The House Carpenter- Church (NC) 1940 Abrams REC
[No date given- I'm guesstimating 1940 about the time most of the Abrams recordings were done. From The Abrams collection of Field Recordings made circa 1939-1946, with added commentary. McGee gives an additional verse at the end (in brackets) which probably should be the third verse not the last.
R. Matteson 2013, 2016]
The House Carpenter- Steve Church (NC) circa 1940. Recorded by Abrams in North Wilkesboro, NC
http://contentdm.library.appstate.edu/docapp/abrams/field_recordings/house_carpenter_church.html
[I could have married the king's daughter dear,]
And she would've married me;
But now she's married the house carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man.
Oh won't you leave your house carpenter,
And go away with me,
I'll take you where the grass grows green,
On the banks of the deep blue sea."
She pick-ed up her little babe
And kisses give it three,
Saying, "Stay at home my sweet little babe,
And keep your poppy company."
They hadn't been on ship about three weeks,
I'm sure it was not four,
Till there sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship,
And it sunk to rise no more.