Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow- Carter Family (VA) 1927
[From recording Victor 21074 on August 1, 1927; and later on Bluebird B-6053 in 1935. They also recorded a remake with different text titled, "Answer to Weeping Willow," on Decca 5234 in 1936.
The classic early recording was made by The Carter Family at the Bristol Sessions. It was the first song they recorded on August 1, 1927.
During a 1970's interview, Charles K. Wolfe asked Mother Maybelle Carter about the song, "Bury Me Beneath The Willow." She replied, "That was a song we had sang all our lives. We first heard the song at a family get-together and decided to learn it. We did learn the words and sang it at all our family parties and get-togethers. The song became quite popular so when we recorded for RCA Victor in 1927--we recorded "Bury Me Beneath The Willow" on our first recording session in Bristol, Tennessee. The original version of the song was written by Bradley Kincaid."
Mother Maybelle's recollection that the song was written by Kincaid is amusing and shows the lack of understanding that most early performers had of their own repertoire. The Carter's songs were regional folk songs that were collected mostly by A.P. Carter and arranged by the trio. In 1927 Kincaid had not yet made a recording and had just started performing on WLS in Chicago. It's much more likely that Kincaid got the song from the Carters! Maybelle probably heard from someone that Kincaid wrote it.
"Bury Me" was one of The Carters most popular songs and they recorded it three times-- one version being the parody "Answer to Weeping Willow" which they wrote. A number of other versions were recorded by the later Carter clan and the song is often identified by the Carters.
R. Matteson 2017]
"Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow." Carter Family, 1927
My heart is sad and I'm in sorrow
For the only one I love;
When shall I see him, oh no never,
Till I meet him in heaven above.
CHORUS: Oh bury me beneath the willow
Yes under the weeping willow tree
So he may know where I am sleeping
And perhaps he will weep for me.
He told me that he did not love me
I could not believe it was true
Until an angel softly whispered
He has proven untrue to you. CHORUS:
[Maybelle solo]
Tomorrow was our wedding day
But oh Lord, oh where is he?
He's gone to seek him another bride
And he cares no more for me. CHORUS:
[Maybelle solo] CHORUS
Oh, bury me under the violets blue
To prove my love to him,
Tell him that I would die to save him,
For his love I never could win.
CHORUS