Here is Barbara Allen,
the most popular classic ballad
of the Western world.
In Scarlet Town, where I was born,
there was a fair maid dwellin',
made every youth cry well a day
and her name was Barbary Allen
was in the merry merry month of May when the green birds they were a swell
ing sweet William on his deathbed lay for the love of Barbary Allen.
He sent his servant to the town,
to the place where she was a -dwelling.
Cried, master, bid you come to him,
if your name be Barbary Allen.
Then slowly, slowly, she got up,
and slowly, well, she nigh him.
And when she pulled the curtains back,
said, young man,
I think you're a dying.
Oh, yes, I'm sick.
I'm very, very sick.
And I never will be better
until I have the love of one,
the love of Barbary Adams.
Oh, can you not, in yonder town,
In the place where you were a -dwellin'?
You gave a toast to the ladies all,
But you slighted Barbary Allen.
Oh, yes, I can, I can it well,
In the place where I was a -dwellin'.
I gave a toast to the ladies all,
but my love to Barbarie Allen.
Then lightly tripped she down the stairs,
he trembled like an aspen.
Goodbye, friends, and kinfolks all,
be kind to Barbary Allen.
She walked out in the green,
green fields,
she heard his death bells nelling,
and every stroke they seemed to say.
Hard -hearted Barbary Allen.
Her eyes looked east,
her eyes looked west.
She saw his pale corpse coming.
She cried, bearers,
bearers, put him down.
That I may look upon him.
The more she looked,
the more she grieved.
Until she burst out crying.
She cried, bearers, bearers, take him off.
For I am now dying.
Oh, father, oh, father,
go dig my grave,
go dig it deep and narrow.
Sweet William died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow.
They buried her in
the old churchyard.
Sweet William's grave was nigher,
And from his heart grew a red, rose,
And from her heart a briar.
They grew and they grew
o the old church wall,
Till they couldn't grow no higher,
Until they tied a true lover's knot,
The red rose and the briar.