The Hangman's Song- Estes (MS) 1936 Hudson E
[Not a local title, at least the title is not found in the text, implying that it's from a collector rather than an informant. From Arthur Palmer Hudson, Folksongs of Mississippi, 1936. His notes follow. Cf. Charlie Poole, "Highwayman" 1926. Instead of "highwayman," it's "rambling man," which is probably closer to the original text sung (also "gambling man").
This is another hybrid version, (See Hudson D) with the first three stanzas coming from Hudson D.
R. Matteson 2015]
THE MAID FREED FROM THE GALLOWS
(Child, No. 95)
Six texts of this ballad have been recovered for the present collection. Two and a note on a third were published in my "Ballads and Songs from Mississippi," Journal, XXXIX, 105 ff. For a general discussion of the ballad in Mississippi, see p. 55. For other American variants, see Brown, p. 91 Campbell and Sharp, No. 24; Cox, No. 18; Davis, No. 27 (who notes that in Virginia the ballad has been used as a game and has also been dramatized); Pound, No. 13; Reed Smith, No. 10; Scarborough, p. 35; Wyman and Brockway, p. 44; Barry, No. 21.
E. "The Hangman's Song." Text obtained by Mr. W. S. Harrison, Fayette, from the singing of Mr. T. D. Clark, who learned it from Miss Allie Mae Estes. Like stanzas 3-15 of D, above, except that the speaker is a man, the "lover" rescuer is a girl, and there is an excrescent conclusion suggesting a parody as the following stanzas show:
[1 "O Mr. Hangman, won't you wait a little while?[1]
For yonder comes my daddy dear, he has come many a mile.
2 "O dear old daddy, have you brought me any silver or gold,
Or have you come to see me hung to the hangman's pole?"
3 "O I haven't brought you any silver or gold;
I have come this long, long way to see you hung to the hangman's pole."]
[repeat with relatives]
7 "O Mr. Hangman, won't you wait a little while,
For yonder comes my girlie dear, she's come for many a mile,
8 "O dear girlie, did you bring me any silver or gold,
Or have you come this long, long way to see me hung to the hangman's pole?"
9 "My pockets are full of silver, my purse is lined with gold
For I have nor come this long, long way to see you hung to the hangman's pole."
10 She carried me into the parlor and turned on an electric fan,
She called out that bright June morning, "Bring back my rambling man,"
Bring back my rambling man, bring back my rambling man.
She called out that bright June morning, "Bring back my rambling man."
1. Stanzas 1-3 supplied from Hudson D