Sweet William- Mrs. L. A. Stewart (KY) 1955
[From Kentucky Folklore Record - Volumes 3-4 - Page 95, 1957.
R. Matteson 2017]
Sweet William- Sung by Mrs. L„ A. Stewart, Hartford, Ohio Co., May, 1955. Secured for the Western Kentucky Archive by her daughter, Jane Stewart. Stanzas 2 and 4 are sung to the second part of the tune. Tune noted by Jane Stewart.
1. "Oh, Captain, oh, Captain, oh, tell me true,
Does my sweet William sail with you?"
"Oh, no, kind miss, he is net here.
He's been drowned for more than a year.
2. "Down by the rocky isle as I passed by,
There I let your sweet William lie."
She wringed her hands and she tore her hair
Like a lady in despair.
3. She called for a chair to seat herself down,
Pen and ink for to write it down.
Every line she dropped a tear,
The end of every verse cried, "Oh, my dear!"
4.. "Oh, dig my grave both wide and deep,
And place a marble stone at my head and feet.
Upon my "breast place a snow white dove
To let the world know that I died for love .