The Two Brothers- Knuckles (KY) 1917 Sharp G
[Not necessarily a local title. From Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles: English Folk songs from the Southern Appalachians; Oxford, 1932.
R. Matteson 2012, 2014]
G. Two Brothers. Sung by Mrs. DELIE KNUCKLES at Barbourville, Knox Co., Ky., May 16, 1917
Hexatonic (no 7th).
1. O brother, O brother, play ball with me,
Or will you either throw a stone,
Or will you go to yon shady grove,
And there we'll wrestle and throw?
2 I'll not play at ball with you,
Or either will I throw a stone;
But if you'll go to yon shady grove
There we will wrestle and throw.
3 O brother, O brother, you've wounded me,
You've wounded me so bad.
Go and tear my shirt from off my back
And tear it from gore to gore,
And wrap it around my bleeding wound
That it won't bleed no more.
4 He tore his shirt from off his back,
And tore it from gore to gore.
And wrapped it around his bleeding wound
That it might bleed no more.
5 If you meet my father, as you turn round home,
Enquiring for his son John,
Go tell him I've gone to Langford's Town
To bring those new books home.
6 If you meet my mother, as you turn round home,
Enquiring for her son John,
Go tell her I'm gone to the cottage gate
To learn to sing and pray.
7 If you meet my true love, as you turn round home.
Enquiring for her true love John,
Go tell her I'm buried in the old churchyard,
And it's for her sake I'm gone.
8 He met his father, as he turned round home,
Enquiring for his son John.
O father, O father, he's gone to Langford's Town
To bring those new books home.
9 He met his mother, as he turned round home,
Enquiring for her son John.
O mother, O mother, he's gone to the cottage gate
To learn to sing and pray.
10 He met his true love, as he turned round home,
Enquiring for her true love John.
O true love, O true love, he's buried in the old churchyard.
And it's for your sake he's gone.
11 They buried his bible at his head,
His testament at his feet,
And on his breast his little hymn-book,
That with them he might sleep.