The old Ballads...

I have always loved the old songs. Most of them learned while sitting at my grandmother's knee. Even in the 70's these songs are still sung in the high hills of North Carolina passed from one generation to the next.

Since I learned those songs, it has always been an interest of mine of their origins. And they are very very old. Most of them came from the "old country" with my ancestors as they came to this country. All of my relatives were either Scottish or Irish and as you must know we take our songs and stories very seriously.

One of my favorites is the song...Barbara Allen.

This song, the way it was taught to me had been changed down through the years. The original version from what I can gather through some of my research is Scottish in origin. Here are the original lyrics that I could find on the internet for

Bonny Barbara Allen...
It was in and about the Martinmas time,
When the green leaves were a-falling,
That Sir John Graeme, in the West country,
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

He sent his men down through the town
To the place where she was dwelling:
"O haste and come to my master dear,
Gin ye be Barbara Allen."

O hooly, hooly rose she up,
To the place where he was lying,
And when she drew the curtain by'
"Young man, I think you're dying."


"O it's I'm sick, and very, very sick,
And it's a' for Barbara Allen;"
"O the better for me you shall never be,
Though your heart's blood were a spilling."


"O dinna ye mind, young man," she said,
"When the red wine ye were filling,
That ye made the healths gae round and round,
And slighted Barbara Allen?"

He turned his face unto the wall,
And death was with him dealing;
"Adieu, adieu, my dear friends all,
And be kind to Barbara Allen."

That is not exactly the version we sang as children or the one I have taught my daughter. This is the version that I learned sitting at my grandmother's knee.

Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds all were swellin',
Sweet William on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwellin,
Said you must come, to my master dear
If your name be Barbara Allen.

He sent his servant to the town
A place where she did dwell in,
Said master dear, has sent me here
If your name be Barbara Allen.
So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And the only words to him did say
Young man I think you're dying.

Then slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she went to him,
And all she said, when there she came
Young man I think you're dying.
He turned his face unto the wall
When we were in the tavern,
Good-bye, good-bye, to my friends all
Be good to Barbara Allen.

Don't you remember the other night
And death was in him welling,
You drank a toast to the ladies there
And slighted Barbara Allen.
When he was dead and laid in grave
She heard the death bells melling
And every stroke to her did say
Hard hearted Barbara Allen.

He turned his face unto the wall
He turned his back upon her,
Adieu, adieu, to all my friends
And be kind, be kind, to Barbara Allen.

Oh mother, oh mother go dig my grave
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died of love for me
And I'll die for him tomorrow

As she was wandering by the fields
She heard the death bells melling
And every note did seem to say
Hard hearted Barbara Allen.

And father, oh father, go dig my grave
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died on yesterday
And I will die tomorrow.

The more it tolled the more she grieved
She bursted out a crying,
Oh pick me up and carry me home
I feel that I am dying.
Barbara Allen was buried in the old churchyard
Sweet William was buried nigh her,
Out of sweet William's heart, there grew a rose
From Barbara's a green briar.

Or something similar to that. It's the closest I can find. I'm going to be with my family next weekend and I'm going to have my aunt sing it to me again so I can write my families version.