Synopses & Reviews
Folk-Songs of the South: Collected Under the Auspices of the West Virginia Folk-Lore Society is a collection of ballads and folk-songs from West Virginia. First published in 1925, this resource includes narrative and lyric songs that were transmitted orally, as well as popular songs from print sources. Through 186 ballads and songs and 26 folk tunes, this collection archives a range of styles and genres, from English and Scottish ballads to songs about the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, the opening of the American West, boat and railroad transportation, children’s play-party and dance music, and songs from African American singers, including post-Civil war popular music. The original introduction by Cox contains vibrant portraits of the singers he researched, with descriptions of performance style and details about personalities and attitudes. With a new introduction by Alan Jabbour, this reprint renews the importance of this text as a piece of scholarship, revealing Cox’s understanding of the workings of tradition across time and place and his influence upon folk-song research.
Synopsis
Folk-Songs of the South: Collected Under the Auspices of the West Virginia Folk-Lore Society is a collection of ballads and folk songs from West Virginia.
About the Author
Dr. John Harrington Cox (1863-1945) was a pioneer in the field of American folk song scholarship. An academic educated at Brown and Harvard, he joined the Department of English at West Virginia University in 1903 as an expert in Old and Middle English and Medieval literature. In 1913, his interests in philology led him to begin collecting folk songs and within two years he presided over the founding of the West Virginia Folklore Society, serving as its first president, archivist, and editor. By 1925 he had published
Folk-Songs of the South, the first major collection of American folk songs by an American editor, and he continued to collect folk songs for archiving, publishing
Traditional Ballads Mainly From West Virginia and
Folk-Songs Mainly From West Virginia in 1939. He died in Morgantown, West Virginia.Dr. Alan Jabbour is a folklorist and folk music specialist who has undertaken extensive field and library research into the folk cultural traditions of West Virginia and the Appalachians. While at Duke University (M.A. 1966, Ph.D. 1968), he launched a project to document the older traditional fiddling of the Upland South. His work with Monroe County fiddler Henry Reed and other West Virginia fiddlers has helped make the older repertory of West Virginia fiddle tunes loom large in the contemporary instrumental folk music revival, and the Library of Congress has published a website featuring his entire Henry Reed Collection. His work with the Hammons Family in Pocahontas County has resulted in several important publications about this family’s extraordinary contributions to the reservoir of West Virginia folksong, folk music, and folklore.
Table of Contents
Introduction to New Edition, Alan JabbourDedicationPrefaceIllustrationsIntroduction, John Harrington CoxAbbreviationsBallads and Songs1. Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight (Child, No. 4) 2. Earl Brand (Child, No. 7) 3. The Twa Sisters (Child, No. 10) 4. Lord Randal (Child, No. 12) 5. The Cruel Mother (Child, No. 20)6. The Three Ravens (Child, No. 26)7. The Twa Brothers (Child, No. 49) 8. Young Beichan (Child, No, 53) 9. Young Hunting (Child, No. 68) 10. Lord Thomas and Fair Annet (Child, No. 73) 11. Fair Margaret and Sweet William (Child, No. 74) 12. Lord Lovel (Child, No. 75) 13. The Lass of Roch Royal (Child, No. 76) 14. The Wife of Usher’s Well (Child, No. 79) 15. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard (Child, No. 81) 16. Bonny Barbara Allen (Child, No. 84)17. Lady Alice (Child, No. 85) 18. The Maid Freed from the Gallows (Child, No. 95)19. Sir Hugh, or, The Jew’s Daughter (Child, No. 155)20. The Bonnie House O’ Airlie (Child, No. 199)21. The Gypsy Laddie (Child, No. 200)22. Bessie Bell and Mary Gray (Child, No. 201)23. Geordie (Child, No. 209)24. The Braes O’ Yarrow (Child, No. 214)25. James Harris (The Daemon Lover) (Child, No. 243)26. Henry Martin (Child, No. 250)27. The Suffolk Miracle (Child, No. 272)28. Our Good Man (Child, No. 274)29. The Wife Wrapped in Wether’s Skin (Child, No. 277)30. The Farmer’s Curst Wife (Child, No. 278)31. The Crafty Farmer (Child, No. 283)32. The Sweet Trinity (The Golden Vanity) (Child, No. 286)33. The Mermaid (Child, No, 289)34. Robin Hood 35. John Hardy 36. The Ashland Tragedy37. McAfee’s Confession38. The Jealous Lover (Pearl Bryan; Florella)39. A Tolliver-Martin Feud Song40. A West Virginia Feud Song41. The Vance Song42. Logan County Court House43. Black Phyllis44. Jesse James45. Ye Sons of Columbia (Fuller and Warren)46. Maggie was a Lady (Frankie)47. The Wreck on the C. & O.48. Mack McDonald49. The Dying Californian50. Joe Bowers51. The Jam at Gerry’s Rock52. An Arkansaw Traveller53. The Dying Cowboy54. The Lone Prairie 55. The Ocean Burial 56. The Dying Hobo 57. A Comical Ditty58. The Tucky Ho Crew 59. Immortal Washington 60. The Constitution and the Guerriere (Hull’s Victory)61. The Battle of Bridgewater 62. James Bird 63. War Song (Texas Rangers)64. The Dying Ranger65. The Battle of Mill Springs66. The Victory Won at Richmond67. The Yankee Retreat68. Bull Run69. War Song70. Jeff Davis (The Southern Wagon)71. Old Glory72. Brother Green 73. The Soldier’s Poor Little Boy74. Just Before the Battle, Mother75. Mother, Is the Battle Over?76. The Rebel Soldier77. I’m a Good Old Rebel78. Corporal Schnapps79. Old Joe Camp80. Fair Charlotte81. Springfield Mountain82. The Drummer Boy of Waterloo83. The Sheffield Apprentice84. The Boston Burglar85. My Parents Reared Me Tenderly86. Jackison and Dickison87. The Anford Wright88. The Bramble Briar89. Come, Pretty Polly (Polly’s Love)90. The Wexford Girl (The Cruel Miller)91. Rose Connoley92. A Pretty Fair Maiden (The Single Sailor)93. The Broken Ring94. The Banks of Claudie95. George Reilly96. William Hall97. Johnny Germany98. Jackie Fraisure99. The Silk-Merchant’s Daughter100. The Orphan Gypsy Girl101. William Reilly102. Mollie Vaughn103. Charming Beauty Bright104. The Rich Merchant105. Vilikins and his Dinah106. Young Edwin in the Lowlands Low107. A Poor Stranger far from Home 108. The Drowsy Sleeper109. The Silver Dagger110. Sweet William (The Sailor Boy)111. Early in the Spring 112. Caroline of Edinburgh Town113. The Sailor and his Bride114. Pretty Sally (Sally and her True Love, Billy)115. A Gay Spanish Maid116. The Pretty Mohea117. The Sailor’s Wooing118. Lady Leroy119. The Banks of Sweet Dundee120. William Taylor121. Dog and Gun122. Pretty Polly123. The Jack of Tar 124. Young Johnny125. The Milkmaid126. My Pretty Maid (Seventeen Come Sunday)127. Kitty Wells128. The Yellow Rose of Texas129. The Drunkard’s Dream 130. Forward Boys, Hurrah!131. Temperance Song132. When I was One-and-Twenty133. Jonah134. The Little Family135. The Twelve Joys 136. Wicked Polly137. The True Lover’s Farewell138. The Green Willow Tree (The Sprig of Thyme) 139. The Green Laurels (The Orange and Blue)140. Young Ladies (Little Sparrow)141. Youth and Folly142. Maggie Goddon143. A Forsaken Lover144. Love has brought Me to Despair 145. The Butcher Boy146. Farewell, Sweet Mary147. Mary O’ the Dee148. Mary of the Wild Moor149. The Gypsy’s Warning150. Fair Fanny Moore151. Erin’s Green Shore152. Poor Little Joe153. The Orphan Girl154. The Blind Man’s Regret155. The Dishonest Miller156. Father Grumble157. An Old Woman’s Story158. The Spanish Lady159. Soldier, Soldier, Won’t You Marry Me?160. The Bachelor’s Lament161. Little Johnny Green162. The Frog and the Mouse163. The Fox164. The Ranger165. The Three Farmers166. The Three Rogues167. The Skin-and-Bone Lady168. Billy Boy 169. The Old Man Who came over the Moor ###170. Old Grimes171. The Cobbler’s Boy172. The Young Man Who travelled up and down173. The Young Man Who would n’t hoe Corn174. Old Joe Clog175. Old Sam Fanny176. Ground Hog Song177. Davy Crockett178. Creation Song179. The Arkansaw Traveller180. The Nigger Tune181. Old Noah182. A Glorious Wedding183. Hard Times184. Putting on the Style185. Get up and bar the Door (Child, No 275) Folk TunesSix Kings’ DaughtersThe Miller’s Two DaughtersThe Greenwood SidingThe Three CrowsLady Margaret Sweet William and Lady MargaretBarbara AllenThe Gypsy DavyThe House CarpenterMcAfee’s ConfessionYe Sons of ColumbiaThe Wreck on the C. & O.Joe BowersYoung CharlotteYoung BeehamWilliam HallMollie VaundersCharming Beauty BrightThe SquireYoung LadiesThe Butcher BoyThe Dishonest MillerFrog went a-courtin’The FoxThree FarmersBilly Boy
Index of Titles
Index of First Lines
About the Authors