Barbara Allen (Traditional British)

In Scarlet town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every lad cry ‘well a day’
Her name was Barbara Allen.    

‘Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds, they were a swelling,
Sweet William on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.                              

He sent his servant unto her
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying “you must come to his deathbed now
If your name be Barbara Allen.”                           

"Sweet William, do you still recall
When you were in the tavern,
You toasted all the ladies there
And slighted Barbara Allen?"                              

He turned his face unto the wall,
For death was on him dwellin',
"Adieu, Adieu, dear friends and all,
Be kind to Barbara Allen."                                   

When he was dead, laid in the grave 
She heard the death bells knelling,
At every stroke they seemed to say 
“Hard hearted, Barbara Allen.”                           

“Oh mother, mother dig my grave
Make it long and make it narrow,
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow.”                                   

They buried her in the old churchyard
They buried him in choir,
And from his grave grew a red, red rose
And out of hers, a briar.                                      

They grew and grew to the steeple top
Till they could grow no higher,
And there they twined in a true love knot
Red rose around green briar.

A Border Affair (Charles Badger Clark)

Spanish is the lovin' tongue,
Soft as music, light as spray,
'Twas a girl I learnt it from,
Livin' down Sonora way.
I don't look much like a lover,
Yet I say her love words over;
Often when I'm all alone - 
'Mi amor, mi corazon.'

Nights when she knew where I'd ride
She would listen for my spurs,
Fling the big door open wide,
Raise them laughin' eyes of her.
And my heart would nigh stop beatin'
When I heard her tender greetin',
Whispered soft for me alone
'Mi amor! mi corazon!'

But one time I had to fly
For a foolish gamblin' fight,
And we said a swift goodbye
In that black, unlucky night.
When I'd loosed her arms from clingin'
With her words the hoofs kep' ringin',
As I galloped north alone - 
'Adios, mi corazon'

Never seen her since that night,
I kain't cross the Line, you know,
She was Mex and I was white;
Like as not it's better so.
Yet I've always sort of missed her
Since that last wild night I kissed her,
Left her heart and lost my own - 
'Adios, mi corazon!' 

Sweet Betsy From Pike (Traditional American)

Did you ever hear tell of Sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide mountains with her lover Ike,
With two yoke of cattle, a large yeller dog,
A tall Shanghai rooster, and a one-spotted hog.

One evening quite early they camped on the Platte,
Twas near by the road on a green shady flat.
Betsy, sore-footed, lay down to repose--
With wonder Ike gazed on that Pike County rose. 

Out on the prairie one bright starry night,
They broke out the whiskey and Betsy got tight.
She sang and she shouted and danced o'er the plain
And showed her bare arse to the whole wagon train. 

The alkali desert was burning and bare,
And Isaac's soul shrank from the death that lurked there.
"Dear old Pike County, I'll go back to you"--
Says Betsy, "You'll go by yourself if you do!"

The Shanghai ran off, and the cattle all died,
That morning the last piece of bacon was fried.
Ike got discouraged, Betsy got mad,
The dog drooped his tail and looked wonderfully sad. 

They suddenly stopped on a very high hill,
With wonder looked down upon old Placerville.
Ike said to Betsy, as he cast his eyes down,
"Sweet Betsy, my darling, we've got to Hangtown." 

This Pike County couple got married, of course,
But Ike became jealous, and obtained (got) a divorce.
Never outdone, Betsy said with a shout,
"Goodbye, you big lummox, I'm glad you backed out!"