From the album "John Barleycorn Lives Again". This is a traditional folk song about 'hard hearted' Barbara Allen. We have made it into an overlapping duet.
World Tree Music is a journey into love, legend and mystery. A cool rippling stream of organic and electronic sound ... a collage of energetic rhythms; topped
World Tree is called 'Gnostic' folk/classical fusions where our music and songs, both ancient and modern are blended in a melting pot of traditional folk and classical music with rock, blues and Celtic influences. The music ranges from soft, ambient to excitement and rhythms with ethnic percussion. John (composition, guitars and virtual instruments) & Gretchen (voice, lyrics and melodies). We are joined by friends and excellent musicians...John Howitt supremem on bass and other guitars, Ade Powell (Djembe, other drums and percussion) and Pete Lowe (flute and soprano saxophone).
Story behind the song
"Barbara Allen" is a traditional Scottish ballad; it later travelled to America both orally and in print, where it became a popular folk song. I love the nature references to flowers and particularly the last line with the rose growing around the briar. Barbara Allen visits the bedside of a heartbroken young man, who pleads for her love. She refuses, claiming that he had slighted her at a prior affair; he dies soon thereafter. Barbara Allen later hears his funeral bells tolling; stricken with grief, she dies as well.
Lyrics
Barbara Allen(Traditional. Arr: World Tree Music)
'Twas in the merry month of May,
When green buds [F]all were swellin',
Sweet William on his death bed lay,
For the love of Barbara Allen.
He sent his servant to the town,
To the place where she was dwellin',
Sayin', "You must come to my master dear,
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 dyin'."
He turned his face unto the wall,
And death was in him wellin',
"Goodbye, goodbye to my friends all,
Be good to Barb'ry Allen."
When he was dead and laid in grave,
She heard the death bells knellin',
And every stroke to her did say:
"Hard-hearted Barb'ry Allen."
"Oh mother, oh mother, go dig my grave,
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died of love for me,
And I will die of sorrow."
"And father, oh father, go dig my grave,
Make it both long and narrow,
Sweet William died on yesterday,
And I will die tomorrow."
Barbara Allen was buried in the old church yard,
Sweet William was buried beside her;
Out of William's heart, there grew a rose,
Out of Barbara Allen's a briar.
They grew and grew in the old church yard,
'Til they could grow no higher;
At the end they formed a true lovers' knot,
And the rose grew 'round the briar.
