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Banks of the Ohio

[ Roud 157 ; Laws F5 ; Ballad Index LF05 ; Mudcat 37286 ; trad.]

Banks of the Ohio is a grizly ballad of a cruel murder by a jealous lover, similar to The Prentice Boy and Cruel Knife. Here it is sung by Bill Monroe and Doc Watson:

Dave Williams sang The Banks of the Ohio at a barn dance at the Concorde Club in 1977. This recording was included in 2003 on his posthumous Forest Tracks anthology You’re On Nipper!. Paul Marsh noted:

When Dave began singing this during the interval, he was immediately joined by Ruth Askew on melodeon and soon the whole band was playing along. This, of course, was completely unrehearsed.

Jon Boden sang Banks of the Ohio as the 26 May 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Doyle Lawson sang Banks of the Ohio on the 2017 Appalachian ballad tradition anthology Big Bend Killing.

Lyrics

Jon Boden sings Banks of the Ohio

I asked my love to take a walk,
To take a walk, just a little walk
Down beside where the waters flow
Down by the banks of the Ohio.

Chorus (after each verse):
And only say that you’ll be mine
And in no other’s arms entwine,
Down beside where the waters flow,
Down by the banks of the Ohio

I held a knife against her breast
As close into my arms she pressed,
She cried, “Oh Willie, don’t you murder me!
I’m not prepared for eternity!”

I took her by the lily white hand
And led her down by the water’s strand,
I picked her up and pitched her in
And watched her body floating by.

I wandered home ’twixt twelve and one,
I cried, “ My God, what have I done?
I’ve killed the only woman I loved,
Because she would not be my bride.”