No tune is given in Burt, American Murder Ballads (pp. 65-66), from which the DT version is copied, but Burt says, "This is sung to the same tune as 'Mary Phagan'". "Mary Phagan" (Laws #F20) (as Mary Fagan in the DT, without tune) has been discussed in a number of threads: e.g., Lyr Req: Little Grave in Georgia and Lyrics for Mary Phagen or Fagen or Fagin ?. The tune in McNeil ("Little Marian Parker"; vol. 2, p. 68) was collected June 25, 1979, from Rebecca Simmons, Shirley, Arkansas. There're four Marion Parker ballads in The Frank C. Brown Collection, Vol. II (nos. 254-257; 257 is "Edward Hickman"; texts only). "Little Marion Parker" in the Max Hunter Collection (Click here), sung by Glenn Ohrlin, Mountain View, Arkansas on May 29, 1969, is a variant of a different ballad (Brown no. 256). The girl's name may have been "Marion". The murderer EDWARD HICKMAN's letter written before he was hanged is online (Click here).

~Masato