Barbara Allen

Collected by Bob Copper in about 1954, from Steve Goodall, of Basingstoke, Hants: see Chapter Sixteen, pp. 135-140, of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix for these words.

One morning in the month of May
When green leaves were a-springing,
A young man on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.

So slowly then she walked along
So slowly she got to him,
And when she got to his bedside
She said, Young man you're dying.

He turned his face unto the wall
And death was creeping on him,
Adieu, he cried, adieu to you
Adieu to Barbara Allen.

And then he died all on that day
And she died on tomorrow,
For he had died alone for love
But she had died for sorrow.

He was buried down in the old churchyard
She was buried there beside him,
And out of his grave there sprung a rose,
And out of hers sweet briar.

They grew and grew to the high church tower
Till they could not grow any higher,
And there they twined in a true lovers' knot,
For all true lovers to admire.

[Bob Copper's note]: I had to help Steve slightly with some of the words so this is a somewhat hybrid version.