ANACHIE GORDON (Child #239) - as sung by Mary Black

Harking is bonnie and there lives my love
My heart lies on him and will not remove
It will not remove O for all that I have done
O never will I forget me love, Anachie
For Anachie Gordon he's bonnie and he's rough
He'd entice any woman that ever he saw
He'd entice any woman and so he has done me
O I never will forget me love Anachie

Down came her father and he standing by the door
Saying Jeannie you're trying the tricks of a whore
You care nothing for a man who cares so very much for thee
You must marry Lord Sultan and leave Anachie
For Anachie Gordon he's barely but a man
Although he may be pretty but where are his lands
O the Sultan's lands are broad and his towers they run high
You must marry Lord Sultan and leave Anachie

With Anachie Gordon, I'd beg for my bread
And before I'll marry Sultan it's gold to my head
With gold to my head and gowns fringed to the knee
And I'll die if I don't get me love Anachie
And you that are my parents to church you may me bring
But unto Lord Sultan I'll never bear a son
To a son or a daughter, I'll never bow my knee
And I'll die if I don't get me love, Anachie

Jeannie was married and from church she was brought home
And when she and her maidens so merry should have been
When she and her maidens so merry should have been
She went into her chamber she cries all alone

Come to bed now Jeannie me honey and my sweet
For to style you my mistress it would be so sweet
Be it mistress or Jeannie, it's all the same to me
But in your bed, Lord Sultan, I never will lie
And down came her father and he's spoken with renown
Saying you that are her maidens go loosen off her gowns
But she fell down to the floor so close down by his knee
Saying, Father, look, I'm dying for my love, Anachie

The day that Jeannie married was the day that Jeannie died
And the day that young Anachie came home on the tide
And down came her maidens all wringing of their hands
Saying, O it's been so long you've spent, so long on the sands
O so long on the sands, so long on the flood
They have married your Jeannie and now she is dead

You that were her maidens, go take me by the hand
And take me to the chamber that me love she lies in
And he's kissed her cold lips 'til his heart has turned to stone
And he's died in the chamber that his love she lies in.

Don Firth