The Ship Carpenter- Walters (KY) 1937 Lomax REC
[My transcription. From Lomax recordings AFS 01580 A (part 1); AFS 01580 B (Part 2) and AFS 01581 A (Part 3) located at https://archive.org/details/afc1937001_1580B; https://archive.org/details/afc1937001_1581A
Walters changes the order of stanza 10, in one recording.
The version by Walters from Child Ballads in the United States (notes by Bronson) at the bottom of this page is significantly different in places because it's taken from Part 1.
R. Matteson 2016]
The House Carpenter - sung by Clay Walters. Recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax on October 27, 1937 in Salyersville, (Magoffin) Kentucky.
1. Well met, well met, my own true love,
Long I've been searching for thee,
I have made it across the salt, roaring sea,
And it's all for the sake of thee.
2. Oh I could have married the king's daughter fair,
I'm sure that she would have had me.
But I refused that rich crown of gold
And it all for the sake of thee.
3. If you could have married the king's daughter dear,
I'm sure you that are to blame.
For I am married to the ship's carpenter,
And I think he's a nice young man.
4. "What have you to maintain[1] me on
Is it houses, land or fee?"
"I have seven loaded ships a-sailing on the sea
Besides the one that brought me to land."
5 She picked up her babe all in her arms
And kisses give it three
And laid it down on a soft bed of down,
To keep its pappy company.
6. And as[2] they sailed all on the sea
The music seemed so sweet,
She thought of her babe she left behind
And set herself down to weep.
7. "Are you weeping for my gold, said he,
Or are you weeping for fee,
Or are you weeping for the ship's carpenter,
That you love far better than me?"
8. "I am not weeping for your gold
Neither am I weeping for fee,
But I am weeping to return to dry land again,
My poor little baby to see."
9. "If you had ten thousand pounds of gold,
And would give it all unto me;
You never shall return to dry land again
Your babe you never shall see."
10. Straight news, straight news, to the ship's carpenter[3]
Straight news goes back to the land
The ship that his own dear wife sailed in
Went sinking to the sand.
11. "What hills, what hills, my own true love
That look so white like snow?"
"It's the hills of heaven, my own true love
Where those righteous people go."
12. "What hills, what hills, my own true love
That look so dark and low?"
"It's the the hills of Hell, my own true
Where you and I must go."
13. Sailors may be the worst of men
That lead poor women astray;
A sailor has ruined a ship's carpenter
By deluding his poor wife away.
1. sings "muntain"
2. unclear
3. He sings this after the "What hills" stanzas the first time.
___________________________
Child Ballads in the United States notes by Bronson
[(e) "The Ship Carpenter':" Sung by Mr. Clay Walters at Sa1yersville, Kentucky, 1937. Recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax.
1. Well met, well met, my own true love
Long I've been searching for thee
I've been all across the salt roaring sea
And it's all for the sake of thee.
2. Oh, I could have married the king's daughter fair
She all the same would have had me
But I refused that rich crown of gold
And it's all for the sake of thee.
3. If you could have married the king's daughter dear
I'm sure that you are to blame
For I wouldn't have my husband to hear tell of thee
For ten thousand pounds of gold.
4. Oh, I am married to a ship carpenter
And a ship carpenter I obey
And by him I have a little son
Or I would go along with thee.
5. What have you to maintain[1] me on
Is it houses, land, gold, and fee?
I've seven loaded ships a-sailing on the sea
Besides the one that brought me to land.
6. She picked up her baby all in her arms
And kissed it sweetlie embraced
And laid it down on a soft bed of down
And bid it to go to sleep.
7. As they walked down by the seashore
The water is set running so bold
The sides was lined with silver so bright
And the top was the purest of gold.
8. As they sailed all on the sea
The music did seem so sweet
She thought of her babe she had left behind
And set herself down to weep.
9. Are you weeping for my gold, said he?
Are you weeping for fee?
Or are you weeping for some other man
That you love far better than me?
10. I'm not a-weeping for your gold
Neither am I a-weeping for fee
But I'm weeping to return to dry land again
My poor little babe to see.
11. If you had ten thousand pounds of gold
And would give it all unto me
You never should return to dry land again
Your babe you never will see.
12. What hills, what hills, my own true love,
That look so white like snow?
It's the hills of Heaven, my own true love
Where all righteous people go.
13. What hills, what hills, my own true love,
That look so dark and low?
It's the hills of Hell, my own true love,
Where you and I must go.
14. Straight news, straight news to the ship carpenter
Straight news come back to the land
The ship that his own dear wife sailed in
Went sinking to the sand."
15. Sailors may be the worst of men
That lead poor women astray
The sailor has ruined the ship carpenter
By deluding his poor wife away.
1. sung "muntain"