And you sunk her in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
And you sunk her in the lonesome sea."
"If it wasn't for the love that I have for your men,
I would do unto you as I did unto them,
I would sink you in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
I would sink you in the lonesome sea."
He bowed his little head and down went he;
He bid farewell to the Merrie Golden Tree
As she sails in the lowland, lonesome, lonesome,
As she sails in the lonesome sea."
1. Lunsford sings, Turtle Lee.
2. Lunsford changes this stanza to:
There was a little boy, that run amongst the men
Who said "Captain, captain, what will you give me then