Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Troll
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:21 PM

A failure to communicate! And all these years I thought he was an immature idiot who didn't have enough sense to tell her he loved her until she ran out of patience and decided that he had scorned he. And I thought she was just being bitchy and didn't think he would really die. Ah, the wonders of modern ballad analysis.

troll

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: DougR
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:07 PM

Art and Wesley have it right, I think, and Strother Martin's line in that movie is one of the best I've ever heard!

DougR

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Wesley S
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 12:59 PM

This reminds me of Sir Strother Martin in "The Ballad of Lord Cool Hand Luke" who said " What we haveth herein is a falure to communicate"

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 12:40 PM

Simple failure to communicate.

Art

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Bert
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 10:27 AM

There's gotta be a song here!!!

PMS? - Headache? - Nothing to wear?

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: GeorgeH
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 09:01 AM

Indeed, Amos, it was all a tragic misunderstanding . . (as a modern spin-doctor might express it)! A very sad song.

G.

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Amos
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 08:55 AM

She had been slighted by him, she fancied. The dialog I learned to it (as mentioned above) goes:

"Do you recall, in yonder town, when the red wine was a -flowing?
You drank a health to the girls around
But slighted Bar'bra Ellen.

O, I recall, in yonder town, when the red wine was a-flowing.
I gave a health to the girls around, and my love to Bar'bra Ellen"

Had she been a witch, methinks, she would not have been so wholly converted when the bells began to knell.

That said, I have always thought her remarks to the young man were as cruel as young love could get.

A

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 08:41 AM

Cause the Bastard never paid her mates. Arrghh. Yours,Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: GUEST,Roberto
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 08:39 AM

"Barbara Allen" is more deep than it seems. The most interesting comment I've read was by Robert Graves, who thought she was a witch. That could explain Barbara Allen's laughter when she sees his corpse. In some versions, she cries, but in others, she wildly laughs. See, for instance, Martin Carthy's version, in his last CD, "Sign of Life", or Jean Redpath's, in "First Flight". When she comes to his death-bed, he shows her things that seem to be tokens ("a basin full of my heart's tears"; a golden watch etc), maybe to soothe her and make her stop the withcraft, that is making him die. It is Barbara Allen, it seems, the cause of Sweet William's misterious illness, but there is something more than just a romantic yearning. She takes her revenge (maybe because she was rejected or neglected, being of low social degree or something), although she knows that the same witchcraft may kill her too...I'LL TRY TO FIND THE COMPLETE ROBERT GRAVES' COMMENT, AND I'LL WRITE IT DOWN FOR YOU. Roberto

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From:
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 02:15 AM

As I remember the lyrics, she doesn't refuse to see him. She is just a bit laid-back about the visit and says something like, "Young man I think you're dying."

Murray

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:35 AM

Thanks, never seen that version. Nuff said. S

Subject: RE: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Bugsy
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:30 AM

"Don't you remember in yonder town, the place where you were dwelling.

You gave the toast to the ladies all, and slighted Barbara Allan."

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!

Cheers

bugsy

Subject: Why Did Barbara Allen Refuse?
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 01:19 AM

I have wondered this for a long time, and I have gone back and searched the archives, no answer. Does anybody have any idea why Barbie refused to go see Sweet William on his death-bed? A "Child-Addicted" friend said she heard that it was because he bought all the other maids in the pub a round, but refused to buy her one. Any comments?