From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians collected by Olive Dame Campbell and Cecil J. Sharp (New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1917), pae 145ff:


No. 36
The Brown Girl

A
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands at Allanstand, N. C., July 31, 1916

1. There was a rich lady; from England she came,
Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally by name,
And she had more money than the king could possess,
And her wit and her beauty was worth all the rest.

2. There was a poor doctor who lived hard by,
And on this fair damsel he cast his eye.
Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally, says he,
Can you tell me the reason our love can't agree?
I don't hate you, Billy, nor no other man,
But to tell you I love you I never can.

3. Fine Sally took sick and she knew not for why,
And she sent for this young man that she was to deny.
He says: Am I the doctor that you have sent for,
Or am I the young man that you once did deny?
Yes, you are the doctor can kill or can cure,
And without your assistance I'm ruined, I'm sure.

4. Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally, says he,
Don't you remember when you slighted me?
You slighted me highly, you used me with scorn,
And now I reward you for what's passed and gone.

5. What's passed and gone, love, forget and forgive,
And spare me a while longer in this wide world to live.
I don't want you, Sally, in the durance of my breath,
But I'll dance on your grave when you're laid in the earth.

6. Off from her fingers pulled diamond rings three.
Here, take these rings and wear them when you're dancing on me,
Then fly from your colour and be no more seen
When you have done dancing on Sally your queen.

B
Hexatonic. Mode 3, b.
Sung by Mrs. Tom Rice at Big Laurel, N. C., Aug. 17, 1916

1. Fine Sally, fine Sally, fine Sally, said he,
It's don't you remember when I courted thee?
I courted you for love, you denied me with scorn,
And now I'll reward you for things past and gone.

2. For things past and gone, love, forget and forgive,
And grant me a little longer on this earth to live.
I never will forgive you in the durance of my breath,
And I'll dance on your grave when you're lying in the earth.

3. Then off her fingers pulled diamond rings three,
Says: O wear these for my sake when you're dancing on me,
And fly from your colours and be no more seen
When you're done dancing on Sally your queen.

4. Farewell to old father and old father's friends,
Farewell to this young man; God make him amends.
Farewell to this whole world and all . . . . . .

C
Hexatonic. Mode 3, a.
Sung by Mr. Mitchell Wallin at Allanstand N. C., Aug. 4, 1916

1. There was a rich lady; from London she came,
And Sally, sweet Sally, fair Sally by name.
She were wounded in love; she knew not for why.
She sent out to the young man she used to deny.

D
Pentatonic. Mode 3.
Sung by Mr. Wm. Riley Shelton at Alleghany, N. C., Aug. 29, 1916

1. It's where does your pain lie? Does it lie in your side?
O where does your pain lie? Does it lie in your head?
The pain that torments me, love, I surely confess,
The pain that torments me, love, lies in my breast.

E
Heptatonic. Mode 1. a + b (mixolydian).
Sung by Mr. N. B. Chisholm at Woodridge, Va., Sept. 23, 1916

1. Are you the doctor they sent for me here?
Or are you the young man that I loved so dear?
Or are you the doctor can kill or can cure?
Without your assistance, I'm ruined, I'm sure.

F
Sung by Mrs. Moore, Rabun Co., Ga., May 2, 1909. (Tune not noted.)

1. There was a young doctor; from London he came.
He courted a damsel called Sarah by name.
Her wealth it was more than the king could possess.
Her beauty it was more than her wealth at the best.

2. O Sarah, O Sarah, O Sarah, said he,
I am truly sorry that we can't agree,
But if your heart don't tum unto love,
I fear that your beauty my ruin will prove.

3. O no, I don't hate you, and no other man,
But to say that I like you is more than I can.
So now you may stop with all your discourse,
For I never 'low to have you unless I am forced.

4. After twenty-eight weeks had done gone and passed,
The beautiful damsel she fell sick at last.
She sent for the young man she once did deny,
For to come and see her before she did die.

5. Am I the young man that you sent for here?
Or am I the young man that you loved so dear?
You're the only young doctor can kill or can cure,
And without your assistance I'm ruined, I'm sure.

6. O Sarah, O Sarah, O Sarah, said he,
Don't you remember you once slighted me?
You slighted, deviled me, you slighted me with scorn,
And now I'll reward you for things past and gone.

7. Forget and forgive, O lover, said she,
And grant me some longer a time for to live.
O no, I won't, Sarah, enduring your breath,
But I'll dance on your grave when you lay in cold death.

8. Gold rings off her finger ends she pulled three,
Saying: Take these and wear them when you dance on me.
Ten thousand times over my folly I see.

9. Now pretty Sarah is dead, as we all may suppose.
To some other rich lady willed all her fine clothes.
At last she made her bed in the wet and cold clay.
Her red, rosy cheeks is moulderin' away.

[Tunes are given for versions A-E.]