House Carpenter- Beulah Green (NC) 1946 Abrams REC
[My transcription. From a poor quality recording by Abrams in his collection. A similar version was sung by (her daughter/) Bessie Green which was recorded on the same day.
R. Matteson 2016]
The House Carpenter- performed by Mrs. Beulah Green. Recorded by Abrams on July 22, 1946.
http://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/18855
"We've met, we've met, my old true love,
We've met, we've met," said he.
I am just returning from the South, South sea,
It was all for the love of thee.
I could have married a king's daughter
And she would have married me.
But I have turned down [her crowns of gold],
And it's all for the love of thee.
If you could have married a kings daughter fair,
I'm sure that you are to blame.
For I am married to a house carpenter,
And I'm sure he's a fine young man.
Won't you forsake your[2] house carpenter,
And go and stay with me.
I'll take you the banks of the sea,
Some sweet and a mellow day [?].
She picked her sweet babe in her arms
And kisses she gave it three.
Stay here, stay here, my sweet little babe
And keep your papa company.
I hadn't been on sea but about three weeks,
I am sure it was not four.
There came a leak in the bottom of the ship,
And it sunk for to rise no more.
1. missing a few words; I've filled in a standard text
2. she sings "my"
From: I. G. Greer/W. Amos Abrams Manuscript Files Series, Folksong Files Subseries, W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Special Collections, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC)