The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #44331 Message #1804052
Posted By: Joe Offer
07-Aug-06 - 09:52 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Song Willis Mayberry
Subject: ADD: Rome County
The Roud Index has a number of listing, but there's nothing in the Traditional Ballad Index. The Max Hunter Collection has a couple of listings under the title "Rome County." Here's one:
Hills Of Rome County Cat. #0516 (MFH #537) - As sung by Harrison Burnett, Fayetteville, Arkansas on July 5, 1960
VERSE 1 In th beautiful hills, in midst of Rome County That's where I'd roamed for many a long year That's where my heart's been, yes tending most ever That's wher th first step of misfortune I made
VERSE 2 At thirty years old, I courted an' married Amanda Gilberth was then called my wife Her brother he stabbed me, for some unknown reason Just three months later I'd taken Tom's life
VERSE 3 For twenty long years through this old world I rambled I went to old England, to France an' to Spain I thought of my home, way back in Rome County So, I boarded a steamer, came back home again
VERSE 4 I was captured an' tried in th village of Kingston Not a man in that county would speak a kind word Th jury came in with a verdict next morning It's lifetime in prison, was all that I heard
VERSE 5 Th train it pulled out, poor Mother stood weeping Sister, she set, all alone with a sigh Th last words I heard was, Willie, God bless you Was, Willie, God bless you, God bless you, goodbye
VERSE 6 In th scorching hot sand of th foundry, I'm working Yes, working an' toiling my life away They'll measure my grave, on th banks of ole Cumberland As soon as I finish th rest of my days
VERSE 7 No matter what happened to me, in Rome County No matter how long, my sentence may be I love my ole home, 'way back in Rome County Because it is 'way up in East Tennessee
VERSE 8 Napoleon was great an' Brier was much greater There's better an' worse all over, you see Boys, when you write home, from your prison in Nashville Put one of my songs in your letters for me