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Across the Blue Mountain

[ Roud 3132 , 25278 ; Ballad Index AF014 ; DT BLUEMNTN ; Mudcat 65759 ; trad.]

Sandy and Caroline Paton sang Across the Blue Mountain in 1966 on their Folk-Legacy album Folksongs and Ballads. Sandy Paton noted:

I never really learned this song; I sort of absorbed it from Paul Clayton, who collected it from ‘Maybird’ McAllister, a great traditional singer who lived near his home in Brown’s Cove, Virginia. If I remember correctly, Paul told me that he added the last verse sung here. I know of only one other version of the song, as yet unpublished, which was found in the Ozarks by Mary Celestia Parler. I did not have a chance to hear her field recording, but when I sang a bit of this song for her, she indicated that it was quite similar to the one in her collection.

Bill Jones, Aiofe Clancy and Anne Hills sang Across the Blue Mountains live on their autumn 2002 USA tour, which was recorded on their 2003 EP Faire Winds Live.

Bram Taylor sang Across the Blue Mountains in 2007 on his Fellside album Song Singer.

Niamh Parsons sang Across the Blue Mountain on her and Graham Dunne’s 2015 album Kind Providence. She noted:

Given to me by my friend Cindy Reich from Forth Worth, Colorado in 1996. It’s an old song, found in the collection of Sara Cleveland (1905-1992) of the Upper Hudson Valley in upstate New York and collected and recorded by Sandy and Caroline Paton.

Dempsey Robson Tweed sang Across the Blue Mountains on their 2016 CD Dirt Road. Carolyn Robson noted:

Across the Blue Mountain is a romantic song with a strong moral dilemma allegedly collected by folk singer and song collector Paul Clayton in the mid twentieth century. He is responsible for bringing several less well known American folk songs to the attention of legendary singers including Bob Dylan.

Lyrics

Sandy and Caroline Paton sing Across the Blue Mountain

One morning, one morning, one morning in May,
I overheard a married man to a young girl say,
“Arise you up, pretty Katie, and come along with me,
Across the blue mountain to the Allegheny.

“I’ll buy you a horse, love, and a saddle to ride;
I’ll buy me another’n to ride by your side.
We’ll stop at every tavern and drink when we’re dry,
Across the blue mountain goes Katie and I.”

Well, up stepped her mother, in anger was she then.
“Daughter, dear Daughter, he is a married man.
Besides, there’s young men a-plenty is handsomer than he.
Let him take his own wife to the Allegheny.”

“Oh, Mother, dear Mother, he’s the man of my heart.
Wouldn’t it be an awful shame for me and my love to part?
I’d envy all of the women that ever I did see,
Across the blue mountain to the Allegheny.”

Well, the last time I seen him, he was saddled to ride.
Katie, his darling, was there by his side,
A-laughing and a-singing, and happy to be free,
Across the blue mountain to the Allegheny.

Niamh Parsons sings Across the Blue Mountain

One morning, one morning, one morning in May,
I overheard a married man to a young girl say,
“Go dress you up, pretty Katie, and come along with me,
Across the blue mountain to the Allegheny.

“I’ll buy you a horse love, and a saddle to ride,
I’ll buy myself another to ride by your side,
We’ll stop at every tavern, we’ll drink when we’re dry,
Across the blue mountain goes my Katie and I.”

Then up spoke the mother, and angry she was then,
“Oh daughter, oh daughter, he is a married man,
And there’s plenty of young men more handsome than he,
So let him take his own wife to the Allegheny.”

“Oh mother, oh mother, he’s the man of my heart,
And wouldn’t it be a dreadful thing if we were to part?
I’d envy every woman that I’d ever see
Go across the blue mountain to the Allegheny.”

We left before daybreak on a buckskin and roan,
Past tall shimmering pines where mockingbirds moan,
Past dark cabin windows where eyes never see,
Across the blue mountains to the Allegheny.
Past dark cabin windows where eyes never see,
Across the blue mountains to the Allegheny.