Anglo-American Ballads AFS L7
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THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS MUSIC DIVISION-RECORDING LABORATORY FOLK MUSIC OF THE UNITED STATES Issued from the Collections of the Archive of American Folk Song 31 A. & B. 1. THE GOLDEN WILLOW TREE 4. ul'lI give you gold or I'll give thee" Sung with banjo by Justus Begley at Hazard, Kentucky, Crying, 0 the lonesome land so 10w 1937. Recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax. "I'll give you gold or I'll give thee The fairest of my daughters as she sails upon the sea, If you'll sink 'em in the lowland lonesome low, HIS is perhaps the best-known, if not the best, of the If you'll sink 'em in the land that lies so low." T English and Scottish ballads dealing with the sea. In spite of the queer losses of meaning which Old World 5. Then he turned upon his back and away swam he, names and events have suffered, the story of the brave cabin boy and his betrayal by the false captain has lost Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low. none of its appeal for American singers and their audi He turned upon his back and away swum he. ences. The ship that "went by the name of the Golden He swum till he came to the British Roverie, Willow Tree" (more commonly, the Golden Vanity) was As she sailed in the lowland lonesome low, originally the Sweet Trinity, built by Sir Walter Raleigh. The Lowlands. or Low Countries, have become the "low~ As she sailed in the lowland so low. land lonesome low" (sometimes, the "lonesome sea"), while the ship itself sails against the "British Roverie" in 6. He had a little instrument fitted for his use, "South Amerikee." In some versions the cabin boy, Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low. instead of being left to drown, is rescued; in others he is He had a little instrument fitted for his use. given a sea burial by his shipmates. He bored nine holes and he bored them all at once, Many listeners will find Justus Begley's vigorous accom paniment on the five-string banjo not the least attractive And he sank her in the lowland lonesome low, part of his performance. He sang the ballad while And he sank her in the lowland so low. running for sheriff of Perry County, Kentucky. For texts and notes, see. The English and Scottish 7. Well, he turned upon his breast and back swum he, Popular Ballads, edited by Francis James Child, Part IX Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low. (Boston, 1894), No. 286. He turned upon his breast and back swum he. B. A. B. He swum till he came to the Golden Willow Tree, As she sailed in the lowland lonesome low, 1. There was a little ship in South Amerikee, As she sailed in the lowland so low. Crying, 0 the land that lies so low. There was a little ship in South Amerikee, 8. "Captain, 0 Captain, come take me on board" She went by the name of the Golden Willow Tree, Crying, 0 the lonesome land so 10w As she sailed in the lowland lonesome low, "0 Captain, 0 Captain, come take me on board, As she sailed in the lowland so low. And do unto me as good as your word, For I sank 'em in the lowland lonesome low, 2. We hadn't been a-sailing more than two weeks or three, I sank her in the lowland so low." Crying, 0 the land that lies so low. We hadn't been a-sailing more than two weeks or three 9. "Oh, no, I won't take you on board" Till we came in sight of the British Roverie, Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low As she sailed in the lowland lonesome low, "Oh, no, I won't take you on board, As she sailed in the lowland so low.· Nor do unto you as good as my word, Though you sank 'em in the lowland lonesome low, 3. Up stepped a little carpenter boy, Though you sank 'em in the lowland so low." Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low. Up stepped a little carpenter boy, 10. "If it wasn't for the love that I have for your men" Says, "What will you give me for the ship that I'll Crying, 0 the land that lies so low destroy? "If it wasn't for the love that I have for your men, And I'll sink 'em in the lowland lonesome low, I'd do unto you as I done unto them. And I'll sink 'em in the lowland so low." I'd sink you in the lowland lonesome low, I'd sink you in the lowland so low." .The following st.anza has been omitted by the singer at this point: 11. He turned upon his head and down swum he, Up stepped tbe Captain, says, "What we goIng to do ?" Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low, Crying, 0 the lonesome land so low. He turned upon his head and down swum he. Up stepped the Captain, says, "What we goIng to do? He swum till he came to the bottom of the sea, It we overtake thew, they'll cut us In two, And they'll sink us in the lowland lonesome lo\v, Sank himself in the lowland lonesome low, They'll sink us in the lowland so low." Sank himself in the lowland so low. ALBUM 7- ANGLO-AMERICAN BALLADS 31 B. 2. THE RAMBLING BOY She treated me kind both night and day Sung with banjo by Justus Begley at Hazard. Kentucky, And caused me to rob on the road highway. 1937. Recorded by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax. 3. So, my pretty little miss, now fare you well. I love you so well no one can tell. HE central theme of this "rake's farewell" (of British If pleasure no more on earth r feel, provenience) is that of the "rake and rambler" who hasT been driven by marriage to a highwayman's career I wouldn't serve you as you served me. and is now condemned to die. As in most ballads about condemned men, there are the usual sentimental refer 4. Oh, my pretty little miss, sixteen years old, ences to the pretty sweetheart and the weeping mother. Her hair just as yellow as the shining gold, The boastfully defiant close, however, distinguishes the The prettiest face, oh, the sweetest hands "Rambling Boy" type from the "Claude Allen" type (Record 35 B), with its parting advice to "take warning." Bless the ground on where she stands. Most American versions of "The Rambling Boy" are given a local setting; but some still refer to London City or 5. Now my mother sits and weeps and moans. Dublin City instead of Cumberland City or Columbus City. My sister says she's left alone. For texts and notes, see Ballads and Songs Oollected btl the Missouri Folk-Lore Society, edited by H. M. Belden My true love cries in deep despair, (Columbia, Missouri, 1940), pp. 136--137 ; BaUa<l8 of the With her dark brown eyes and her fair and curly hair. Kentucky Highlands, by Harvey H. Fuson (London, 1931), pp. 63-64; Folle-Sonus fr om the Southern Highlands, col· 6. So I'll get me some paper and it's I'll sit down, lected and edited by Mellinger Edward Henry (New York, 1938), pp. 327-328; and Our Singing Oountry, collected and Drop a few lines to my Governor "Brown, compiled by John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax, Ruth And every word shall be the truth. Crawford Seeger, music editor (New York, 1941), Oh, pray for the governor to turn me loose. pp. 314-315. B.A. B. 7. I'll buy me a ticket in Greenville town, Get on the train and it's I'll sit down. 1. I am a poor and a ramblin' boy. Oh, the wheels will roll and the whistle will blow, To many other shores I have been. And it'll take me six months to get back home. In Cumberland City I paid my way To spend my money at the balls and play. 8. Come, young and old, and stand around, To see me laid in this cold ground. 2. In Cumberland City I married me a wife. I'm not ashamed or afraid to die, r loved her as I love my life. But r hope to meet you a bye and bye. ALBUM 7- ANGLO-AMERICAN BALLADS THE UBRARY OF CONGRESS MUSIC DIVISION-RECORDING LABORATORY FOLK MUSIC OF THE UNITED STATES Issued from the Collections of the Archive of American Folk Song 33 A. THE TWO SISTERS 10. " Oh, miller, oh, miller, here's five gold rings, Sung by Horlon Barker at Chilhowie, Virginia, 1939. To push the maiden in again." Recorded by Herbert Halpert. 11. The miller received those five gold rings, And pushed the maiden in again. N THE United States, the "romantic and mournful I song" of ·"The Twa Sisters" has become pure melo 12. The miller was hung at his own mill gate, drama, with the miller (who originally caIl!e to the younger sister's rescue) displacing the elder sister as the For drowning little sister Kate. villain of the piece. Gone, too, is the folk-tale motif of the singing bones. This has to do with fitting the hair and other parts of the drowned girl's body into a harp or other musical instrument, whose "voice" exposes the 33 B.