The Hangman's Song- Lucy Ann Cook (KY) 1916 Wyman
[No informant named, attributed to Lucy Ann Cook (Long). Text from Lonesome Tunes by Loraine Wyman and music by Howard Brockway (1916), p. 44. Reprinted in American Ballads and Songs- Louise Pound 1922 with additional changes from the original text from Lonesome Tunes. Pound's notes follow.
This was reprinted in 1928 by Smith (one stanza), and is similar to the version published by Thomas in 1931 (Devil's Ditties). Cambiaire printed a nearly identical in 1934 as a Tennessee/Virginia mountain song-- and Long (1971) lists Cambiaire's version as a reprint of Wyman's.
The informant is named in "The Maid and the Hangman" Long, 1971.
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
Notes: 13. The Hangman's Song. Compare The Maid Freed from the Gallows, Child, No. 95. Text from Lonesome Tunes by Loraine Wyman and Howard Brockway (1916), p. 44. From Knott County, Kentucky.
13. THE HANGMAN'S SONG- Sung by Lucy Ann Cook from Knott County, Kentucky, before 1916.
1. "Hangman, hangman, slack up your rope,
O slack it for a while,
I looked over yonder and I see Paw coming,
He's walked for many a long mile."
"Say Paw, say Paw, have you brung [1] me any gold,
Any gold for to pay my fine?"
"No sir, no sir, I've brung you no gold,
No gold for to pay your fine,
But I'm just come for to see you hanged,
Hanged" on the gallows line."
"O you won't love and it's hard to be beloved
And it's hard to make up your time (crime?),
You have broke the heart of many a true love,
True love, but you won't break mine."
2."Hangman, hangman, slack up your rope,
O slack it for a while,
I looked over yonder and I see Maw coming,
She's walked for many a long mile."
"Say Maw, say Maw, have you brought me any gold,
Any gold for to pay my fine?"
"No sir, no sir, I've brought you no gold,
No gold for to pay your fine,
But I'm just come for to see you hanged,
Hanged on the gallows line."
"O you won't love and it's hard to be beloved,
And it's hard to make up your time,
You have broken the heart of many a true love,
True love, but you won't break mine."
[The above is repeated with the successive substitution of "brother" and "sister" - - the third verse here given being the last verse.
3. "Hangman, hangman, slack up your rope,
0 slack it for a while,
I looked over yonder and I see my sweetheart coming,
She's walked for many a long mile."
"Sweetheart, sweetheart, have you brought me any gold,
Any gold for to pay my fine?"
"Yes sir, yes sir, I've brought you some gold,
Some gold for to pay your fine,
For I'm just come for to take you home,
From on the gallows line."
Footnote:
1. The word brought was always pronounced brung