Gambling on the Sabbath Day [Laws E14]
DESCRIPTION: A young man murders his comrade and is condemned to die. His family's pleas for him are in vain; despite repenting, he is hanged. His downfall is blamed on his habit of gambling on the sabbath dayAUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1925 (recording, George Reneau)
KEYWORDS: gambling homicide execution
FOUND IN: US(Ap,So)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Laws E14, "Gambling on the Sabbath Day"
Henry-SongsSungInTheSouthernAppalachians, pp. 105-106, "Gambling on the Sabbath Day" (1 text)
Randolph 137, "Gambling on the Sabbath Day" (3 texts plus 2 excerpts, 2 tunes)
Randolph/Cohen-OzarkFolksongs-Abridged, pp. 170-173, "Gambling on the Sabbath Day" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 137A)
DT 624, CMBLSBTH (?! -- if this doesn't work, try GMBLSBTH)
Roud #3544
RECORDINGS:
William Hanson, "Gambling on the Sabbath Day" (OKeh 45529, 1931; rec. 1930)
George Reneau, "Gambling on the Sabbath Day" (Vocalion 15149, 1925)
NOTES [29 words]: Ozark lore attributes this song to one Bill Walker, executed May 10, 1889. Since some people believe they learned the song before this time, the attribution is doubtful. - RBW
File: LE14
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GAMBLING ON THE SABBATH DAY (DT Lyrics)
A poor unworthy boy who dares
To disregard a father's cares,
Who smiles to see a sister's tears
An' scorns to hear a mother's prayers.
From their advice he turned away,
At dice an' cards he learnt to play,
An' then a comrade he did slay
While gamhlin'on the Sabbath day.
His father, sixty years in age,
The best ol counsel did engage,
To see if something could be done
To save his disobedient son.
But nothin' could the coursel do,
The testimony was too true,
'Twas he the bloody weapon drew
An' pierced his comrade's body through.
His weepin' mother standin' by,
To hear them tell the reason rvhy,
Her son in prison had to lie
Till on the scaffold he must die.
Don't weep for me, my mother dear,
When I am safely laid away,
For on the scaffold I must pay
For gamblin' on the Sabbath day.
The sheriff cut the slender cord,
His soul has went to meet his Lord,
The doctor cried the wretch is dead.
The soul has from the body fled.
His weepin' mother cried aloud,
God save and pity this gazin' crowd,
That they may all be turned away
From gamblin' on the Sabbath day.
From Ozark Folksongs, Randolph
Collected from Mrs. Martha Duckworth, MO 1933
DT #624
Laws E14
@murder @gambler
filename[ GMBLSBTH
TUNE FILE: GMBLSBTH
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