ADD Version: Barbara Ellen (from Thomas Baynes)

Subject: Lyr Req: thomas baynes' barbara ellen
From: Roberto
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 02:27 PM

From THE LARK IN THE MORNING, Liam Clancy, Tommy Makem, Family & Friends, Tradition, recorded in 1955. I'd like to complete and correct this transcriprion from the singing of THOMAS BAYNES. I miss many words and whole phrases, and I'm not sure of what I've written down. Help would be much appreciated. Thanks. R

Springtime comes but once a year
When all things are in blossom
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Ellen

She loved him and he loved her
And in ...(Henry's ???) heart was a-dwellin'
Sweet William ..... lay down ...
For the love of Barbara Ellen

Do you remember in the old town inn
In the old town inn a-drinkin' ?
I gave a toast to the ladies ...
My heart to Barbara Ellen

As she was walking down the road
She heard the birds a-singin'
And what she thought the birdies sang
Was – Hard-hearted Barbara Ellen

As she was passing the old church-yard
The old church bells were ringing
And what she thought the ... rang out
Was – Hard hearted Barbara Ellen

Then she looked to the east and she looked to the west
Till she spied the funeral comin'
Lay down, lay down that corpse of clay
Till I will gaze upon him

Oh, the more she looked, oh, the more she moaned
Till she fell to the ground a-cryin'
Sayin' – Pick me up and carry me home
For 't is now ... I am dyin'

Oh father, go and make my gravc
Oh make it long and narrow
For my love died for me last night
I'll die for him tomorrow

They both were buried in an old church-yard
And she was buried nigh him
O'er her (?) grave grew a rosy red
O'er Barbara's grew a briar

They both grow (?) up to a steeple top
Till they couldn't climb any higher
Then they mingled together in a true lover's knot
The red rose and the briar

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: thomas baynes' barbara ellen
From: GEST
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 07:44 PM

Here's a version which looks closer to yours than those already in the DT:


Barbara Allen (Barbry Ellen)

It was early early in the spring,
As the flowers they were budding;
Young Jamie on his deathbed lay,
For the love of Barbara Allen.

Slowly, slowly as she went down,
To the place where he was lying;
She gently drew the curtains back,
And she says, "Young man, you're dying."

"A dying man I know I am,
One kiss from you would cure me."
"One kiss from me you will never more get,
If your poor heart is breaking.

"Don't you remember last Saturday night,
All in that barroom drinking;
Where you drank a health to all fair maids,
And you slighted Barbara Allen?"

"Yes I remember last Saturday night,
All in that barroom drinking;
When liquor and wine it had got my brain,
And I slighted Barbara Allen.

"Now you go up to the head of my bed,
There is a basin standing;
It's wet with tears that I've oftentimes shed,
For the love of Barbara Allen.

"Now you go down to foot of my bed,
There is a waistcoat hanging;
There is my gold watch and my gold chain,
Go take it, Barbara Allen."

He turned his back unto the wall,
He turned his back upon her;
Saying, "Here's adieu to all fair maids,
And likewise Barbara Allen."

She turned around for to go home,
And her poor heart was breaking;
And when she got one mile from town,
She heard the death bell tolling.

And every time that bell would toll,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen,
She looked to the east and she looked to the west,
She saw the funeral coming.

She begged his bearers to lay him down,
Until she gazed upon him;
Oh, the more she gazed, oh, the more she looked,
Until she burst out crying.

"Oh, Father, you go dig my grave,
Go dig it long and narrow;
Young Willie died for me today,
And I'll die for him tomorrow."

Young Willie was buried in the old church yard,
And Barbara was buried beside him;
Up from his grave there grew a rose,
And up from hers a briar.

It grew together in a true love's knot,
In a true love's grave forever;
They lapped and tied in a true love's knot,
The rose ran around the briar.

####.... English Traditional (1666) (Child Ballad #84) ....####

Sung as Barbry Ellen by Gerald Aylward (1917-1987) of Cape Broyle, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA). Also collected by Ken Peacock and published in Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 3, p.649, by The National Museum of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved.


From: GEST Songs Of Newfoundland And Labrador
http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/12/barbara.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: thomas baynes' barbara ellen
From: Roberto
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 05:48 AM

Thank you, "GEST", but I wouldn't say the two versions are quite similar. Anyone has the CD (or the LP) The Lark in the Morning and is willing to help me with Thomas Baynes' singing?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Barbara Ellen (Thomas Baynes)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jul 24 - 02:55 PM

Any information on Thomas Barnes, please??

Subject: RE: ADD Version: Barbara Ellen (from Thomas Baynes)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jul 24 - 03:16 PM

Guest, note that it's Thomas Baynes. The album was Lark in the Morning - Folk Songs and Dances from the Irish Countryside (Collected By Diane Hamilton), first issued in 1956, I believe. Here's the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnaWffmPF84

Subject: RE: ADD Version: Barbara Ellen (from Thomas Baynes)
From: The Sandman
Date: 27 Jul 24 - 06:25 AM

very good,thanks