The DT contains a set of the following as Amber Tresses, taken from a recording by A.P. Carter; it is a version modified by oral transmission, with the second half of each verse conflated with the chorus.  In the course of identifying a tune for it, I found sheet music for the original song at the Lester Levy Collection, which is sufficiently different for it to be worth posting here for purposes of comparison.


AMBER TRESSES TIED IN BLUE
(Words: Samuel M. Mitchell Music: H.P. Danks, c.1874)

1. Far away in sunny meadows, where the merry sunbeams play'd,
Oft I linger'd 'mid the clover, singing to a village maid;
She was fairer than the fairest, ever faithful, fond and true;
And she wore beneath a bonnet amber tresses tied in blue.

CHORUS: She was fairer than the fairest, Ever faithful, fond and true;
And she wore beneath a bonnet amber tresses tied in blue.

2. Ere the summer days departed, we had made a solemn vow,
And I never, never wearied kissing her sweet cheek and brow;
She was dearer than the dearest, pure as drops of morning dew,
And adown her neck was hanging amber tresses tied in blue.

3. 'Twas decreed that fate should part us, ere the leaves of autumn fell,
And two loving hearts were sever'd, that had loved each other well;
She was all I had to cherish, she has bade a last adieu,
And I see in every vision amber tresses tied in blue.


The sheet music was printed in 1874 by Cottier & Denton, 269 Main St., Buffalo. A midi of the vocal line will go to The Mudcat Midi Pages, and can be heard meanwhile via the South Riding Folk Network site:

Amber Tresses Tied in Blue.