The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #19122 Message #956755
Posted By: Roberto
21-May-03 - 04:04 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Barbara Allen (different versions)
Subject: Lyr Add: BARBARA ALLEN / BARBARY... / BAWBEE...
BARBARA ALLEN, versions sung by Sarah Makem; Seannachie; Jean Redpath; Martin Carthy; Ewan MacColl; Nic Jones; Jody Stecher; Elizabeth Cronin.
a)-Barbara Allen, sung by Sarah Makem, 1967
Michaelmas day being in the year When the green leaves they were falling When young Jimmy Grove from the north country Fell in love with Barbara Allen.
He sent his servants out one day To see if she was coming, "One word from you will bring me to, If you be Barbara Allen."
"Get up,get up", her mama said, "Get up and go and see him." "Oh mama dear, do you not mind the time That you told me how to slight him?"
"Get up,get up", her father said, "Get up and go and see him." "Oh father dear, do you not mind the time That you told me how to shun him?"
Slowly, slowly she got up And slowly she put on her And slowly went to his bedside And slowly looked upon him
"You're lying low, young man", she said "And almost near a-dying." "One word from you will bring me to, If you be Barbara Allen."
"One word from me you never will get Nor any young man breathing For the better of me you never will be If your heart's blood was a-spilling."
"Look at my bedfoot", he said "And there you'll find them lying, Bloody sheets and bloody shirts I sweat for Barbara Allen."
"Look at my bedhead", he said "And there you'll find it ticking, My gold watch and my gold chain I bestow to Barbara Allen."
As she went over her father's green She heard the dead-bell ringing And every chap the dead-bell gave It was woe to Barbara Allen.
As she went over her father's hall She saw the corpse a-coming, "Lay down,lay down,old weary corpse Till I get looking upon him."
They lifted the lid up off the corpse. She bursted out with laughing. And all his wearied friends around cried, "Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
As she went into her father's house, "Make my bed long and narrow For the dead-bell did ring for my true-love today, It will ring for me tomorrow."
Out of one grave there grew a red rose And out of the other a briar But they both twisted into a true-lover's knot And there remain forever.
b)-Barbara Allen, sung by the Scottish group Seannachie
'T was in the merry month of May When green buds all were swelling, Sweet William on his death-bed lay For love of Barbara Allen
He sent his servant to the town, The place where she did dwelling Saying, "Master dear has sent me here If your name be Barbara Allen."
And slowly, slowly she got up And slowly she went to him But all she said when there she came Was, "Young man, I think you're dyin'."
"Do you remember the other night When we were in the tavern, You drank a toast to the ladies there And slighted Barbara Allen…"
He's turned his face unto the wall He's turned his back upon her, "Adieu, adieu to all my friends, But be kind, be kind to Barbara Allen."
As she was wanderin' o'er the lea She heard the death-bell knelling And every note did seem to say, "Hard-hearted Barbara Allen."
c)-Barbarry Allan, sung by Jean Redpath
I fell in love with a nice young girl Her name was Barbarry Allan; I fell in love with a nice young girl Her name was Barbarry Allan.
Till I fell sick and very ill, I sent for Barbarry Allan; Till I fell sick and very ill, I sent for Barbarry Allan.
She pull'd the curtains round my bed And says, "Young man,you're dyin'." She pull'd the curtains round my bed And says, "Young man,you're dyin'."
"A kiss o' you would dae me guid A kiss o' you would cure me." "But a kiss o' me ye ne'er shall hae Tho' your poor heart lies a-breakin'."
"It's look ye up at my bed heid And see what you'll find hangin', A silver watch and a guinea gold chain That hangs there for Barbarry Allan, That hangs there for Barbarry Allan.
It's look ye down at my bedside And see what you'll find sittin', A basin full o' my heart's tears That is there for Barbarry Allan, That is there for Barbarry Allan."
She hadna gane a mile or twa When she heard the death-bell ringin' And every toll they seem'd to say, "Cruel-hearted Barbarry Allan", "Cruel-hearted Barbarry Allan."
"O mother dear,it's mak' my bed And mak' it soft and narrow For my true love has died for me An' I'll die for him tomorrow, An' I'll die for him tomorrow."
d)-Barbary Ellen, sung by Martin Carthy
All in the third part of the year When green leaves they were fallin' Young Johnny Rose all down from the North Fell in love with Barbary Ellen
He sent his men down through the town To the place where she was dwellin' Saying, "Lady, come quick and come very quick If your name be Barbary Ellen."
So slowly slowly she rose up So slowly she put on her So slowly come to his bedside And so slowly she looked upon him
"You're lyin' low,young man", she cries, "And death is with you dealin' But the better for me you never shall be Tho' your heart's blood was spillin'."
"O look at my bed-head", he cries, "And there you'll find it ticking, My gold watch and my gold chain I bestow to you, my Ellen.
And look at my bed-foot", he cries, And there you'll find them lyin', My sheets and bloody shirts, I sweat them for you, my Ellen."
"Tell me do you mind the time", she cries, "All in the tavern swilling; You made the health of all round the place But never for your love Ellen."
She walked over yon garden field She heard the dead-bell knelling And every stroke that the dead-bell gave It cried, "Woe be to you now, Ellen."
As she walked over the garden field She saw his corpse a-comin', "Lay down, lay down your weary load Until I get to look upon him."
She lifted the lid from off the corpse, She bursted out with laughin', And all of his friends that stood round about They cried, "Woe be to you now, Ellen."
She came home to her father's house, "Make my bed long and narrow For young Johnny Rose died for me today And I must die tomorrow."
They buried her all in the churchyard, They buried him in the choir, And out of him there grew a red rose And out of her a briar
They grew, they grew all in the churchyard Till they could grow no higher, They twisted and twined themselves in a knot, As the rose grew all round the briar.
e)-Bawbee Allan, sung by Ewan MacColl
It fell aboot the Martinmas time When the green leaves they were fallin'; Then Sir John Graeme, o' the North Countrie Fell in love with Bawbee Allan.
He's sent a man a' through the toon Tae the place where she was dwellin', "Come doon, come doon to my master dear Gin yer name be Bawbee Allan."
Oh hooly, hooly rose she up And slowly she gaed to him; An' when she cam' tae his bedside "Young man, I think you're dyin'"
"It's I am sick and very sick An' it's a' for Bawbee Allan." "It's better for me ye'll never be For bonnie Bawbee Allan.
"When ye were in the tavern, sir An' at the wine a'swillin' Ye made the toast gang roon and roun And ye slighted Bawbee Allan."
He's turned his face unto the wa' An' death was wi' him dealin' "Then fare ye weel, my dear friends a' But be kind to Bawbee Allan.
"Then pit your hand anienst the wa' And there ye'll find a token, Wi' my gold watch and my gold ring Gie that tae Bawbee Allan.
"Then pit your hand anienst my side An there ye'll find a warran' An there ye'll get my blood-red sark It bled for Bawbee Allan.
She had nae gane a step, a step, When she heard the deith bell knellin' And ilka clap the deith-bell gied Said "Wae" tae Bawbee Allan.
"Oh mither, dear, ye'll mak' my bed Ye'll mak' it saft and narrow; My love has died for me this day I'll die for him tomorrow.
f)-Barbara Ellen, sung by Nic Jones
In Scarlet town where I was born In the place where she was dwelling A young man on his death bed lay All for the love of Barb'ry Ellen, Ellen For the love of Barb'ry Ellen
Well, he sent his servant to the town To the place where she was dwelling Saying, Arise, arise young woman, he said If your name be Barb'ry Ellen, Ellen If your name be Barb'ry Ellen
Slowly, slowly she rose up And slowly she drew nigh him And the only words that he heard her say Were, Young man, I think you're dying, dying Young man I think you're dying
Oh, a dying man, oh don't say so For your love is all I'm needin' One kiss, one kiss from your rosy lips That's all that I am needin', needin' That's all that I am needin'
But don't you remember last Saturday night When you were in the alehouse drinking How you drank the health of every young maid But not to Barb'ry Ellen, Ellen But not to Barb'ry Ellen
As I was walking through yonder grove I heard the death bell tollin' And every stroke rang out for shame Hard-hearted Barb'ry Ellen, Ellen Hard-hearted Barb'ry Ellen
As I was walking through yonder town I saw his coffin coming Lay down, lay down that I might see That I might gaze upon him, upon him That I might gaze upon him
The more she looked and the more she laughed And further she drew from him And it's all the people cried out for shame Hard-hearted Barb'ry Ellen, Ellen Hard-hearted Barb'ry Ellen
Now it's mother, oh mother go dig my grave And won't you dig it both long and narrow For this young man he's died for love And I shall die of sorrow, sorrow And I shall die of sorrow
Now Barb'ry Ellen she was buried in the old churchyard Laid young William over in the choir And out of his heart there grew a red rose And out of Barb'ry Ellen's a briar, a briar And out of Barb'ry Ellen's a briar
They grew and they grew in the old churchyard Until they could grow no higher And it's there they formed into a true lover's knot Red rose around the briar, the briar Red rose around the briar
Near Scarlet town where I was born Near the place where she was dwelling A young man on his death bed lay All for the love of Barb'ry Ellen, Ellen For the love of Barb'ry Ellen
g)-Barbary Ellen, sung by Jody Stecher
Away low down in Stony Town when red leaves they were fallin' Little Jimmy Grove from the west country came courtin' Barbary Ellen
So early early in the spring when green buds they were swellin' Little Jimmy Grove on his death bed lay for lovin' Barbary Ellen
And oh he hired a little boy to run for him an errand He sent him down into the town and bring him Barbary Ellen
Arise arise her mother cries, arise and go ye nigh him Oh mother oh mother don't you mind the time you told me to deny him?
Slowly slowly she drew nigh to the place where he was dwellin' Young man young man you're going to die for slighting Barbary Ellen
She came to the door and she entered in the place where he was lyin' And every word she said to him : young man I think your dyin'
I'm low, I'm low, I'm low I know, and death is in my dwellin' No better, no better I never will be if I can't have Barbary Ellen
You're very low and bound to go and death is on you dwellin' No better for me you ever shall be and you can't have Barbary Ellen
Remember down in yonders town you passed the drinks so willin' You handed wine to the ladies fine and you slighted Barbary Ellen
I remember down in yonder's town and in the tavern dwellin' I gave my wine to some other girls and my love to Barbary Ellen
In vain, in vain my love has called and death is in me dwellin' He turned his face to the milk white wall and his back to Barbary Ellen
She started out across the fields and heard the spring birds callin' And every bird song seemed to sing: hard hearted Barbary Ellen
When she was halfway cross the field she heard those death bells knellin' They rang so near, they rang so clear: hard hearted Barbary Ellen
As she walked into Stony Town the tears they started swellin' And every tear she shed appeared: unworthy Barbary Ellen
As she came to the end of town she heard his coffin comin' She cried aloud for to set him down that she might gaze up on him
The more she gazed the more she mourned until she burst with sorrow Sweet Jimmy died for me today I'll die for him tomorrow
Mother Oh Mother Oh Mother she cried, you would not let me have him Mother Oh Mother Oh Mother she cried, you would not let me have him
Mother Oh Mother come make my bed oh make it soft and narrow Little Jimmy died of pure pure love, I'll die for him of sorrow
They buried Jimmy in one church yard and Barbary in another And from her breast sprang a red red rose and from his feet a briar
They grew and they grew to the top of the church They could not grow no higher They lapped and they tied in a true lover's knot Red rose around green briar
h)-Barbara Allen, sung by Elizabeth Cronin
It was early, early in the summer-time When the flowers were freshly springing A young man came from the North Country Fell in love with Barbara Allen Fell in love with Barbara Allen A young man came from the North Country Fell in love with Barbara Allen
He felt sick and very, very bad And more inclined to die. He wrote a letter to the old house at home To the place where she was dwelling To the place where she was dwelling He wrote a letter to the old house at home To the place where she was dwelling
Very slowly she got up And slowly she came to him. The first word she spoke when she came there Was, Young man, I fear you're dying, Young man I fear you're dying. The first word she spoke when she came there Was, Young man, I fear you're dying.
Dying, dying, not at all, He said, One kiss from you would cure me. One kiss from me you ne'er shall see If I thought your heart was breaking If I thought your heart was breaking One kiss from me you ne'er shall see If I thought your heart was breaking.