Origins: Allen Bane

Subject: Origins: Allen Bane
From: Goose Gander
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 03:40 PM

What do we know about this one?

Allen Bane

As sung by Almeda Riddle, Miller, AR, 6/25/53

"They're taking me to the gallows, Mother;
They mean to hang me high.
They'll draw a rope around my neck
And leave me hanging there,
For twelve good men have found me guilty,
Guilty of bloodshed.
They'll hang me on that gallows, Mother,
And hang me 'til I'm dead.

"The lambs that play on yonder hill
And the birds that sing and play
Are clear and pure from human blood,
And Mother, so am I.
But twelve good men have found me guilty,
Guilty of bloodshed.
They'll hang me to the gallows--oh, Mother--
They'll hang me 'til I'm dead.

"They think I've murdered Allen Bane,
The best friend I ever had,
And they'll hang me on that gallows, Mother,
And hang me 'til I'm dead.

"Place me in my coffin, Mother;
You sometimes seen me rest
With one hand beneath my head,
The other on my breast.
Place my Bible near my heart;
Poor Mother, do not weep,
But kiss me as in boyhood days
You kissed me when asleep.

"As for the rest, perform it right,
And little do I reck,
But cover up that cursed stain--
That black mark 'round my neck--
For Mother, falsely they put it there.
I'm innocent, as I've said.
Yet they'll hang me on the gallows, Mother,
And hang me 'til I'm dead.

"Lay me not down by Father's side,
For once I mind he said:
'No son that stains my spotless name
Can share my mortal bed,'
And I have stained that spotless name,
Though I'm innocent of bloodshed.
Yet they'll hang me to the gallows, Mother,
And hang me 'til I'm dead."

He mounted to the gallows then.
He said, "Goodbye, each hope,
And draw the cap across my neck,
Around my neck, your rope,
But falsely you put it there.
I'm innocent of bloodshed.
Yet they'll hang me to the gallows, Mother,
And hang me 'til I'm dead."

A horseman appears with foaming steed,
And tightly gathered reins.
He steps erect, he waves his hands,
"Good God, that's Allen Bane!
Oh, Mother, praise the God you love,
Raise your poor drooping head.
For the murderous gallows black and grim
Is cheated of its dead."

Source:
Wolf Folklore Collection

Subject: RE: Origins: Allen Bane
From: Goose Gander
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 01:49 PM

Two fragments from the Max Hunter collection . . . . I particularly like Kay Ohrlin's melody for this one.

Gallows Song

As sung by Kay Orhlin, Mountain View, Arkansas on October 7, 1969

They've taken me to th gallows, Mother
Their going to hang me high
Th people will gather beneath me there
An' watch me till I die
Th crazy mob will shout an' groan
Th priest will read a prayer
Th trap will fall beneath my feet
An' leave me in the air

It is a bright an' a beautiful day
Th sun is shining high
It is a bright an' a beautiful day
Th sun is shining high
It is a wonderful day to live
An' a gloomy one to die


Gallows Song

As sung by Raymond Sanders, Mountain View, Arkansas on May 12, 1970

They've taken me to th gallows, Mother
Their goin' to hang me high
Th people will gather around me there
An' watch me till I die
Th crazy mob will shout an' groan
Th Priest will read a prayer
Th trap will fall beneath my feet
An' leave me in th air

It is a bright an' a beautiful day
Th sun is rising high
It is a bright an' a beautiful day
Th sun is rising high
It is a wonderful day t' live
A gloomy one to die

Subject: RE: Origins: Allen Bane
From: Goose Gander
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 03:46 PM

Only ten references for this one in the Roud Index, most from North America. Interestingly, there is apparently one Australian variant: sung by Tom Gibbons, in Meredith & Anderson, Folk Songs of Australia.