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Barbara Allen / Barbary Allen / Barbary Ellen

[ Roud 54 ; Master title: Barbara Allen ; Child 84 ; G/D 6:1193 ; Henry H236 ; Ballad Index C084 ; BarbaraAllen at Old Songs ; Barbara Allan at Muckle Sangs ; VWML LEB/5/69 , CJS2/9/98 , CJS2/10/4937 ; Bodleian Roud 54 ; GlosTrad Roud 54 ; Wiltshire 551 , 724 , 725 ; trad.]

Norman Buchan, Peter Hall: The Scottish Folksinger Bob Copper: Songs & Southern Breezes Nick Dow: Southern Songster Ralph Dunstan: Cornish Song Book Part 1 Alan Helsdon: Vaughan Williams in Norfolk David Herd: Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc., First Volume Gale Huntington: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People Maud Karpeles: The Crystal Spring Alexander Keith: Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads and Ballad Airs Frank Kidson: Traditional Tunes James Kinsley: The Oxford Book of Ballads Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger: Travellers’ Songs From England and Scotland John Morrish: The Folk Handbook John Jacob Niles: The Ballad Book of John Jacob Niles John Ord: Bothy Songs and Ballads Roy Palmer: Everyman’s Book of British Ballads Songs of the Midlands James Reeves: The Everlasting Circle Steve Roud, Julia Bishop: The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs Cecil J. Sharp: One Hundred English Folksongs Elizabeth Stewart: Up Yon Wide and Lonely Glen Sheila Stewart: The Sang’s the Thing Mike Yates: Traveller’s Joy

Several liner notes cited below state that Barbara Allen is the most popular of the traditional ballads, but the story is a strange one. The male protagonist is hopelessly in love with Barbara Allen, but she rejects his obnoxious, unwelcome advances. Tough luck for him—neither Barbara Allen nor anyone else is obliged to submit to someone other’s affections. But when he dies for love, she is portrayed as the one being guilty. Why? And does this condemnation of Barbara Allen make the ballad so overwhelmingly popular? Is it the affirmation of the female role as subordinate to the male?

Besides Frankie Archer in 2024, Peggy Seeger is the only artist quoted here who addressed gender expectations in her 1977 liner notes:

It has always seemed strange to me, as a woman singer, that Barbara should be branded ‘hard-hearted’ simply because she did not reciprocate a man’s love.

Frank Lother recorded Barbara Allen in New York City on 15 August 1928, and Bradley Kincaid recorded it in Chicago on 24 January 1930. Both versions were included in 2015 on the Nehi anthology of British songs in the USA, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.

Rebecca King Jones of Crabtree Creek, Norch Carilona, sang Barbara Allen in a 1940 recording made by Anne and Frank Warner that was included in 2000 on the Appleseed anthology Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still (The Warner Collection Volume I).

Texas Gladden of Salem, Virginia, sang Barbara Allen to Alan Lomax in August 1941. This Library of Congress recording AFS 5232 A2 was included in 2001 on Texas Gladden’s Rounder anthology, Ballad Legacy. John Cohen noted:

Barbara Allen is possibly the most well-known traditional ballad in the English language. Charles Seeger produced a scholarly study of thirty different recorded versions and variants of Barbara Allen at the Library of Congress (AAFS L54). At the time of his writing, there were more than 240 transcriptions of Barbara Allen in the Library of Congress archive, of which one third were field recordings. Seeger noted that there are two major tune families used for this song.

Texas Gladden adds a few new twists to the text [in italics]: “In London Town, that’s where I got my learning”, “Courted her for seven long years”, “She dressed so slow, for she hated to go”, “And bursted out to crying”, “birds a-singing… Hard-hearted Barbry Allen”, “I might have saved this young man’s life”, “and the rose ran down the briar”.

The song was first made popular on 78 rpm records by Bradley Kinkcaid in the 1930s and by Bob Atcher in the 1940s. Its text is sometimes encountered in country-song folios. It has been recorded by Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and the Lilly Brothers (in bluegrass style). On Mountain Music of Kentucky (Smithsonian Folkways SF CD 40077), James Cornett sings an unaccompanied modal version.

Bob Dylan makes reference to Barbara Allen in his oft-quoted statement, “There’s nobody that’s going to kill traditional music. All these songs about roses growing out of people’s brains and lovers who are really geese and swans and turn into angels, they’re not going to die.”

Phil Tanner sang Barbara Allen on a BBC recording made on 22 April 1949 at Penmaen, Wales. It was included on the anthology The Child Ballads 1 (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 4; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968), in 1968 on his eponymous EFDSS album, Phil Tanner, and in 2003 on his Veteran anthology CD The Gower Nightingale. Roy Palmer noted in the album’s booklet:

The diarist Samuel Pepys, heard “this little Scotch (by which he meant northern) song” with great pleasure in 1666, and a century later the poet Oliver Goldsmith claimed that “the music of the finest singer is dissonance compared to when an old dairymaid sung me into tears with Johnny Armstrong’s Last Goodnight, or The Cruelty of Barbara Allen. Two centuries on again, the American scholar, B.H. Bronson wrote: “This little song of a spineless lover who gives up the ghost without a struggle, and his spirited beloved who repents too late, has paradoxically shown a stronger will to live than perhaps any other ballad in the canon. It is still universally known.” Tanner’s version is among scores of others but it is none the less welcome.

Elizabeth Cronin was recorded singing Barbara Allen in Ballyvourney, County Cork, in the early 1950s. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology Good People, Take Warning (The Voice of the People Series Volume 23). Steve Roud commented:

“This little song of a spineless lover who gives up the ghost without a struggle and of his spirited beloved who repents too late, has paradoxically shown a stronger will-to-live than perhaps any other ballad in the canon.” This is how Bertrand Bronson introduces Barbara Allen, which is easily the most widely known of the Child ballads. Hundreds of versions have been collected across Britain and North America since systematic song-fieldwork began in the late 19^th century, and dozens of broadside printings are known. Although Child himself only devoted three meagre pages to the ballad, Bronson musters an impressive 198 versions with tunes. It is not easy to account for this popularity, although the fact that it was incorporated into ‘national’ and school songbooks and poetry anthologies must have helped to keep it in the public eye.

Bess Cronin’s version of the story is stripped down to its bare essentials, and one extremely important element is omitted: Barbara’s dying soon afterwards. In some versions, Barbara’s ‘cruel’ behaviour is simply the result of feminine pique. The young men were in the tavern drinking healths to the girls, but they left her out, and therefore slighted her. But in very many versions, even this slender motive is absent, and Barbara’s spite is unexplained. Ballad enthusiasts abhor a vacuum, so various ingenious, but groundless, claims have been made which brand Barbara as, for example, a witch who has cast a spell on her lover, or even that she was a prostitute, on the strength of the regular opening line “In Scarlet Town where I was born”. The fact that the latter probably refers to the well-documented nickname for Reading, which is where many versions are set, counts for nothing in this attempt to make Barbara a ‘scarlet woman’.

The earliest known texts date from the mid-18^th century, but we know that the song was much older than that, as Samuel Pepys, who was an enthusiastic amateur musician, recorded hearing it as a social gathering on the 2^nd January 1666. His diary reads: “but above all my dear Mrs. Knipp, with whom I sang; and in perfect pleasure I was to hear her sing, and especially her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen.” Elizabeth Knepp (Knipp) was an actress, singer, and dancer in the King’s Company. She features regularly in Pepys’ diary, and he nicknamed her ‘Bab Allen’.

Jessie Murray sang Barbara Allen at the 1951 Edinburgh People’s Festival Ceilidh; a CD with recordings from this event was published by Rounder Records in 2005.

Shropshire farm worker, Fred Jordan sang Barbara Allen on 30 October 1952 to Peter Kennedy. This recording was included in 2003 on his Veteran anthology A Shropshire Lad. A recording made by Tony Foxworthy in 1974 was published in the same year on his Topic album When the Frost Is on the Pumpkin on which Mike Yates noted:

Without exception, the ballad of Barbara Allen has proved to be the most popular of all our classic ballads. It is strange really that such a feeble tale should have captured the minds of countless generations of singers. The plot is almost non-existent. A weak lover on his death bed, crossed by a sweetheart who repents too late. And yet, not only has it survived from the days when Samuel Pepys mentioned it in his diary, it has positively flourished, just as the song’s final imagery of the twisting rose and briar also flourishes.

Fred Jordan knows two versions of the ballad. One, which he sings here, is from his family tradition; the other, which he cares little for, was taught him by some long forgotten school master.

Charlie Wills of Bridport, Dorset, sang Barbara Allen in 1952 to Peter Kennedy. This recording was included on the anthology The Child Ballads 1 (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 4; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968), He also sang Barbara Allen in 1971 to Bill Leader, which was included in 1972 on his eponymous Leader album, Charlie Wills. The album’s booklet noted:

Charlie Wills: “You want two to sing this song. Mother and I used to sing it. My mother and I used to sing like blazes. I  don’t know many songs, none later than 15 or 16 when I was learning them little songs. When you knock about long with the maidens young as I did you haven’t got much time for learning songs.”

As Bronson remarks, this is a fine example of a ballad and a character mellowing with age. In the earliest printed versions Barbara Allen appears either simply unreasonable or vindictively cruel, wanting nothing to do with her lover and laughing when he dies. During transmission, however, her attitude has been rationalised out, until in this particular instance it is explained as the result of a personal slight. This must be one of the hardiest ballads in the whole Child collection, for it still figures prominently in the repertoires of present-day traditional singers.

Charlie Scamp sang Barbary Allen to Peter Kennedy and Maud Karpeles at Chartham Hatch, near Canterbury, Kent, on 15 January 1954. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology of songs by Southern English Gypsy traditional singers I’m a Romany Rai (The Voice of the People Volume 22).

Thomas Baynes sang Barbara Ellen, in a 1955 recording made by Diane Hamilton, on the 1956 Tradition album of folk songs and dances from the Irish countryside, The Lark in the Morning.

Ewan MacColl sang Bawbee Allan in 1956 on his and A.L. Lloyd’s Riverside anthology The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Volume II. He sang Bawbee Allan in 1961 on his Folkways album. The English and Scottish Popular Ballads: Vol. 1. He also sang Barbara Allen in 1966 on his Topic album The Manchester Angel. He noted on the last album:

This is, by far, the most popular of the traditional ballads. It has been printed in chapbooks and broadsides and, on more than one occasion, has served as a stage song. The widespread oral circulation of the ballad has resulted in many minor variations of plot and, as Professor Bronson has observed, its tough-minded heroine has, with the passing of time, been transformed into a properly penitent young lady. The bequests mentioned in stanzas 4 and 5 were considered by Child to be interpolations not properly belonging to the ballad. The version given here was learned from Caroline Hughes in 1964.

Sam Larner of Winterton, Norfolk, sang Barbara Allen on 7 March 1958 to Philip Donnellan. This BBC recording was published in 1974 on his Topic album A Garland for Sam. Another recording made by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1958-60 was included in 2014 on Larner’s Musical Traditions anthology Cruising Round Yarmouth.

Osian Ellis sang Barbara Allen in 1959 on the Jupiter/Folkways anthology The Jupiter Book of Ballads.

Shirley Collins sang Barbara Allen on several albums: in 1959 on Sweet England, in 1967 on The Power of the True Love Knot, and in 2020 on her Domino album Heart’s Ease, She sang it in 2021 as The Rose and the Briar on her Domino EP Crowlink. She noted on the second album:

Barbara Allen is the “dark lady” of the ballads. She has been known to skip out of Jimmy’s reach as he stretches a pale arm for her from his death bed; laugh out loud as she sees Jimmy’s ghost in the lane on her way home. But after her devilish behaviour she always dies of remorse and finishes up in the churchyard with Jimmy. Of all the many versions I have heard, this one, with its sad two-part tune, haunts me most and best seems to evoke Barbara Allen herself.

Mr. Rew of Sidbury, Devonshire, sang Barbara Allen to Jean Ritchie and George Pickow on their 1959 Folkways anthology Field Trip—England. Jean Ritchie noted:

One of the most widely-known and multi-versioned songs in the world is here sung in a charming “proper Devon” accent, so thick it can almost be called a dialect, by Mr. Rew, a gardener in Sidbury. Mr. Rew plays the concertina, although he is a little shaky now and cannot handle it as well as he used to.

Jim Wilson of West Hoathly, Sussex, sang Barbara Allen to Mervyn Plunkett in June 1959. This recording was included in 1961 on the Collector anthology Four Sussex Singers. Another recording made by Brian Matthews at The Plough, Three Bridges, on 10 February 1960 was included in 2001 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs from country pubs, Just Another Saturday Night. The latter’s booklet noted:

It’s always nice to hear a good version of Barbara Allen—and this is a really good one, with a fairly full text, and the unusual ‘little hearts’ line. The tune skips about from 4/4 to 6/8 in a delightful way and Jim’s occasional short lines are just glorious. A superb performance.

Robin Hall sang Bawbie Allen in 1960 on his Collector album of ballads from the Gavin Greig Collection, Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads.

Jean Ritchie sang Barbara Allen in 1960 on her Folkways album British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains, Volume 1. Kenneth S. Goldstein noted:

In his diary entry for 2 January 1666, Samuel Pepys wrote, “In perfect pleasure I was to hear her (Mrs. Knipp, an actress) sing, and especially her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen.” Many others have shared his “perfect pleasure” since Papys’ days, for Barbary Allen is certainly the best known and most widely sung of the Child ballads.

The consistency of the basic outline of the ballad story and the amazing number of texts which have been reported on both sides of the ocean is no doubt due, in large part, to the numerous songster, chapbook, and broadside printings of the ballad in the 19^th century. A widespread oral tradition has, however, left its mark, for no ballad shows, in its different variants, so many minor variations.

It is interesting to note that while the heroine’s name has remained constant in almost every known version on both sides of the ocean (undoubtedly due to its frequent use as a rhyme word throughout the ballad), the dying lover’s name varies greatly—except in Scotland where the name has almost always been John Graeme.

Jean Ritchie’s family sings this ballad to two different tunes, with the texts differing only slightly.

Lucy Stewart of Fetterangus sang Barbara Allen in 1961 to Kenneth S. Goldstein. This recording was published in the same year on her Folkways album Traditional Singer From Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Vol. 1—Child Ballads. Goldstein commented:

In his diary entry for 2 January 1666, Samuel Pepys wrote: “In perfect pleasure I was to her her (Mrs. Knipp, an actress) sing, and especially her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen.” Many others have shared his “perfect pleasure” since Pepys’ days, for Barbara Allen is certainly the best known and most widely sung of the Child ballads.

The consistency of the basic outline of the story and the amazing number of texts which have been reported on both sides of the ocean is no doubt due, in large part, to the numerous songster, chapbook and broadside printings of the ballad in the 19^th century. A widespread oral circulation has, however, left its mark, for no ballad shows, in its different variants, so many minor variations.

The bedside gifts of the dying youth occurs frequently in Scottish texts of the ballad; Child however would not recognise this as legitimately belonging to the ballad, with the result that he omitted from his canon a version containing such bequests.

In most Scottish versions, the dying lover’s name is John Graeme. Lucy’s text omitting this point, together with the placing of the tale in London, suggests a possible combination in tradition of Scottish and English variants.

For additional texts and information, see: Child, Volume II, p. 276ff; Ord, p. 476; Dean-Smith, p. 51; Coffin, pp. 87-90; Greig & Keith, pp. 67-90.

Jean Redpath sang Barbarry Allan in 1962 on her Elektra album Scottish Ballad Book. She noted:

None of the Child ballads is better known, more widely sung, nor has, in consequence, more minor variations than Barbara Allan. First reported by Samuel Pepys in his Diary for 2 January 1666 (“In perfect pleasure was I to hear her—Mrs Knipp, an actress—sing, and especially her little Scotch song of Barbara Allan”), this ballad is very popular in Scots, English and American traditions, the story remaining remarkably consistent in nearly all versions. Such consistency in texts is probably due to the many broadside printings of the song in the 19^th century. The death-bed gifts are found frequently in Scottish versions, but F.J. Child in his English and Scottish Popular Ballads refused to recognise this as a legitimate part of the ballad and omitted one version containing them. The text and tune for the song as sung here are those collected from Mrs Jean Turriff of Fetterangus, Aberdeenshire by Arthur Argo. This exquisite melody is thought to be the only uniquely Scottish one so far found, those more commonly sung being English in origin.

Dan Tate of Fancy Gap, Virginia, sang Barbara Allen to George Foss on 10 July 1962. This recording was included in 1978 on the Blue Ridge Institute album in their Virginia Traditions series, Ballads From British Tradition. Blanton Owen noted:

Barbara Allen is the most widely known Child ballad in America. To list the places where it has been collected and the number of versions collected in each place would try the endurance of even the most avid ballad fan. Its existence in Virginia has been well documented; the Virginia Folklore Society alone has collected over 115 examples of the song. It has been noted, however, that the song is sometimes hard to find in the North, leading some to conclude the ballad owes at least some of its popularity to its publication in a number of popular mid-nineteenth century southern song books such as The Charleston Warbler and The Virginia Warbler. Scholars have so far been unable to find any Continental analogues to this ballad; it seems to be an entirely British, Scottish, and American product. Its antiquity, however, cannot be questioned. Pepys in 1666 praised the “little Scotch song of Barbary Allen” and Goldsmith, a century later, did the same in more flowery language, The last verse of this ballad, the “rose wrapped ’round the briar” normally associated with Barbara Allen and so admired by Dan, has, in fact, been lifted from another ballad, probably Fair Margaret and Sweet William, for Child did not print it in any of his versions.

Dan Tate, well known for his large repertoire of old songs and tunes among folksong enthusiasts, sings in the same smooth, controlled style as do Ruby Bowman and Eunice McAlexander. He is also a fine banjo player and proves the exception to Cecil Sharp’s contention that banjo music and ballad singing are incompatible.

Caroline Hughes sang Barbry Ellen in a recording made by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1964; it included in 2014 on her Musical Traditions anthology Sheep-Crook and Black Dog. And John Hughes sang it to Peter Kennedy in Caroline Hughes’ caravan near Blandford, Dorset, on 19 April 1968. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology I’m a Romany Rai (The Voice of the People Volume 22). Rod Stradling noted in the first anthology’s booklet:

This is the most widely-known ballad I’ve yet encountered in Steve Roud’s Song Index, with an astonishing 1191 instances (including 311 sound recordings) listed there. Needless to say, it’s found everywhere English is spoken—though Australia boasts only one version in the Index—and, very unusually, there’s even one from Wales … although it comes from Phil Tanner in that ‘little England’, the Gower Peninsula. The USA has 600 entries! It doesn’t appear to be quite so well-known in Ireland, with only 35 Index instances, or Scotland with 61.

The story comes in two general types: in one, Barbara upbraids Johnny for slighting her, and leaves him to die; in the other, she laughs at his corpse and is condemned as ‘cruel-hearted’ by their friends standing by. In both cases ‘It was he that died for love, and she that died of sorrow’. The ‘gold watch’ and ‘bowl of tears/blood’ verses which make up much of Mrs Hughes’ version can be found in either type. Her ‘I picked her out for to be my bride’ line in the first verse is very unusual; I’ve only heard it in the Jim Wilson (MTCD309-0) version, noted below. The ballad frequently ends with the rose and briar tied in a true-lovers’ knot motif, seemingly floated in from the Lord Lovell ballads.

Joe Heaney sang Barbary Ellen to Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1964 too. This recording was included in 2000 on his Topic anthology The Road From Connemara.

Scan Tester sang Barbara Allen at The Fox in Islington, London, on 21 January 1965. This recording made by Reg Hall was published in 1990 on Tester’s Topic album I Never Played to Many Posh Dances.

Hedy West sang Barbara Allen on her album Old Times & Hard Times (Topic 1965; Folk-Legacy 1967). This recording was also included in 2011 on her Fellside anthology Ballads & Songs From the Appalachians. The original album’s liner notes commented:

This favourite ballad, with its story that seems singularly passive when one considers what blood-bolstered narratives most folk ballads are, is enormously widespread in the upland South of the United States, and in one state alone—Virginia—ninety-two different versions were collected. It probably owes its impressive survival to the fact that it was so often reprinted during the nineteenth century on broadsides and in cheap songbooks. Hedy West says: “I have rarely collected folk songs from any singer who didn’t know some variant of this ballad. The basic text is from Uncle Gus Mulkey. I’ve made textual and melodic additions from other sources.”

Danny Brazil sang Barbary Allen at his trailer at Over Bridge caravan site to Peter Shepheard on 6 January 1966. his recording was included in 2007 on the Brazil family’s Musical Tradition anthology Down By the Old Riverside.

Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, Co. Derry, sang Barbara Allen in a 1966 RTÈ recording that was included on the 3 CD set that accompanying Hugh Shields’ 2011 book on Eddie Butcher, All the Days of His Life.

Sarah Makem sang Barbara Allen to Bill Leader in her home in Keady, Co. Armagh in 1967. This recording was released a year later on the Topic album Ulster Ballad Singer and in 1998 on the Topic anthology It Fell on a Day, a Bonny Summer Day (The Voice of the People Series Volumes 17). Another, much earlier, recording made by Diane Hamilton in 1955 was published in 2012 on Sarah Makem’s Topic CD The Heart is True (The Voice of the People Series Volumes 24). Sean O’Boyle noted on her first album:

Everyone knows the tragic story of young Jemmy Grove and Hard-Hearted Barbara Allen. One look through the list of texts and tunes given in Cecil Sharp’s English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians will show its widespread popularity. It is recorded in Shropshire Folklore (p 543), Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames (p 204), Folk Songs From Somerset (No. 22) and in Gavin Greig’s Last Leaves (No. 32), in Mackenzie’s Ballads and Sea Songs of Nova Scotia (No. 9), in British Ballads From Maine, in Traditional Ballads of Virginia, and in Folksongs of the Kentucky Mountains, and elsewhere. In all, more than 200 variants of the ballad are known from printed sources and recordings. This version from Keady, Co. Armagh is as good as any I have heard, and it differs from all of them in one remarkable respect. Most versions place the tragedy

“in the merry month of may
when the green buds they were swelling”,

but Sarah’s song has a more sombre and appropriate timing:

 Michael’s Mass (Michaelmas) day being in the year
When the green leaves they were falling,
When young Jemmy Grove from the North Countrie
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

George Belton of Madehurst, Arundel, Sussex, sang Barbara Allen on 29 January 1967 to Sean Davies and Tony Wales. This recording was released in the same year on his EFDSS album All Jolly Fellows …. Tony Wales noted:

No. 84 in the famous Child ballad collection, this song is very common in its several forms in England, Scotland and the U.S.A. It was not only known traditionally, but was sung in polite society, for Samuel Pepys wrote in his Diary (2 January 1666): “In perfect pleasure I was to hear her (Mrs. Knipp) sing, and especially her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen.” Goldsmith is supposed to have been much moved by hearing a dairymaid sing it. It has always been very popular with different kinds of singers, all of them fascinated by the bitter-sweet story. One singer has suggested that the title was originally “Barbarous Allen”. Barbary and Barbara are interchangeable, as are Allen, Allan and Ellen. Probably most traditional singers are not aware of the spelling of their own version.

Cecilia Costello sang a fragment of Barbara Allen in 1967 to Charles Parker and Pam Bishop. This recording was included in 2014 on her Musical Traditions anthology Old Fashioned Songs.

John Byrne sang Barbara Allen at his home in Malinbeg, Co Donegal, on 5 September 1968 to Hugh Shields. This recording was included in 1985 on the Folk Music Society of Ireland anthology Early Ballads in Ireland 1968-1985, reissued on CD in 2015 by An Goílín.

Packie Manus Byrne sang Barbara Ellen in 1969 on his eponymous EFDSS album Packie Byrne. Tony Foxworthy noted:

This must be the most popular ballad ever sung or printed. Prof. Bronson in his book The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads gives 198 different variations, and describes the ballad as “This little song of a spineless lover who gives up the ghost without a struggle, and of his spirited beloved who repents too late”

The ballad goes under many different names—Barby Allen, Barbara Ellen, Bonny Barbara Allan, Barby Allum, Babie Allan, Bob’ry Allen, etc. Practically every book written on the ballad includes a version, and Pepys in his diary writes on 2 January 1666, “A perfect pleasure it was to hear her (Mrs. Knipp—an actress) sing, and especially her little Scottish song Barbary Allan”.

Packie sings a particularly beautiful version, and one that is seldom heard.

Bob Hart of Snape, Suffolk, sang Barbara Allen on 8 July 1969 to Rod and Danny Stradling, and in September 1973 to Tony Engle. The former recording was included in 1998 on his Musical Traditions anthology A Broadside, and the latter in 1974 on the Topic anthology Flash Company. Rod Stradling noted:

This is most widely-known ballad I’ve yet encountered in Steve Roud’s Song Index, with an astonishing 802 instances (including 172 sound recordings) listed there. Needless to say, it’s found everywhere English is spoken—though Australia boasts only one version in the Index—and, very unusually, there’s even one from Wales… although it comes from Phil Tanner in that ‘little England’, the Gower Peninsula.

Bob’s version here is but the skeleton of the much longer ballad, but he mentions […] that he had a 14-verse one from a song book—although he felt it unlikely that he would ever get all the verses of that. Seeing that he had learned over 100 songs, this task was clearly not beyond him—one may guess that, at this period, a 14-verse ballad would not have been particularly welcome in the pubs in which he habitually sang.

Charlie Somers of Bellarea, Londonderry, sang Barbro Allen on 18 July 1969 to Hugh Shields. This recording was included in 1975 on the Leader anthology Folk Ballads From Donegal and Derry. Hugh Shields noted:

Sung for Eddie Butcher and me during a pause in hay-making by Charlie Somers, in his house at Bellarena, 18 July 1969.

This very long text of the most popular of all English ballads introduces a narrative feature unknown outside Ulster: the girl’s reply to her mother and father (vv. 4-5) suggests a history of domestic misunderstanding of her love affair which is very much in keeping with the theme as it is here developed. Her interview with the dying man and his reply to her reproaches, these too are consistent. I have recorded about ten versions in different parts of Ireland, and other Irish versions have been published.

Vin Garbutt sang Barbara Allen on 17 October 1972 at the King William IV in Leyton. This was included in 2002 on the CD of folk club recordings 1969-1976, Down River Recordings Volume 1.

Andy Cash of Co. Wexford sang Barbara Ellen in a recording made in summer 1973 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs of Irish Travellers in England collected by Jim Carroll and Pat Mackenzie, From Puck to Appleby. They noted in the booklet:

Probably the most widespread of all the ballads throughout the English speaking world, Barbara Allen first appeared in print in Allan Ramsay’s Tea-Table Miscellany in the 18^th century and has continued to make an appearance in folk song collections ever since. In William Stenhouse’s notes to the variant in The Scots Musical Museum, he wrote:

It has been a favourite ballad at every country fire-side in Scotland, time out of memory… A learned correspondent informs me that he remembers having heard the ballad frequently sung in Dumfriesshire, where, it was said, the catastrophe took place.

The enduring popularity of the ballad among country singers and a revealing insight into how it was viewed by them, was amply illustrated in an interview with American traditional singer, Jean Ritchie, who spoke about her work collecting folk songs in Ireland, Scotland and England in the early nineteen fifties. She said:

I used the song Barbara Allen as a collecting tool because everybody knew it. When I would ask people to sing me some of their old songs they would sometimes sing Does Your Mother Come from Ireland, or something about shamrocks. But if I asked if they knew Barbara Allen, immediately they knew exactly what kind of song I was talking about and they would bring out beautiful old things that matched mine and were variants of the songs that I knew in Kentucky. It was like coming home.

Andy learned this version of the ballad from an old girlfriend. He sang another version, in country and western style, complete with American accent, but he insisted that the above was “the old way of singing it”.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sang Barbara Allen in 1974 on their album Mellow With Ale From the Horn. They noted:

Our version of Barbara Allen, that most venerable and best-loved of ballads, was also found fairly recently (1964) by Ewan MacColl. He, with his wife Peggy Seeger, collected it from an English gypsy, Caroline Hughes, in Dorset.

George Roberts from Devon sang Barbara Allen to Sam Richards, Tish Stubbs and Paul Wilson in between 1974 and 1976. This recording was included in 1979 on the Topic anthology Devon Tradition.

Jane Turriff sang Barbara Allen in 1975 to Allie Munro and Tom Atkinson (School of Scottish Studies SA1975-186-7.A2). This recording was included in 1996 on her Springthyme anthology Singin Is Ma Life. Peter Shepheard noted:

“That’s ma mum’s sang an aa. There’s a lot o history in’t.” (Fieldwork notebook, 10.12.95)

Although Barbara Allen is one of the most popular songs in the English-speaking world, and Bronson has nearly 170 different versions with text and tune, Child has only three versions and Greig-Duncan only five. The latter’s B version bears some similarity to Jane’s with the “Look ye up”verses and the “nice young girl”, which Greig calls a recent emendation to the song. Jane’s relative, Stanley Robertson, sings a version which makes clear the motivation for Barbara’s disdain: Sir John Graham would not acknowledge her in the presence of his friends, a slight that cuts to the quick.

Phoebe Smith sang Barbara Allen in a recording by Mike Yates on Topic’s 1975 anthology of Gypsies, Travellers and country singers, Songs of the Open Road. This track was also included in 2001 on Phoebe Smith’s Veteran anthology The Yellow Handkerchief. Mike Yates noted on the first album:

The “favourite ballad of Barbara Allen”, as Samuel Pepys called it in 1666, is today the commonest and most widely distributed of all the ‘classic’ ballads which Professor Child included in his English and Scottish Popular Ballads. Perhaps to some ears the story has become faded, the narrative trite and commonplace. Nevertheless Phoebe Smith’s singing, with all its grandeur and dignity of style, is possessed of the strength and power of the master performer that she is, and indeed it is doubtful whether this ballad has ever been sung so superbly. Barbara Allen appeared frequently on broadsides, but few singers have retained the story in so complete a form as Mrs Smith.

Johnny Doughty of Brighton, Sussex, sang Barbara Allen to Mike Yates in summer 1976. This recording was released a year later on his Topic album Round Rye Bay for More. Mike Yates noted:

The popularity of Barbara Allen, at least in the version that Johnny sings, is possibly due to its inclusion in Chappell’s Popular Music of the Olden Time of 1859. The ballad was first mentioned in Pepys’s diary when, on 2 January 1666, he wrote that the actress Mary Knipp sang “her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen”.

One theory, rather unsubstantiated, is that Barbara Allen was, in fact, Barbara Villiers, a mistress of Charles II, whilst the poet Robert Graves has suggested that Barbara was a witch destroyed by her own evil spells.

Frank Hinchliffe from Sheffield sang a fragment of Barbara Allen in 1976 to Mike Yates. This recording was included in between 1987-95 on the Veteran cassette The Horkey Load Vol 2 and in 2006 on the Veteran CD compilation It Was on a Market Day—Two. Mike Yates noted:

It seems quite remarkable that this ballad, with its rather weak story line, should have become the most popular and widely spread ballad that Professor Child included in his collection. One American traditional singer, Lena Bourne Fish from New Hampshire, said that, “I am not in accord with the sentiments of this song, as I do not believe that a false and fickle love is worth dying for”. And yet others, including a singer from Virginia called Dan Tate, have told me that the ballad, “Just can’t be beat”.

The earliest known reference comes from an entry in Samuel Pepys’ diary, dated 2 January 1666, when Pepys said that he was pleased to hear Mrs Knipp (an actress) singing her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen. Perhaps it did start life as a stage song, but it soon entered the tradition and the song became somewhat standardised, due to its frequent reprinting on broadsides up to the late 1800s.

Peggy Seeger sang Barbara Allen in 1977 on her and Ewan MacColl’s Blackthorne/Folkways album of traditional and contemporary songs and ballads, Cold Snap. She noted:

I have known this song for as long as I can remember, but have probably changed it unconsciously over the years. It is a song which brings back many memories. My parents probably learned it from the singing of Bob Brown of Sour Lake in Texas, although there are versions of the ballad similar to this one all over the south and south-west of the United States. It is perhaps one of the most popular of the traditional ballads in America. It probably owes much of its popularity to its proliferation in print, in England and Scotland it appeared constantly on broadsheets in the 17 and 1800’s.

It has always seemed strange to me, as a woman singer, that Barbara should be branded ‘hard-hearted’ simply because she did not reciprocate a man’s love. In the earlier (mostly Scots) texts, however, Barbara was characterised as a spiteful, pretty girl who returned a small slight with a large one, who “with scornful eye” looked down upon the corpse—“her cheek with laughter swellin’”.

The ballad goes back to the late 1600’s and it is a favourite pastime of many folklorists to tie its events into the life of Charles II, whose last mistress Barbara Villiers (hated by all but her royal lover) is often thought to be the anti-heroine of the ballad. The fact that earlier texts portray Barbara as malicious may lead veracity to this theory, but time and tradition, however, have certainly made her—and the ballad—more romantic and soft-hearted.

Debbie and Pennie Davis sang Barbara Allen to Mike Yates near the Northfields housing estate, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, in 1978. This recording was included in 1979 on the Topic anthology of songs, stories and tunes from English gypsies, Travellers. It was also included in 2004 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs and tunes from the Mike Yates Collection, collected in 1963-89, The Birds Upon the Tree, in 2006 on the CD accompanying Yates’ EFDSS book of songs of English and Scottish Travellers and Gypsies 1965-2005, Traveller’s Joy, and in 2007—together with Danny Brazil’s 1966 version listed above—on the Brazil family’s Musical Tradition anthology Down By the Old Riverside. Mike Yates noted on the second album:

This has to be the ubiquitous ballad, with versions turning up all over the English-speaking world. The two singers, granddaughters of gypsy singers, learned the piece from their mother who, in turn, had picked it up from her mother. Their style of singing, however, is totally different from the way their grandparents sang and has probably been influenced by listening to recordings of Country & Western singers. It has been suggested to me that the girls actually learnt the song from a Country & Western recording, but this is not the case. […]

For some reason, the girls’ surname was wrongly given as Harris in the notes to the Topic LP where this recording first appeared.

Gordeanna McCulloch sang Bawbie Allan on her 1978 Topic album Sheath and Knife. Her liner notes commented tersely:

From North East tradition. In Gavin Greig’s Last Leaves (Child no. 84).

Roy Harris sang Barbry Allen in 1979 at the Folk Festival Sidmouth.

Patsy Flynn of Magheravely, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, sang Barbara Allen on 4 August 1980 to Keith Summers and Jenny Hicks. This recording was included in 2004 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs from around Lough Erne’s shore in the Keith Summers Collection, The Hardy Sons of Dan. Rod Stradling noted:

This is the most widely-known ballad I’ve yet encountered in Roud’s Song Index, with an astonishing 802 instances (including 172 sound recordings) listed there. Needless to say, it’s found everywhere English is spoken—though Australia boasts only one version in the Index—and, very unusually, there’s even one from Wales… although it comes from Phil Tanner in that ‘little England’, the Gower Peninsula.

Bill Smith of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, sang Barbara Allen in a recording made by his son Andrew Smith on 10 July 1982. It was included in 2011 on his Musical Traditions anthology of songs and stories of a Shropshire man, A Country Life. Rod Stradling noted in the album’s booklet:

Bill’s family were proud of the fact that songs had been collected from his grandfather by ‘A big mon from London’. When Veronica asked Bill’s mother what songs his grandfather had sung, she replied “Barbaree Aling”. “Oh, do you mean Barbara Allen?” “No, Barbaree Aling!” As this is quite a conventional—albeit very short—version, it is quite possible that Bill learned it at school.

Suzie Adams and Helen Watson sang Barbarie Ellen in 1983 on their album Songbird.

Emma Briggs of Thwaite, Suffolk, sang Barbara Allen in 1983 to John Howson. He included this recording his Veteran 1993 cassette and 2009 CD Many a Good Horseman. John Howson noted:

This is a truncated version of a very widespread ballad. […] Emma Briggs learned it from her mother, who may have learned it when she worked in service. When Emma was young she hated her mother singing it because she felt it was so depressing. A more complete version from Suffolk is from Gypsy singer Phoebe Smith.

Stanley Hicks of Stone Mountain, Ashe County, NC, played the tune of Barbara Allen on the dulcimer to Mike Yates on 10 May 1983. This recording was included in 2002 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs, tunes and stories from Mike Yates’ Appalachian collections, 1979-1983, Far in the Mountains Volume 1.

Garrett and Norah Arwood of Pigeon Roost, Mitchell County, NC, sang and played Barbara Allen to Mike Yates on 21 May 1983. This recording was included in 2002 on the Musical Traditions anthology of songs, tunes and stories from Mike Yates’ Appalachian collections, 1979-1983, Far in the Mountains Volume 3. Mike Yates noted:

Probably the best-known of the ballads that Professor Child included in his monumental English and Scottish Popular Ballads,. Versions have turned up repeatedly throughout the English-speaking world. Dan Tate also had a version, and when I asked him why he liked it, he said that the ending—with its rose and briar motif—“Just couldn’t be beat”. Samuel Pepys mentions the ballad in his diary entry for 2 January 1666, saying that it was a pleasure to hear Mrs Knipp (an actress) singing her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen. Some scholars have suggested that Pepys’ comment indicates that the ballads was originally sung on the stage. Others, including the American scholar Phillips Barry, have suggested that the piece was originally a libel on Charles II and his mistress Barbara Villiers.

Steve Roud lists over 170 recordings, including versions from Texas Gladden (Rounder CD 1800), Joe Heaney (Topic TSCD518D), and Jim Wilson (Musical Traditions MTCD 309-10). In America, Annadeene Fraley sings a good version on Rounder CD 8041 and the Library of Congress previously issued a full LP—Versions and Variants of the Tunes of Barbara Allen (AAFS L54)—devoted to this single ballad.

Dave Burland sang Barbara Allen in 1989 on his Black Crow album Willin’.

Seannachie sang Barbara Allen on their 1992 album The Devil’s Delight. They noted:

Barbara Allen—Child Ballad 84—used to be found in hundreds of variants throughout the British Isles and further afield. Elspeth [Cowie] had this set of lyrics from an American source. The diarist Samuel Pepys referred to it in 1666 in his writings. It is the great grandmother of There is a Tavern in the Town. The tune is from A.  Macdonald.

Kathryn Roberts sang Barbara Allen in 1993 on Intuition’s eponymous FatCat album Intuition.

Incantation sang Barbara Allen in 1994 on their Cooking Vinyl CD Sergeant Early’s Dream.

Vic Legg sang Barbara Allen on the 1994 Veteran cassette / 2000 Veteran CD of Cornish songs from the Orchard/Legg family, I’ve Come to Sing a Song. This track was also included in 2007 on the CD accompanying The Folk Handbook. Lucy Wainwright Roche sang Barbara Allen on a CD of modern recordings of traditional songs to accompany this handbook, titled Old Wine New Skins. John Morrish noted in The Folk Handbook:

The Roud index lists more than a thousand entries for Barbara Allen, surely the most popular of all the ballads of the English-speaking world.

The ballad first appears on black-letter broadsides of the 17^th century; and Samuel Pepys has a diary entry for 2 January 1666, recording, “In perfect pleasure I was to hear her [Mrs Knipp, an actress] sing, and especially her little Scotch song of Barbary Allen”, suggesting that the song might have originated on the stage. Oliver Goldsmith wrote of his pleasure in the ballad in an essay on 1765, and in the same year it was printed in Thomas Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. Broadsides continued to be printed in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, with English and Scottish imprints too numerous to list, as well as American printings.

The story remains relatively stable, with variations in the setting—“Scarlet Town’, ‘Reading Town’, and so forth—and in the name of Barbara’s lover. The twining branches motif often appears at the end of the ballad. The main point of variation, however, concerns the motivation of the story, the lover’s culpability and/or the justice of Barbara’s accusations, with American versions often at least hinting at some complexity in this regard.

Dolly Parton sang Barbara Allen on her 1994 live CD Heartsongs: Live From Home. This track was one of Iona Fyfe’s “desert island choices” in Living Tradition 127 (2019).

Wiggy Smith sang a fragment of Barb’rye Ellen on 9 October 1994 at the Victoria pub, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, to Gwilym Davies. This recording was included in 2000 on the Musical Tradition anthology of songs from the Smith family, Band of Gold.

Hughie Jones sang Barbary Allen in a 1995 recording that was included in 2018 on Fellside’s final anthology, Destination.

Belshazzar’s Feast played the tune Barbara Allen in 1996 on their WildGoose album One Too Many.

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman sang Barbara Allen in 1998 on their Dragon album Constant Lovers. They noted:

This version of a Child ballad, collected in Virginia from R.H. Mace in 1935, is published in Bronson. We have changed the tune a little.

Frankie Armstrong sang Barbara Allen in 2000 on her Fellside CD The Garden of Love. Brian Pearson noted:

When it comes to traditional ballads, Barbara Allen tops the charts. Other stories may be wilder and stranger, but this one has consistently been best loved in recent centuries throughout the Anglo-American world. In it, as Bronson says, love is an illness from which no one recovers. Frankie’s version is largely from the singing of the great Sarah Makem of Co Antrim.

Sangsters sang Barbara Allen in 2000 on their Greentrax CD Sharp and Sweet. They noted:

There are hundreds of versions of this Child ballad, first mentioned in Pepys’ diary in 1666.

Norma Waterson sang Barbary Allen in 2000 on her third solo album, Bright Shiny Morning. She noted:

I don’t know where the tune materialised from so I think I must have made it up. I know I sang it as a child, though whether it’s from school or the family I don’t know. The song is extremely old and was said to be the favourite of Charles the Second’s mistress, Nell Gwynn.

Martin Carthy sang Barbara Allen, in a version very similar to Norma Waterson’s, on the “English” CD of Fellside’s 2003 celebration of English traditional songs and their Australian variants, Song Links. Edgar Waters noted:

Barbara Allen is #84 in Professor Francis J. Child’s monumental collection of ballads (The English & Scottish Popular Ballads) and probably originated in the seventeenth century. Samuel Pepys referred to it as a “little Scotch” song in 1666. Whether it is Scottish or English in origin is anybody’s guess. There are many, many English and Scottish versions. It was known in English-speaking parts of Ireland by the eighteenth century, where Oliver Goldsmith heard it sung by the family dairymaid, and it remains widely sung there, and in North America. Martin Carthy learnt his version from the singing of an English worker, Jim Wilson, recorded in a Sussex country pub in 1960. The location varies from version to version but Reading is also given in the fine version collected by Ewan MacColl from the Dorset gypsy singer, Queen Caroline Hughes in 1964.

Martin Carthy sang a somewhat different version as Barbary Ellen in 1998 on his album Signs of Life. He noted:

I think that I’ve known Barbary Ellen all my life. The song I learned was very short and gave you nothing of her anger at being treated with such disdain and how that translates to the contempt with which she treats his rather late declarations of lurve… The tune is from the Shropshire gypsy, Samson Price.

The 2003 “Australian” CD of Song Links has Cathie O’Sullivan singing Barbary Ellen, which is again very similar to Carthy’s, having the same title and both ending with the rose and briar motif.

Isla St Clair sang Barbara Ellen on her 2000 CD Royal Lovers & Scandals. She noted:

This most royal of all ballads encapsulates the profound sadness and despair suffered by many lovers throughout history. I sang it first when I was twelve to the audience of the Aberdeen Folk Club and as a direct result was offered my first television appearance.

The ballad recounts how Barbara Allen is indifferent to her suitor who dies of love for her, after which she is filled with remorse. Both the English and Scots have a ballad by this name with different tunes. But Samuel Pepys, the English diarist, had a particular liking for the very old Scottish version and wrote about it in 1666.

Nic Jones sang Barbara Ellen on his 2001 CD anthology Unearthed, which is a collection of concert, club and studio performances recorded prior to 1982.

Louis Killen sang Barbara Allen in 2001 as a bonus track of the CD re-issue of The Rose in June.

June Tabor sang Barbry Ellen in 2001 on her Topic CD Rosa Mundi. She noted:

From the singing of the Ritchie family, Viper, Kentucky.

In the ballad tradition, love seldom goes right—whether because of family opposition, class or racial prejudice, prolonged absence, choosing the wrong lover in the first place (never a good move) or as here when she/he only realises that she/he actually loved him/her after he/she has died of a broken heart. Wherupon she/he dies too. Cue the roses…

Mary Humphreys and Anahata sang Barb’ry Ellen in 2003 on their WildGoose album Sharp Practice. They noted:

The tune was collected by Cecil Sharp from Louie Hooper at Hambridge, Somerset, 28 December 1903 [VWML CJS2/9/98] . Mrs Hooper only had one verse, so Mary sings a reconstructed text, mainly collected by Cecil Sharp from William Pittaway at Burford Oxon 19 May 1923 [VWML CJS2/10/4937] , but using others collected by Cecil Sharp and published in Cecil Sharp’s Collection of English Folk Songs, ed. Maud Karpeles, 1974.

We make no apologies for singing a song that may have been ‘done to death’. In our humble opinion, Louie Hooper’s tune is the best of all that Cecil Sharp collected for this song and deserves to be sung—even if, to purists, the end-product is not ‘authentic’. Anahata, through his cello accompaniment tells the story too, in his own way.

They also sang Barbara Allen on their 2012 album A Baker’s Dozen and on Stick in the Wheel’s 2019 anthology From Here: English Folk Field Recordings Volume 2. Mary Humphreys noted:

You won’t have heard this version, it comes from Cottenham. It was written down by Ella Bull [VWML LEB/5/69] who had been blind from birth. Her father Arthur was very much into Braille, developing it because he had another two daughters who were blind or partially sighted. He got to know Percy Merrick who was part of the folk song society people, who came up to Cottenham at some point and obviously enthused Ella Bull to write down all the folk songs she knew because she’d heard the family servants singing them. This is around 1875. One of the family servants, Charlotte Dann, née Few, carried on living in Cottenham just a few doors down the street. Ella Bull visited her, saying can I have some more of your songs please? She wrote it down and sent to Lucy Broadwood along with the tune, and it’s been sitting around in Cecil Sharp House. It was Malcolm Douglas who was so generous with his knowledge, who told me, I’ll tell you where to look for it, go and find it. He set me off on my little trail. I can’t thank him enough. I thought, that’s a good version, why don’t I sing that? Cottenham was five miles away from where we lived and we used to run a tunes session there—it was so good to actually play tunes in the place where a lot of the stuff came from. I got to know some of Charlotte Dane’s relatives through my research, and I met her great grandson, who gave me a family book written by Charlotte’s daughter Annie, with all sorts of things in there, recipes, but also folk song lyrics, and photo of her, fabulous. I love the song, we sing it quite a bit.

Nancy Kerr and James Fagan recorded Barbara Allen in August 2005 for their Fellside CD Strands of Gold. They noted:

This unique version comes from Dorset gypsy singer Queen Caroline Hughes. We were led to it by Sandra Kerr.

This video shows Nancy Kerr and James Fagan at Sheffield Folk Festival in 2007:

Tom and Barbara Brown sang Barbara Allen in 2005 on their WildGoose CD Tide of Change. They noted:

[…] This text, one of the fullest and certainly one that gives a whole perspective to the story that is often missing in other sets, comes from the extraordinary ballad singer Cyril Piggott. The tune used here was collected by Cecil Sharp from Jane Wheller of Langport in 1904.

The Devil’s Interval sang Barbara Allen in ca. 2005 on their EP Demon Lovers, naming Queen Caroline Hughes as their source.

Sara Grey sang Barbara Allen in 2005 on her Fellside CD A Long Way From Home. She noted:

Whether originally a “stage” song as Samuel Pepys’ diary indicates in 1666 or not, Barbara Allen has become the most widely sung ballads in the Child collection. I learned this version from Jerry Epstein, who, in turn, learned it from a New York Jewish Cantor (would you believe), Eli Mallon. He claims to have learned it from a collection of South Carolina folksongs.

Steve Tilston sang Barbry Allen in 2005 on his CD Of Many Hands. Nigel Schofield noted:

Steve Tilston: “I first heard this at junior school, and have lost count of the number of different ways I’ve heard it. This tune is an amalgam of British and American versions.”

“The Rose and the Briar, they bloom side by side”
The story of cold hearted Barbara Allan is one of the most widespread in all folksong, with versions appearing (often in strikingly different forms) throughout the English speaking world. It is also widely recorded with almost 1500 released versions spanning genres which include folk, folk-rock, blues, brass band, old timey, country, soul, choral and classical.

It was also popular among song collectors: a version appears in almost every great folksong collection. One of the earliest song collectors, Samuel Pepys, wrote in his diary (2 January 1666), “In perfect pleasure, I was to hear her sing and especially her little Scottish song of Barbary Allen.” Pepys’ title reminds us that some versions attribute her cruelty to the fact she was a foreigner, not used to genteel English ways.

Most versions of the song conclude with one of the most striking images in folk music—the wild and the garden rose growing in natural entanglement to form a true love’s knot.

Pete Castle sang Barbara Allen on his 2006 CD Poor Old Horse. He noted:

This is the first time I’ve attempted a version of this well known ballad and I’m not aware of many English singers doing it these days, although it is well known among country singers in America. The first verse and tune of this were noted by a Mrs Grahame of St Leonard’s-on-Sea, from “the daughters of a Kentish squire, the last of whom died in 1865”.

Colin Meloy sang Barbara Allen in 2006 on his tribute album Colin Meloy Sings Trad. Arr. Shirley Collins.

Jim Moray sang Barbara Allen in 2006 on his eponymous CD Jim Moray and on the single Barbara Allen. This track was also included in 2010 on his anthology A Beginner’s Guide.

Kate Burke and Ruth Hazleton sang Barbara Allen on their 2007 album Summer’s Lonesome Tale. She noted:

An Australian version of the well-known tragic English folk song—learned from the singing of Alf Dyer, housed at the National Library of Australia in the Norm O’Connor collection.

Paul and Liz Davenport sang Barbary Ellen in 2008 on their Hallamshire Traditions CD Songbooks. They noted:

The classic ballad villainess turns out to be a more sympathetic character. This version is based on a text from the Pepys collection. Two young people in love and each unable to express themselves. Of course it ends in tears.

Jon Boden sang Barbara Allen in his 5 July 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day. He gave Phoebe Smith as his source.

Alasdair Roberts sang Barbara Allen in 2010 on his CD Too Long in This Condition. He noted:

This version of the very well-known tragic love ballad is from the singing of Joe Heaney of Connemara.

Martin Simpson sang Barbry Allen in 2011 on his Topic CD Purpose+Grace. He noted:

When I was about 8 years old, Miss Cook, the music teacher at Brumby Junior School taught my class a version of Barbara Allen and I still remember vividly how much I was moved by the song. I even asked if I could take home my copy of the lyrics on purple ink roneoed paper, which I can still smell.

Tom Spiers sang Barbara Allen in 2012 on Shepheard, Spiers & Watson’s Springthyme album Over the High Hills. Peter Shepheard noted:

Learnt by Tom from a recording made by Peter Hall in the early 1960s of John Stewart, a settled traveller in Aberdeen.

Tom Spiers: Since early childhood I’d often heard this ballad sung, but was never motivated to learn it until I heard a recording made by Peter Hall in the early 1960s, of John Stewart, a settled traveller in Aberdeen. I loved the tune and the feeling he put into it. Over the years I’ve changed a few lines and added a couple of verses, but don’t ask me which ones.

Barbara Allen is one of the most popular traditional ballads both in print and collected from the living tradition. Bronson published 198 tunes and texts for the ballad, but I think he missed this one.

Steve Roud included Barbara Allen in 2012 in The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. James Findlay sang it a year later on the accompanying Fellside CD The Liberty to Choose: A Selection of Songs From The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

Brian Peters and Jeff Davis sang Barbara Allen on their 2013 album Sharp’s Appalachian Harvest, a selection of traditional songs and music from the collection made by Cecil Sharp in the Appalachian Mountains between 1916 and 1918. Brian Peters noted:

Tune sung by Aunt Maria Tomes, Nellysford, VA, 22 May 1918.

Sharp has been castigated for his failure to collect material from African-American singers. A fieldworker searching so specifically for material of British origin might be forgiven for ignoring them, but it seems never to have occurred to Sharp that this group might have folk songs and music of their own, and one particular comment in the diary grates on modern ears. He collected only two songs from black people but, as usual, he found it easy to strike up a cordial relationship when he met Aunt Maria Tomes, delighting the eighty-five-year-old freed slave (and suppressing his atheist beliefs) by singing her The Sinner Man. Although Sharp remarked that Aunt Maria sang “very beautifully in a wonderfully musical way and with clear and perfect intonation”, he took down just one verse of her Barbara Allen—maybe the unusual tune was of greater interest, or maybe the singer knew no more.

I collated verses from some of the other sixteen versions in the collection of this, the most popular of all British traditional ballads.

Andy Turner sang Barbara Allen as the 1 June 2013 entry of his blog A Folk Song a Week. His version is from Maud Karpeles’ The Crystal Spring and was collected by Cecil Sharp in 1923, from William Pittaway of Burford in Oxfordshire.

Susan Stenger sang Barbara Allen in 2015 on the Shirley Collins tribute album Shirley Inspired….

Ye Vagabonds sang Barbara Ellen on their 2015 EP Rose & Briar. They noted:

A tale of unrequited love, heartbreak and the persistence of true love after death. The motif of the rose and the briar gives this collection its name.

Lucy Farrell and the Furrow Collective used to sing Elizabeth Cronin’s version of Barbara Allen at their concerts; I saw them doing it in January 2015 in Esslingen, Germany. They recorded the ballad with Emily Portman singing lead in 2016 for their second album, Wild Hog. They noted:

Our version of Barbara Allen, that most popular English language ballad of them all, comes from Elizabeth Cronin, who was recorded in County Cork in the early 1950s. The first reference to the song was made by Samuel Pepys in a 1666 diary entry and it has since been widely collected throughout Britain and America. Cronin’s rendition brought the song to life for Emily when she came across it on the Good People, Take Warning CD on Topic Records. The last two verses are taken from those of a version collected by Cecil Sharp from Jim and Francis Gray on 7 April 1906 in Enmore, which is number 16 in Bronson’s collection The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads.

In many versions the ballad concludes with Barbara Allen dying of a broken heart, but this version, like Cronin’s, leaves Barbara’s fate open as she walks away from her (ex) love’s death bed through the fields and lanes, with the birds and the church bells voicing her conscience and singing “hard-hearted Barbara Allen”

Carol Elizabeth Jones sang Barbry Allen, and Rosanne Cash sang Barbara Allen, both in 2015 recordings, on the 2017 Appalachian ballad tradition anthology Big Bend Killing. The album’s booklet noted:

The ballad most commonly known as Barbara Allen has flourished in the English-speaking world for more than 500 years, and scholars have identified nearly 100 different versions. Probably emerging in the oral tradition during the fifteenth century, the ballad was first documented in 1666 when English diarist Samuel Pepys in a diary entry referred to a “little Scotch song of Barbary Allen” he heard sung at a social event. Between 1688 and 1692, lyrics to the ballad were published in London as a single-page broadside illustrated with woodcuts (that version bore a descriptive, lengthy title: “Barbara Allen’s cruelty: or, the young-man’s tragedy. With Barbara Allen’s lamentation for her unkindness to her lover, and her self”).

According to ballad scholar Thomas Burton, Barbara Allen has long been the most popular and widely dispersed British ballad in Appalachia. The first of two versions of this ballad included on Big Bend Killing was sung a cappella by Carol Elizabeth Jones, who pays homage to the iconic version associated with eastern Kentucky native Jean Ritchie, a leading luminary of the 1950s and 1960s urban folk music revival. Throughout her long career, Ritchie performed and recorded many traditional ballads she learned from her “singing family of the Cumberlands” (as she called her kin in a 1955 memoir). She also composed and recorded powerful original songs and ballads, yet her signature piece was always her version of Barbara Allen (Ritchie’s 1960 recording of the ballad was titled Barbary Allen; the present version is spelled phonetically Barbry Allen).

A songwriter and an acclaimed singer with many albums and collaborations to her credit, Lexington, Virginia-based Carol Elizabeth Jones has taken traditional Appalachian music around the world, having toured in Africa and in Southeast Asia as a cultural ambassador for the U.S. Information Agency.

Exploring another side of Barbara Allen than heard in the stark a cappella rendition by Carol Elizabeth Jones, Rosanne Cash here stresses the ballad’s wistfulness by singing the narrative with a major-keyed melody set to an elegant instrumental arrangement from John Leventhal. Grammy Award winner Cash has long been interested in traditional material—for instance, in 2001 she contributed a version of Fair And Tender Ladies to the soundtrack album for the movie Songcatcher. This recording of Barbara Allen originally appeared on the soundtrack for Big Stone Gap, the 2015 movie set in the mountain town of the same name in Virginia.

Acknowledging this as her favourite among the many versions of Barbara Allen, Big Stone Gap director, writer, and co-producer Adriana Trigiani enthusiastically granted permission to include Cash’s recording on Big Bend Killing, believing the recording would be well served if heard in affiliation with other traditional ballads.

Lisa Knapp sang Barbary Ellen, on her 2018 EP The Summer Draws Near (A Branch of May Chapter Two). She noted:

Also known as Barbara Allen, this is one of, if not the, most commonly collected of British Folk ballads with apparently hundreds of versions found in America. This particular version is set ‘when the green buds they were swelling’ which is why I have it here in my May collection. With such high drama, dark emotion, stark sorrow and ending in the death of both protagonists this song has long been a perennial favourite amongst singers and I guess is also why it has prevailed so profusely.

Annie Winter sang Barbara Allen on Amsher’s 2018 album of Hampshire songs collected by Lucy Broadwood in Oxfordshire, Patience Vaisey at Adwell 1892. Bob Askew noted:

This ballad has been the most popular folk song from the 17^th century up to today. Barbara Allen refuses the advances of a lover, who then dies. She, then repenting, dies soon after for love.

Martyn Wyndham-Read sang Barbara Allen on his 2018 album Away to Tintinara. He noted:

Collected from the singing of Alf Dyer by Norm and Pat O’Connor of the Folklore Society of Victoria in the 1960s and recorded at Benambra, Victoria, Australia. We owe a great debt to all the folk song collectors who went out in search of these songs to save them for us to sing and enjoy. Some other of the fine Australian singers can be heard through the National Library of Australia.

Alex Cumming sang Barbara Allen on his 2020 download album Isolation Sessions: The Songs. He noted:

I first learnt this song from the Daily Express Community Song Book, first published in 1927. After reading the text of this ballad, I assumed the song would be a minor key and therefore read the sheet music wrong and thus came into creation this rather spooky melody.

Barbara Dickson sang Barbara Allen on her 2020 album Time Is Going Faster. She noted:

I found the text of this ancient and well-known song in Robert Graves’ English and Scottish Ballads and decided to write a tune for it. I have heard numerous versions of this tale, the first of which, in my youth, I remember being sung by the Everly Brothers. I like this Scots one enormously. Sometimes there is an extra verse with a rose and a briar coming from the lovers’ graves but not here; obviously, the Scots edited that final touch of romanticism out.

Iona Fyfe taught Barbara Allen on 29 April 2020 in her Traditional Ballad Workshop #1 on her Patreon page. She also sang it unaccompanied in 2020 on her download album Ballads Vol. I.

Pete Morton sang Barbry Allen on his 2020 album A Golden Thread.

Findlay Napier and Gillian Frame sang Barbara Allen on their 2020 album of songs from Norman Buchan’s 1950s and 1960s The Scotsman articles, The Ledger. Norman Buchan wrote:

I suppose this song requires very little introduction. It is found in various forms all over the English-speaking world and has remained high in popularity for at least 300 years. I should imagine it is English in origin but this version is a very fine Scottish one, based on the version collected by Gavin Greig.

Painted Sky (George and Holly Brandon) sang Barbara Allen on their 2020 EP Dawn.

Reg Meuross and Harbottle & Jonas sang Barbara Allen on their 2021 CD Songs of Love & Death. Reg Meuross noted:

Barbara Allen, a song I knew from school but adapted slightly to fit with something Martin Carthy told me about her maybe coming from the Barbary Coast, hence the possible reason why she felt shunned.

Polly Paulusma sang Barbara Allen on her 2021 album of folk songs that influenced Angela Carter, Invisible Music.

Adrienne O’Shea sang Barbara Allen on her 2023 album Threads of Gold. She noted:

This is the great Jean Ritchie’s version of one of the most famous ballads in the tradition. Her style and voice are so beautiful, and it was so important to me to include it in this album.

Frankie Archer sang Barbara Allen on an August 2024 download single and on her 2024 EP Pressure and Persuasion. She noted:

Barbara Allen is one of the most re-told songs in the English language, and it’s about a mean, cruel-hearted woman (irony there). It’s 350+ years old but is dripping with the same expectation that’s laid onto women today.

Barbara Allen is summoned to the deathbed of John, a man she doesn’t really know, so he can tell her he loves her, and expect her to love him back. In some versions of the song he tries to guilt-trip her into it. “For I am sick, I’m very bad / One kiss from you will cure me.” Barbara rejects this random man and is branded ‘cruel-hearted’. In most versions she actually dies of sorrow the day after he does (often this is told as a warning to girls not to be so cruel).

In my telling of the song I explain that Barbara isn’t cruel, and John is actually a bit unreasonable for expecting her to out of nowhere immediately love him and kiss his dying mouth (grim) and heal him. “It’s not for me to fix you, John”, she says. “I don’t owe you anything” “I didn’t ask for your attention” “Lechery is not a compliment”. Comments that our society was not ready to hear a woman say 350 years ago and still apparently struggles with today.

Lyrics

Texas Gladden sings Barbara Allen

Away down yonder in London town,
That’s where I got my learning,
I fell in love with a nice young girl,
Her name was Barbry Allen.

I courted her for seven long years,
She said she would not marry.
Sweet Willie went home and taken sick,
And sent for Barbry Allen.

She dressed so slow, for she hated to go,
“Go tell him I am coming.”
As she went walking to the room,
She heard some hells a-ringing.

She walked up to Sweet Willie s bedside,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”
He turned to face to the cold, cold wall,
And bursted out to crying.

“Do you remember the other day,
Down at the tavern, drinking?
You drank your health to the ladies all round,
And slighted Barbry’Allen.”

“Oh no, oh no, oh no,” said he,
“I think you are mistaking.
I drank my health to the ladies all round,
My love to Barbry Allen.”

As she went walking up the road,
She heard some birds a-singing,
And every one, it seemed to say,
“Hard-hearted Barbry Allen.”

She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
And saw the corpse a-coming.
“O, bring him on and let him down,
That I might look upon him.”

The more she looked, the more she wept,
She bursted out to crying.
“I might have saved this young man’s life,
And kept him from hard dying.

‘O, mother, mother, go make my bed.
O, make it long and narrow,
For Willie’s died for the love of me,
And I shall die for sorrow.”

They buried sweet Willie in the new churchyard,
And Barbry in the tyre.
On Willie’s grave sprang a bright red rose,
On Barbry Allen’s, a green briar.

They grew as tall as the new church tower,
They could not grow any higher.
They wrapped and tied in a true love knot,
And the rose ran down the briar.

Phil Tanner sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth say, “Well-a-day”,
Her name was Barbara Allen.

All in the blooming month of May,
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jimmy Grove on his death bed lay,
For love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his man down through the town,
To the place where she was dwelling.
“You must come to my master dear,
If you be Barbara Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she came up,
So slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said when there she came,
“Young man I think you’re dying.”

“A dying man, no, no,” said he,
“One kiss from thee would cure me.”
“One kiss from me thou never shalt have,
If your poor heart was breaking.”

He turned his face against the wall,
As pangs of death he fell in,
“Adieu, adieu, adieu to all,
Adieu to Barbara Allen.”

When he was dead and laid in his grave,
Her heart was struck with sorrow,
“Oh mother, mother make my bed,
I shall die tomorrow.”

She on her death bed as she lay,
Begged to be buried by him,
And so repented of that day,
That she did e’er deny him.

“Farewell”, she cried, “You virgins all,
And shun the fault I fell in.
Hence forth take warning by the fate,
Of cruel Barbara Allen.”

Elizabeth Cronin sings Barbara Allen

It was early, early in the summertime,
When the flowers were freshly springing,
A young man came to the North Country,
Fell in love with Barbara Allen;
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.
A young man came to the North Country,
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

He fell sick, and very, very bad,
And more inclined to a-dying,
He wrote a letter to the old house at home
To the place where she was dwelling, etc.

Very slowly she got up
And slowly she came to him,
The first words she spoke when she came there
Was, “Young man, I fear you’re dying.” etc.

“Dying, dying, not at all,” he said,
“One kiss from you would cure me.”
“One kiss from me you ne’er shall see,
If I thought your heart was breaking.” etc.

Fred Jordan sings Barbara Allen

It was one day in the month of May
When the flowers they was blooming,
And Johnny on his sick-bed lay
For the sake of Barbara Allen.

And slowly, slowly she came up
And slowly she came nigh him.
And all she said when there she came,
“Young man I think you’re dying.”

Poor Johnny died on one fine day
And Barbara died on the morrow,
Johnny died for Barbara’s love
And Barbara died for sorrow.

On Johnny’s grave there grew a thorn,
On Barbara’s grew a briar.
They tangled and they twisted then
For the sake of one another.

“Look up, look up from my bedside
You’ll find a bangle hanging,
With my gold watch and silver chain
All left for Barbara Allen.”

Sam Larner sings Barbry Allan

In Reading town where I was born
A fair maid there was dwelling
I picked her out to be my wife
And her name was Barbry Allen
Spoken: Ha’ ye heard that?
I picked her out to be my wife
And her name was Barbry Allen.

’Twas in the pleasant month of May
When green leaves they were springing
A young man on his death-bed lay
For the sake of Barbry Allen.

He sent for her a servant maid
To the place that she was dwelling
“I pray thee come and see my master
If your name be Barbry Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she walked on,
So slowly she got to him
And when she got to his bedside
She said “Young man, you’re dying.”

“I can see death pale you in your face
Your joys are all flown from you
And I can’t save you from the grave
So fare you well, dear Johnny.”

Now as she walked through the fields next day
She heard the church bells ringing
And as they rang they seemed to say
“Hard-hearted Barbry Allen.”

Now as she walked through the town next day
She met a corpse a-coming
“You little hearts, come set him down,
That I may gaze upon him.”

Now the more she looked the more she laughed
’Til the people cried in sorrow,
The more she looked the more she laughed
’Til her joys were turned to sorrow.

Now this young man died on one night
And she died on the morrow
And on his grave planted a red rose bush
And on her a briar.

They grew ’til they grew to the steeple top
’Til they couldn’t grow any higher
And there they tied a true love’s knot
The red rose and the briar.

Spoken: How’s that?
Ewan MacColl: Oh, beautiful song. I’ve not heard that version before, Sam.
Sam Larner: Didn’t you? That’s how we sing it. I knew that when I was a young lad.
Ewan MacColl: Where did you learn that?
Sam Larner: Oh, I don’t know—people singing on it. Old folks, oh yes. I was a twelve year old at sea in a boat; I learnt them old songs. Used to hear the men; used to see it all the time, y’see. Well, little boys, you pick up; I used to pick it up like lightning, y’know. And that got into your mind and that never did get out of your mind, n’more. Then after you got a little older and comin’ to use the pub, then you could get to sing the old songs. And some of the other old fishermen’d come along and they’d give you one and you’d pick them up, and that’s how we got our songs goin’, y’see. And that’s how that was done that time of day.

Osian Ellis sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin,
Made every youth cry “well a day.”
Her name was Barbara Allen.

O in the merry month of May
When the green buds they were swellin,
Young Tommy Groves on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.

And death is printed on his face
And on his heart is stealing.
“O haste away to comfort him,
O lovely Barbara Allen.”

So slowly slowly she came up,
So slowly she came nigh him.
And all she said to comfort him,
“Young man I think you’re dying.”

He turnd his face unto the wall
As deadly pangs he fell in.
“Adieu kind friends, adieu to all,
Adieu o Barbara Allen.”

When he was dead and lain in grave
Her heart was filled with sorrow.
“O mother mother make my bed,
For I shall die tomorrow.

“Farewell,” she said, “ye maidens all
Shun the fault I fell in
And soft take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbara Allen.”

Mr. Rew sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet To;m, where I was born,
There lived a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry well-a-vay,
Her name is Barbara Allen.

All in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jimmy Grove on his deathbed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.

Then slowly, slowly she came on,
And slowly she came nigh him,
For all she said when there she came,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“Father, Father, dig my grave,
O dig it long and narrow.
My own true love is buried today,
For I shall die tomorrow.”

“Farewell,” said she, “Ye virgins all,
My own the fault I fell in;
Henceforth take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbara Allen.”

Jim Wilson sings Barbara Allen

In Reading town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
I picked her up for to be my bride
And her name was Barbara Allen
I picked her up for to be my bride
And her name was Barbara Allen.

It was all in the month of May
Where the green leaves they were a-springing
A young man on his sick-bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.

Oh he sent his servant man
To the place where she was a-dwelling
Saying, “Fair maid, go to your master’s house
If your name is Barbara Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she walked by
So slowly she got to him
And when she got to his bedside
She said, “Young man, you’re dying.

“Oh nothing but death was in your face
All joy has fled-ed from thee
I cannot save you from the grave
So farewell dearest Johnny.”

As she was a-walking through the fields
She heard the bells a-ringing
And as they rung they seemed to say
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

As she was a-walking through the street
She saw a corpse a-coming
“You little hearts, come set him down
And let me gaze all on him.”

The more she looked the more she laughed
And rather she got to him
’Til her friends cried out, “For shame,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

“Hard-hearted creature sure I was
To the one that loved me dearly
I wish I had more kinder been
When the time of life was near me.”

It was he that died one good day
And she died on the morrow
It was he that died for love
As she have died for sorrow.

Ewan MacColl sings Bawbee Allan

It fell aboot the Marinmus time,
When the green leaves they were fallin’,
Then Sir John Graeme o’ the North Country,
Fell in love wi’ Bawbee Allan.

He’s sent his man through a’ the toon,
Tae the place where she was dwallin’;
“Come doon, come doon to my master daer,
Gin your name be Bawbee Allan.”

O, hooly, hooly rose she up,
And slowly she gaed to him,
And when she cam’ to his bedside,
“Young man, I think you’re dyin’.”

“It’s I am sick and very sick,
And it’s a’ for Bawbee Allan.”
“It’s better for me ye’ll never be,
For bonnie Bawbee Allan.

“When ye were in the tavern, sir,
And at the wine was swillin’,
Ye made the toasts gang roond and roond,
And ye slighted Bawbee Allan.”

He’s turned his face unto the wa’,
And death was wi’ him dealin’;
“Then fare ye weel, my dear friends a’,
But be kind to Bawbee Allan.

“Then pit your hand aneist the wa’,
And there you’ll find a token;
Wi’ my gold watch and my gold ring,
Gie that to Bawbee Allan.

“Then pit your hand aneist my side,
And there ye’ll find a warran’;
And there ye’ll get my blude red sark,
It bled for Bawbee Allan.”

She hadna gane a step a step,
When she heard the deith bell knellin’,
And ilka clap te deid bell gied,
Said, “Wae to Bawbee Allan.”

“O, mither, dear, you’ll mak’ my bed,
Ye’ll mak’ it saft and narrow;
My love has died for me this day,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

Jean Ritchie sings Barbara Allen

All in the merry month of May
When the green buds they were swellin’,
Young William Green on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbary Allen.

He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwellin’,
Sayin’, “Masters’s sick and he sends for you
If your name be Barbary Allen.”

So slow-lie, slow-lie she got up
And slow-lie she came a-nigh him,
And all she said when she got there,
“Young man, I believe you’re dyin’.”

“O yes, I’m low, I’m very low,
And death is in me dwellin’,
No better, no better I’ll never be
If I can’t get Barbary Allen.”

“O yes, you’re low and very low,
And death is on you dwellin’,
No better, no better you’ll never be
For you can’t get Barbary Allen.

“For don’t you remember in yonder’s town
In yonder’s town a-drinkin’,
You passed your glass all around and around
And you slighted Barbary Allen.”

“O yes I remember in yonder’s town
In yonder’s town a-drinkin’
I gave my health to the ladies all around
But my heart to Barbara Allen.”

He turned his pale face to the wall,
For death on him was dwellin’.
“Adieu, adieu, you good neighbours all,
Adieu, sweet Barbara Allen.”

As she was goin’ across the fields
She heard those death bells a-knellin’,
And every stroke the death bell give,
“Hard-hearted Barbary Allen”.

“O mother, o mother, go make my bed,
Go make make it both long and narrow.
Young William’s died for me today
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

O she was buried near the old church tower
And he was buried a-nigh her,
And out of his bosom grew a red, red rose,
Out of Barbary’s grew a green briar.

They grew and they grew up the old church tower,
Until they could grow no higher.
They locked and tied in a true lover’s knot,
Red rose wrapped around the green briar.

Lucy Stewart sings Barbara Allen

In London town where I was born
A young man there was dwellin’ O,
He courted a fair young maid
𝄆 Whose name was Barbry Allen O. 𝄇

He coorted her for seven long years,
’Til he couldnae coort her longer O,
’Til he fell sick an’ very ill,
An’ 𝄆 he sent for Barary Allen O. 𝄇

It’s slowly she put on her clothes,
An’ slowly she came walkin’ O,
An’ when she came to his bed-side,
𝄆 “Young man,” she says, “You’re dyin’ O.” 𝄇

“Oh, dyin’ O I canna be,
One kiss from you would cure me O.”
“One kiss from me you shall not get,
𝄆 Young man though you are dyin’ O. ” 𝄇

“Oh, it’s look you up at my bed heid,
An’ see fit you see hangin’ O;
A guinea gold watch an’ a silver chain,
𝄆 Give that to Barbry Allen O. 𝄇

“Oh, look you doon at my bed-side,
An’ see fit you see settin’ O;
A china basin full o’ tears,
𝄆 That I shed for Barbry Allen 0.” 𝄇

Oh, she had nae been a mile oot o’ toon,
’Til she heard the death bells tollin’ O,
An’ every toll it seemed to say:
𝄆 ”Hard-hairted Barbry Allen O.” 𝄇

“Oh, mother, dear, make me my bed,
An’ make it long an’ narrow O;
My sweetheart died for me today,
But 𝄆 I’ll die for him tomorrow O.” 𝄇

Dan Tate sings Barbara Allen

It was early. early in the fall
When the yellow leaves were falling,
When sweet Willie on his death bed lay,
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his servant through the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
“Alas my master calls for you
If your name be Barbara Allen.”

They hadn’t got more than half through town
When she heard the death bells ringing;
And every one it seemed to say,
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

“Oh yes I’m sick, I’m sick indeed
And death on me is dwelling.
And never better will I be
If I can’t get Barbara Allen.”

“Oh yes you’re sick, and sick indeed,
And death on you is dwelling,
And never better will you be,
For you can’t get Barbara Allen.”

She hadn’t got more than a mile from town,
Till she saw the corpse a-coming.
“Please set him down here by my side,
That I may look upon him.”

The more she looked the more she wept,
When she fell to the ground a-crying,
Saying. “Take me up and carry me home,
For I think that I am dying.”

They buried her in the old church yard,
They buried sweet Willie nigh her.
And out of his bosom sprang a red, red rose,
And out of hers a briar.

They grew till they came to the top of the church,
And they could not grow any higher,
They locked, they tied in a true lover’s knot,
And the rose wrapped round the briar.

Spoken: I don’t think the last words of that song can be beat.

Caroline Hughes sings Barbry Ellen

Oh, in Reading Town where I was born,
There’s a fair young lady dwelling;
Well, I picked her out for to be my bride
Af her name was Barbry Ellen, Ellen,
Af her name was Barbry Ellen.

“Now, Mother dear, you make up my bed,
You’ll make it soft and easy;
Oh, that I might die for the sake of love,
Yes, and she might die for sorrow, sorrow,
Yes, and she might die for sorrow.

“Now, Mother dear, you’ll look up over my head,
You’ll see my gold watch standing;
Oh, there’s my gold watch and my guinea gold ring,
Will you ’liver it to Barbry Ellen, Ellen,
Will you ’liver it to Barbry Ellen.

“Now, Mother dear, look at the side of my bed,
You’ll see a bowl there standing,
What is full of tears that I’ve lost this night
For the loss of Barbry Ellen, Ellen,
For the loss of Barbry Ellen.”

Now, as I were a-walking across the fields,
Well, I met, oh, a corpse a-coming;
“Oh, you put him down, my six young lambs,
Oh that I might well gaze on him, him,
Oh that I might well gaze on him.”

While strollilye I walkèd on,
Well, I heard the knell a-telling,
And as it tolled, oh, it seemed to say:
”Hard-hearted Barbry Ellen, Ellen,
Hard-hearted Barbry Ellen.”

Joe Heaney sings Barbary Ellen

In Scarlet Town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth well rue the day,
Her name was Barbary Ellen.

Christmas came and went one year,
The green leaves they had fellen.
When a young man from the north country
Fell in love with Barbary Ellen.

He sent his servant out one day
To the place where she was dwelling.
“My master wants a word with you,
My bonny Barbary Ellen.”

“One word from me he ne’er shall get,
Or any young man living.
No better no better he e’er shall get,
For I know his heart is breaking.”

“O rise up, rise up”, her mother cried,
“And go and see this young man.”
“Oh mother, mother don’t make me go,
For I do love no-one.”

But slowly slowly she got up
And slowly she put on her;
And slowly slowly to the sick man’s bed,
“Young man I hear you’re dying.”

“I’m dying in this very bed,
The death lies in my bosom.
One kiss from you would restore my health,
My bonny Barbary Ellen.”

“Don’t you remember last Saturday night?
You were in the alehouse drinking.
You drank the health of all the girls,
But you slighted Barbary Ellen.a”

“O I remember last Saturday night,
I was in the alehouse drinking.
I drank the health of all around,
But my love was for Barbary Ellen.”

He turned his pale face to the wall,
His friends all gathered round him.
“Adieu adieu”, he said to all,
“But be kind to Barbary Ellen.”

As she trudged her way ward home,
She heard the small birds singing.
And with every note they seemed to say,
Cruel hearted Barbary Ellen.

“O mother, mother make my bed,
Make it soft and narrow.
A young man died for me last night,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

She was buried in the old churchyard,
And William was buried beside her.
From Barbara’s grave grew a red red rose,
From William’s a green briar.

They grew to the top of the old church wall
Till they could grow no higher.
They wrapped and entwined in a lover’s knot,
The rose around the briar.”

Phoebe Smith sings Barbara Allen

In North town I were bred and born,
And Cambridge I went dwelling,
Till I fell in love with a pretty fair maid
And her name were Barbara Allen.

It were early into the month of May,
When the green leaves they were budding,
When a young man on his death bed laid,
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent round one of his servant men,
To the place where she were dwelling,
And says, “Young woman I been sent for thee,
If your name are Barbara Allen.”

Slowly she put on her clothes,
And slowly she walked to him.
Then she turned her back a-wards him
And a-saying, “Young man, you are a-dying.”

“Dying, miss now that never can be,
One kiss from you will save me.”
“One kiss from me you never shall have,
Since my poor heart you have ruined.

“You remember that last Saturday night,
In the alehouse you were drinking;
You drank your health with all fair maids,
And you daunted Barbara Allen.”

“Mother dear, come make my bed,
And make it long and narrow,
For as I may lay and take a rest,
And think of Barbara Allen.

“Mother dear, look at my bedside,
You will see a watch a-hanging.
There’s a guinea gold watch and a diamond ring
Hung there for Barbara Allen.”

She were walking through the old footpath,
She heard the church bells a-tolling;
And the more they tolled, so loudly rolled,
Hard haunted Barbara Allen.

She were walking down a road,
She met the corpse a-coming;
And the nearer she got to the corpse,
The further he drew from her.

“Set him down, my six bonny lads,
And let me gaze all upon him;
For this young man has died for me,
And I shall die tomorrow.”

He died on (to) one grey day,
And she died on the other.
They were both buried in (to) the old churchyard,
Both under the big laurel.

Out of her sprang a red rose tree,
And out from him a briar.
They grow, they grow, to a steeple tall,
And the red rose covered the briar, briar,
And the red rose covered the briar.

Hedy West sings Barbara Allen

In London City where I was born
And where I got my learnin’,
I fell in love with a blue-eyed girl
And her name was Barb’ru Allen.

It was in the month of May
When green buds they were swellin’;
Young William come from the western states
And he courted Barb’ru Allen.

Sometime then, a little later on,
When the buds was bloomin’,
Young William on his death bed lay
For the love of Barb’ru Allen.

He sent his servant to the town
To the town where she was dwellin’:
“My master’s sick and he bids you come
If your name be Barb’ru Allen.”

Slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said when she got there:
“Young man, I think you’re dyin’.”

“O yes, I’m sick; I’m very sick
And death is on me dwellin’.
No better, no better I ever shall be
If I can’t have Barb’ru Allen.”

“Don’t you remember the other day?
You was in the tavern drinkin’.
You gave a health to the ladies all around
But you slighted Barb’ru Allen.”

“Yes, I remember the other day.
I was in the tavern drinkin’.
I made a health to the ladies all around;
Gave my love to Barb’ru Allen.”

He turned his pale face to the wall
For death was drawin’ nigh him:
“Farewell, farewell, my dear friends all.
Be kind to Barb’ru Allen.”

As she was walkin’ o’er the hill
She heard the death-bells knellin’,
And every stroke, it seemed to say:
“Hard-hearted Barb’ru Allen.”

She looked to the east and looked to the west,
She saw his cold corpse comin’.
The more she looked, the more she wept,
She busted out a-cryin’.

“Lay down, lay down that corpse,” she said,
“That I may look upon it.”
The more she looked, the more she wept.
She busted out a-weepin’.

“O mother, go and make my bed
And make it long and narrow.
William died for me today;
I’ll die for him tomorrow.

“O father, O father, go dig my grave
And dig it deep and narrow.
Young William died for me today;
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

They buried them both in the old church-yard,
They buried her beside him.
From William’s grave grew a red, red rose,
From Barb’ru’s grew a briar.

They grew and grew to the old church top
Till they could grow no higher.
They all tied up in a true love’s knot;
The rose run round the briar.

Danny Brazil sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
And all the lads cried “well-a-day”
For love of Barbary Allen.

Look over, look over in yonders field,
You’ll see some cows a-feeding;
For they are mine they are left for thine,
They are left for Barbary Allen.

Look down, look down at the foot of my bed,
You’ll see a waistcoat hanging,
And in the pocket a watch and chain,
It’s left for Barbary Allen.

Look down look down at the foot of my bed,
You’ll see a basin standing;
A basin of blood from my heart I’ve shed,
For you my Barbary Allen.

Oh mother dear make me a bed,
Make it soft and narrow,
For Johnny died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.

Oh parson dear dig me a grave,
Dig it neat and narrow,
And on my bosom place a red rose,
And on Johnny’s a sweet briar.

They growed and growed to the top of the church,
’Til they couldn’t grow any higher,
And they turned back in a true love knot,
The rose around the briar.

Sarah Makem sings Barbary Allen

Michaelmas day being in the year,
When the green leaves they were falling,
When young Jimmy Grove from the north country
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

He sent his servants out one day
To see if she was coming,
“One word from you will bring me to,
If you be Barbara Allen.”

“Get up, get up,” her mama said,
“Get up and go and see him.”
“Oh, mama dear, do you not mind the time,
That you told me how to slight him?”

“Get up, get up,” her father said,
“Get up and go and see him.”
“Oh, Dadda dear, do you not mind the time,
That you told me how to shun him?”

Slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she put on her,
And slowly went to his bedside,
And slowly looked upon him.

“You’re lying low, young man,” she said,
“And almost near a-dying.”
“One word from you will bring me to,
If you be Barbara Allen.”

“One word from me you never will get,
Nor any young man breathing,
For the better of me you never will be,
If your heart’s blood was a-spilling.”

“Look at my bedfoot,” he said,
“And there you’ll find them lying.
Bloody sheets and bloody shirts
I sweat for Barbara Allen.

“Look at my bedhead,” he said,
“And there you’ll find it ticking.
My gold watch and my gold chain
I bestow to Barbara Allen.”

As she went over her father’s green,
She heard the dead bell ringing,
And every chap the dead bell gave,
It was woe to Barbara Allen.

As she went over her father’s hall,
She saw the corpse a-coming.
“Lay down, lay down, old weary corpse,
Till I get looking on him.”

They lifted the lid up off the corpse.
She bursted out with laughing,
And all his wearied friends around cried,
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

As she went into her father’s house,
“Make my bed long and narrow,
For the dead bell did ring for my true-love today.
It will ring for me tomorrow.”

Out of one grave there grew a red rose
And out of the other a briar,
But they both twisted into a true-lover’s knot
And there remain for ever.

Shirley Collins’ Barbara Allen on The Power of the True Love Knot

It was round and about last Martinmas tide
When the green leaves were swelling,
That young Jimmy Grove of the West Country
Fell in love with Barbary Allen.

He sent his man into the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Says, “Will you come to my master dear,
If your name is Barbary Allen?”

Then slowly, slowly got she up
And slowly came she nigh him,
And all she said when there she came,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“Indeed, I’m sick and very sick
And shan’t get any better,
Unless I gain the love of one
The love of Barbary Allen.”

“But don’t you remember last Saturday night
When the red wine you were spilling?
You drank a health to the ladies there
But you slighted Barbary Allen.”

And death is printed on his face
And all his heart is stealing.
And again he cried as she left his side,
“Hard-hearted Barbary Allen.”

As she was a-going over the fields
She heard the death-bell tolling,
And every sound it seemed to sigh,
“Hard-hearted Barbary Allen.”

“Oh mother, mother, make my bed,
Come make it soft and narrow,
Since Jimmy died for me today
I shall die for him tomorrow.”

Cecilio Costello sings Barbara Allen

Oh, hard hearted was Barbara Allen.
Look up, look up, at my bed-head,
You’ll see a watch a-hanging.
Oh, it is for you and only you,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.

Do you remember, last Saturday night,
When in the alehouse, drinking,
Sure, you drunk the company’s health all round,
But you slighted Barbara Ellen.

Spoken: That’s it. Oh I’ve tried to find that out. I used to sing that and all.

John Byrne sings Barbara Allen

It being about the Christmas time
When green leaves they were falling
When Lord John Hugh of the North country
Fell in love with Barbara Ellen.

He sent his servants night and day
To the house where she was dwelling,
Saying, “Please miss, rise, come to my master’s side
If your name be Barbara Ellen.”

Slowly slowly she arose
And slowly she put on her,
And slowly to his bedside she goes,
“I fear young man you’re dying.”

“I’m sick, I’m sick and I’m very bad,
The grave shall be my dwelling;
One kiss, one kiss from your ruby lips
Would save me, love, from dying.”

“One kiss, one kiss you never will get,
You or no other man breathing;
One kiss, one kiss you never will get
If your heart’s blood was a-spilling.

“O don’t you remember,” o then she said,
“Down in yon alehouse drinking,
When you drank the health of all fair maids
And slighted Barbara Ellen?”

“I do remember,” o then he said,
“Down in yon alehouse drinking,
When I drank the health of all fair maids
And my love to Barbara Ellen.”

“Oh do you remember,” o then she said,
“Down in yon garden walking,
When you plucked a rose for all fair maids
And slighted Barbara Ellen?”

“I do remember,” o then he said,
“Down in yon garden walking,
When I plucked a rose for all fair maids
And my love to Barbara Ellen.

“Look up, look up at my bed-head.
It’s there you’ll find it hanging:
My golden watch and my silver penknife
That I leave to Barbara Ellen.

“Look down, look down at my bed-side,
It’s there you’ll find it sitting:
A china basin full of tears
That was shed for Barbara Ellen.”

He named his pale face to the wall
And death came slowly creeping;
These were the very last words he said:
“Adieu, young Barbara Ellen.”

As she was walking her father’s grove
She met his funeral coming.
“Lay down, lay down my lovely corpse
Till I gaze once more upon him.”

The more she gazed the more she laughed
While his kind friends were sighing;
They then took up the corpse with shame,
Saying, “Hard-hearted Barbara Ellen.”

“O mother, mother make my bed
And make it long and narrow.
For a young man died for me today
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.

“O brothers, brothers, dig my grave,
And dig it deep and narrow.
For a young man died for me today
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

And one was buried in Mary’s churchyard
And the other in Nelson’s choir,
And out of one there grew a rose
And out of the other a briar.

The briar grew long and the rose grew tall
Until they met together,
And there they formed a true lover’s knot
And there they remain for ever.

Bob Hart sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town, where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made many a lad say “Well a-day.”
They called her Barbara Allen.

All in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jimmy Cole on his death-bed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his man down to the town,
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “You must come to my master dear,
If you be Barbara Allen.”

So slowly, slowly, she came up
And slowly she came nigh him.
And all she said, as there she stood,
Was, “Young man, I think you’re dying.”

When these words from her lips did fall,
His heart was touched with sorrow.
“Oh, Mother, Mother, make my bed,
For I shall die tomorrow.”

He turned his face unto the wall,
As deadly pangs befell him.
“Adieu, adieu, adieu to all.
Adieu to Barbara Allen.”

Charlie Somers sings Barbro Allen

Early, early in the spring
When flowers they were blooming,
It’s a young man fell bad in love:
I hear he’s just a-dying.

He sent a page to his love’s house,
A page unto her dwelling.
“My master wants one word of you
If you be Barbro Allen.”

“One word of me he shall not get
If he was just a-dying,
Nor the better of me he never shall be
If I saw his heart’s blood flying.”

“Arise, arise,” her mother says,
“Arise and go and see him.
“Oh mother, don’t you mind the time
You told me to forget him?”

“Arise, arise,” her father says,
Arise and go and see him.”
“Oh father, don’t you mind the time
You told me to forget him?”

Slowly, slowly she arose,
And slowly she put on her,
And slowly to her true lover’s house:
“I hear, young man, you’re dying.”

“O yes, my love, I’m very bad
And death is in my dwelling.
But one sweet kiss’ll make me well
If you be Barbro Allen.”

“O one sweet kiss you shall not get
If you were just a-dying,
Nor the better of me you never shall be
If I saw your heart’s blood flying.”

“O love, look down at my bed head
And there you’ll find them hanging:
A gay gold watch and a diamond ring
I bought for Barbro Allen.”

“I won’t look down at your bed head
Nor I shall not find them hanging.
For a gay gold watch and a diamond ring
Was ne’er bought for Barbro Allen.

“O love, o love, don’t you mind the time
When in yon garden walking,
You pulled a flower to each fair maid
But none to Barbro Allen?”

“Yes, my love, I mind the time
When in yon garden walking,
I pulled a flower to every fair maid
And a rose to Barbro Allen.”

“Oh love, oh love, don’t you mind the time
When in yon tavern drinking,
You drank a health to every fair maid
But none to Barbro Allen?”

“Oh yes, my love, I mind the time
When in yon tavern drinking,
I drank a health to every fair maid
And a toast to Barbro Allen.”

As she went o’er her father’s stile
She heard the dead bell toning,
And every tone it seemed to say,
“Hard-hearted Barbro Allen!”

As she went o’er her father’s stile
She saw the funeral coming.
“Leave him down, leave him down, till I see him once more.
“Hard-hearted Barbro Allen!”

“O mother, mother, make my bed,
It’s make it long and narrow.
My true love died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.

“O father, father, dig my grave
It’s dig it long and narrow.
My true love died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

The one was buried in the church-yard
And the other in the bower.
And out of the one grew a red, red rose
And out of the other grew a briar.

O they grew, they grew and they twisted through
Till they could grow no higher
And they both grew intill a true-lover’s knot
And there remains (spoken:) for ever.

Charlie Wills sings Barbara Allen

In Scotland I was born and bred,
In London I was dwelling;
I courted one a pretty maid,
Her name was Barbara Allen, Allen,
Her name was Barbara Allen.

I sent my servant to her town,
To her town where she was dwelling,
Saying, “Come unto my master’s house
If your name is Barbara Allen, Allen,
If your name is Barbara Allen.”

How slowly I put on my things
And slowly I went to him,
And when I came to his bedside
I said, “Young man you’re a-dying, dying,”
I said, “Young man you’re a-dying.”

“A dying man don’t say I am
When one kiss from you will cure me.”
“One kiss from me you never shall have
While your false heart lay breaking, breaking,
While your false heart lay a-breaking.

“Last Saturday night you know very well
Sweet ale that you were a-drinking,
You drink your health to all was there,
But not to Barbara Allen, Allen
But not to Barbara Allen.”

“Oh mother, oh mother look at my bedside,
There’s my gold watch all hanging.
There’s my gold watch, likewise my chain,
Give it to Barbara Allen, Allen,
Give it to Barbara Allen.”

As I was going across the fields
I heard the bells all tolling;
And every time the bell did toll,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen, Allen,
Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.

“Oh mother, oh mother go and make my bed
And make it long and narrow;
For my true love he died today
And I will die tomorrow, morrow,
And I will die tomorrow.

“Oh father, oh father go and dig my grave
And dig it deep and narrow;
For my true love was buried today
And I’ll be buried tomorrow, morrow,
And I’ll be buried tomorrow.”

Andy Cash sings Barbary Ellen

One day, one day, of a fine summer’s day,
It was on green grass was growing,
It was young Johnny Brown from the North Country Down
Come to court young Barbary Ellen.

He sent his servants one by one,
For to see was she incoming.
Slowly, slowly he did rise,
And it’s slowly she put on him.
It was slowly she went to his bed side,
“I’m afraid, young man, you’re dying.”

“For I am sick, I’m very bad,
One kiss from you will cure me.
One kiss, one kiss from your sweet lips,
If your name is Barbary Ellen.”

“One kiss, one kiss from my sweet lips,
That’s you or no man breathing,
For the better of me you’ll never receive
’Til I hear your death bells ringing.”

“Go on, go on to my weary bed side,
And it’s there you’ll see it flooding,
For it is a basin of my heart’s blood,
And I shed for Barbary Ellen.”

“Go on, go on to my weary feet,
And it’s there you’ll see him lying,
For it is a gold ring and a silvery pin
I ’store it to Barbary Ellen.”

The very next street that she went down,
She heard the death bells ringing.
It was every sound that the death bells gave,
Was, “Adieu to Barbary Ellen.”

The very next street that she went down,
And she spied his funeral coming.
“Leave down, leave down those wearisome corpse,
Until I gaze all on her.” [him]
The more she kept gazing, the more she kept crying,
’Til the friends got ashamed of Young Ellen.

“Go home, go home dear father,” she cried,
“And leave it long and narrow,
For this young man died for me last night,
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

He was buried one end of the church,
And I was buried the other,
And out of his heart there grew a red rose
And out of mine grew a green briar.

They grew, they grew and they grew so high,
’Til they couldn’t grow any higher,
’Til they tangled in to a true lovers knot
For all true lovers to admire.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sing Barbara Allen

In Reading town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling;
I picked her out for to be my bride
And her name was Barbry Ellen, Ellen,
And her name was Barbry Ellen.

He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “You must come to my master dear
If your name be Barbry Ellen.”

Slowly she got out of bed
And come where he was lying,
And when she looked on his pale face
Said, “Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“Oh mother dear, go make my bed,
You make it soft and easy,
That I might die for the sake of love
And she might die for sorrow.

“Oh mother dear, look at the side of my bed,
You’ll see a bowl there standing.
It’s full of tears that I’ve shed this night
For the loss of Barbry Ellen.

“Oh mother dear, look over my head,
You’ll see a gold watch standing.
There’s my gold watch and my guinea gold ring,
Would you deliver it to Barbry Ellen?”

As she was walking over the moor
She saw a corpse a-coming.
“Oh put him down, you six pretty lads
That I might well gaze on him.”

As I was walking and strolled along
I heard the bell a-tolling,
With every stroke it seemed to say
Hard-hearted Barbry Ellen.

Jane Turriff sings Barbara Allen

I fell in love with a nice young girl,
Her name wis Barb’ry Allen;
I fell in love with a nice young girl,
Her name wis Barbary Allen.

Till I got seeck an very ill,
I sent for Barb’ry Allen;
When I got seeck an very ill,
I sent for Barbary Allen.

“It’s look ye up at my bedheid,
An see whit you find hangin:
A silver watch an a guinea gold chain,
That hangs there for Barbary Allen,
That hangs there for Barbary Allen.

“It’s look ye doon at my bedside,
An see whit you find sittin:
A basin fu o my heart’s tears,
That sits there for Barbary Allen,
That sits there for Barbary Allen.”

She pu’ed the curtains from the bed
An said, “Young man you’re dyin.”
She pu’ed the curtain from the bed,
An said, “Young man you are dyin.”

“One kiss from you, wid do me good,
One kiss from you wid cure me.”
“One kiss from me you shall not get,
Though your poor heart lies breakin,
Though your poor heart lies breakin.”

She hid nae gane a mile or twa,
When she heard the church bells ringin,
An every word they seemed to say,
“Cruel herted Barbary Allen,
Cruel herted Barbary Allen.”

“Oh mother dear, oh make my bed,
An make it long an narrow,
For my true love, he died for me,
An I’ll die for him tomorrow,
Yet I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

Her mother she hath made ’er bed,
An made it long an narrow,
An laid her down to fall asleep,
An she died for her true lover.

Johnny Doughty sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry “Well-a-day”
For her name was Barbara Allen.

’Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jemmy Groves on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his man unto her then
To the place where she was dwelling,
“You must come to my master dear
If your name be Barbara Allen.”

Then slowly, slowly she came up
And slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said whene’er she came,
“Young man I think you’re dying.”

As she was walking o’er the fields
She heard the bells a-knelling,
And every stroke did seem to say
“Unworthy Barbara Allen”

When he was dead and in his grave
Her heart was struck with sorrow,
“Oh mother, mother make my bed
For I will die tomorrow.”

Frank Hinchliffe sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling.
Made every youth cry “Well-a-day”,
Her name was Barbara Allen.

’Twas in the merry month of May,
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Jimmy Grove on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent one of his servant men
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “My master’s ill and sends for you
If your name is Barbara Allen.”

Peggy Seeger sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Every youth cried, “Well away.”
Her name was Barbara Allen.

It was in the merry month of May
When the green buds they was swelling,
Sweet William on his death-bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his man unto her then
To the place where she was dwelling,
“My master’s ill and he calls for you
If your name be Barbara Allen.”

Slowly, slowly, rose she up,
Slowly came she nigh him,
All she said when there she came,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“O yes I’m sick, I’m very sick
And yes I know I’m dying,
No better, no better will I ever be
If I can’t have Barbara Allen.”

“Don’t you remember last Saturday night
When we was all a-drinking?
You drank a toast to the ladies ’round.
And you slighted Barbara Allen.”

“O I remember last Saturday night
When we was all a drinking,
I drank a toast to the ladies ’round,
And my love to Barbara Allen.”

He’s tturned his pale face to the wall
And he busted out a-crying,
No better, no better will you ever be
For you won’t get Barbara Allen.”

O she went out in the May morning,
She heard the birds a-singing,
Every bird did seem to say,
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

O she went home in the May morning,
She heard his death-bell knolling.
Every bell did seem to say:
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

“O mother, mother, go make my bed,
Go make it long and narrow,
Sweet William died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.

“O father, father, go dig my grave,
Dig it lone and narrow,
Sweet William died for pure true love
And I will die for sorrow.”

They buried Sweet William in the old churchyard,
Barbara Allen beside him.
From his grave is a deep red rose
And from hers a briar.

They grew and grew in the old churchyard,
They could not grow on higher.
There they formed a true-lovers’ knot,
The red rose ’round the briar.

Debbie and Pennie Davis sing Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
And all the lads cried “Well-a-day”
For love of Barbara Allen.

“Look over, look over to yonder hill,
You’ll see some cows a-feeding,
For they are mine, they are left for thine,
They are left for Barbara Allen.

“Look down, look down to the foot of my bed,
You’ll see a waistcoat hanging,
And in the pocket a watch and chain,
It’s left for Barbara Allen.

“Look down, look down to the foot of my bed,
You’ll see a basin standing,
A basin of blood from my heart has shed,
It’s left for Barbara Allen.”

“O, mother dear make me a bed,
Make it soft and narrow.
For Johnny died/dies for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.

“O, parson dear, dig me a grave,
Dig it deep and narrow,
And on my bosom place a red rose,
For Johnny’s a sweet briar.”

They grew and grew to the top of the church,
’Til they couldn’t grow any higher.
They turned back down in a true love knot,
The rose around the briar.

Patsy Flynn sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
She was the prize of the ladies all,
Her name was Barbara Allen.

It was in the merry, merry month of May,
As the rose buds they were swelling,
Young Willie Young on his death-bed lay
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his servants to her room,
To the place where she was dwelling,
Sayin’, “My master begs that you come to him,
If your name be Barbara Allen.”

Well slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she went to him,
And when she pulled the curtains back
Says, “Young man, I think you are a-dying.”

“Oh, yes, I’m sick, I’m very sick,
And I never shall get better,
’Least I can view my own true love
My darling Barbara Allen.”

“Do you recall in yonder town,
In the tavern you were drinking;
You drank a toast to the ladies all,
But slighted Barbara Allen?”

“Oh yes I recall in yonder town,
In the tavern I was drinking;
I drank a toast to the ladies all,
But my love to Barbara Allen.”

As she was walking back to town
She met his (??) coffin;
Cried, “Bearers, bearers, lay him down
That I might gaze upon him.

“Oh, father, father, dig my grave,
Oh dig it deep and narrow.
Young Willie Young died for me today;
I will die for him tomorrow.”

So they buried him in that old churchyard,
With Barbara there beside him,
And from his grave grew a red, red rose,
From Barbara’s grew a briar.

They grew and grew and they twisted through,
Till they could grow no higher,
They grew and grew and they twisted through,
The red rose and the briar:
The red rose round the briar.

Bill Smith sings Barbara Allen

In Scarlet town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry, “Well a day”,
Her name was Barbara Helen.

All in the merry month of May
When green buds they were swelling
Young Jimmy Grove on his death bed lay
For love of Barbara Helen

When he was dead and laid in grave
Her heart was struck with sorrow
“Oh mother, mother, make my bed
For I shall die tomorrow.”

“Farewell" she said, “Ye maidens all
And shun the fault I fell in.
Henceforth take warning by the fall
Of cruel Barbara Helen.”

Emma Briggs sings Barbara Allen

Oh mother, mother, make my bed,
Make it deep and hollow.
For my young man have died of love,
And I shall die tomorrow.

Oh father, father dig my grave,
Dig it deep and narrow.
For my young man have died of love,
And I shall die of sorrow.

Those two are dead and in their graves.
And buried with each other.
How happy those two might’ve been,
If they had loved one another.

Garrett and Norah Arwood sing Barbara Allen

In Scarlet town where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling.
Made every youth cry, “Well-away”,
Her name was Barbara Allen*.

Was in the merry month of May,
When the spring buds they were swelling.
Sweet William came from a western state,
And courted Barbara Allen.

Was in the merry month of June,
The spring flowers they were blooming.
Sweet William on his deathbed lay,
For the love of Barbara Allen.

He sent his servants to the town,
Where Barbara was a-dwelling.
“Our master’s sick, and sent for you,
If your name be Barbara Allen.”

Slowly, slowly, she got up,
And slowly she came near him.
But all she said when she got there,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“Yes, I’m sick, I’m very sick,
Death is on me dwelling.
No better, no better, I ever can be,
If I can’t have Barbara Allen.”

“Yes, you’re sick, you’re very sick,
Death is on you dwelling.
No better, no better, you ever will be,
Cause you can’t have Barbara Allen.”

As she was on the highway home,
The birds they kept on singing.
They sing so loud, they seem to say,
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen”.

She looked to the east, she looked to the west,
She spied his corpse a-coming.
“Lay down, lay down, that corpse of clay,
So I might look upon him.”

The more she looked, the more she mourned,
Till she fell to the ground a-weeping.
Said, “Take me up and carry me home,
For I am now a-dying.”

Sweet William was buried in the old churchyard,
And Barbara Allen beside him.
From William’s grave there grew a rose,
From Barbara Allen’s a briar.

They grew and grew to the high church top,
And could not grow any higher.
They met and tied in a true-lover’s knot,
The rose around the briar.

Incantation sing Barbara Allen

Well it being late all in the year
the green leaves they are fallen,
Young Johnny rose from his own country
And fell in love with Barbara Allen.

“Get up, get up,” her mother said,
“Get up and go and see him.”
“O mother dear, do you not mind the time
That you told me how to slight him?”

“Get up, get up,” her father said,
“Get up and go and see him.”
“O father dear do you not mind the time
That you told me how to shun him?”

So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she put on her,
And slowly she went to his bedside
And slowly looked upon him.

“You’re lying low young man,” she said,
“And almost near to dying.”
“One word from you would bring me through
If you be Barbara Allen.”

“On word from me you never will get
Or any young man breathing.
For the better of me you never will be
Though your hearts’ blood was a spilling.”

“Look down, look down to my bed foot,
It’s there you’ll find them lying:
My bloody sheets and bloody shirts,
I sweat them for you, Allen.”

“Look up, look up to my bed head,
It’s there you’ll find them hanging:
My gold watch and my gold chain,
I bestow them to you, Allen”

As she was going home to her mothers house
She heard the death bell ringing;
And every clap that the death bell did ring
It was, “Woe be to you, Allen.”

As she was going home to her fathers house
She saw the funeral coming.
“Lay down, lay down that weary corpse
Till I get looking on him.”

She lifted the lid up of the corpse
And bursted out with laughing,
And all his weary friends around
Cried, “Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

She went home to her mothers house,
“Make my bed long and narrow,
For the death bell did ring for my true love today,
It will ring for me tomorrow.”

Out of one grave there grew a red rose
And out of the other a briar,
And they both twisted into a true lovers knot
And there remain forever.

Vic Legg sings Barbara Allen

It being the springtime of the year,
The flowers were freshly blooming;
A young man from my own country,
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

This young man took sick and went to bed,
And called for Barbara Allen,
And when she came ’twas what she said,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“I am not dying,” this young man did cry,
“One kiss from you would cure me.”
“One kiss from me you’ll never see,
Though I thought your heart was breaking.

“Do you remember last Sunday night,
Above in the ballroom dancing?
You danced all night with the village pride,
And you slighted Barbara Allen.”

“I do remember last Sunday night,
Above in the ballroom dancing.
I danced all night with the village pride,
But I still love Barbara Allen.”

He rang a bell for the serving maid
But she was slow in coming.
“There’s a watch and chain in the window there,
Give them to Barbara Allen.”

She had not been gone too very far,
When she heard the church bells tolling,
And each toll that those church bells made
Was cruel Barbara Allen.

She had not been gone but a mile or two
When she saw his funeral coming.
“Lay down, lay down his corpse,” she cried
“So that I may gaze upon him.”

They laid his corpse down on the road,
And there she fell lamenting.
“O why, oh why?” A young man cried,
“Can this be Barbara Allen?”

She ran till she came to her father’s gate,
And there she stopped lamenting.
“O father, father, dig my grave,
And dig it deep and narrow.
A young man died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

They both were buried in St Mary’s churchyard,
But she was buried higher,
And from her grave a red rose grew,
And from his grave a briar.

They grew till they reached the old church wall
Till they could grow no higher,
And there they formed a true lovers’ knot,
The red rose and the briar.

Wiggy Smith sings Barb’rye Ellen

As I was a-walking down Birmingham street
I saw three maids come dwelling,
I choose one just to be my bride
And that was Barb’rye Ellen.

“O mother dear, look above my head,
You’ll see my gold watch hanging.
You give it to the one I really love best
And that is Barb’rye Ellen.

“O mother dear, come and make my bed,
You make it long and narrow.
For I want to lay down and die
For the sake of Barb’rye Ellen.”

Sangsters sing Barbara Allen

I fell in love with a nice young girl,
Her name was Barbarray Allan.
I fell in love with a nice young girl,
Her name was Barbarry Allan.

Then I got sick and very ill,
I sent for Barbarray Allan.
When I got sick and very ill,
I sent for Barbarray Allan.

She’s pu’d the curtains roond ma bed
And said, “Young man, you’re dyin.”.
She’s pu’d the curtains roond ma bed
And said, “Young man, you’re dyin.”.

“A kiss frae you wad dae me guid,
One kiss frae you wad cure me.”
“But a kiss frae me ye ne’er shall hae,
Tho’ your poor heart be a breakin.”

“Look ye up at my bed-hied
And see what you’ll find hingin,
A silver watch and a guinea gold chain
Hings there for Barbarray Allan.

“And look ye doon at my bed-fit
And see what you’ll find sittin,
A basin fu’ o my hert’s tears
Sits there for Barbarray Allan.”

Sha hadna gaen a mile or twa,
When she heard the death bells ringin,
And every one it seemed to say,
“Cruel-hearted Barbarray Allan”

“Mither, mither mak ma bed
And mak it lang and narrow,
For my poor love has died for me
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

Her mither’s made tae her a bed,
She’s made it lang and narrow.
And she’s laid her doon tae fa’ asleep
And she’s died for her poor lover.

Norma Waterson’s Barbary Allen on Bright Shiny Morning

Now in the first part of the year
When green buds they were swelling,
Young Johnny Rose on his deathbed lay
For love of Barbara Allen, Allen,
For love of Barbary Allen.

He sent his men all down to her hall
To the place where she was dwelling,
“For you must come to my master’s house
If your name is Barbary Allen, Allen,
If your name is Barbary Allen.”

“For death is painted upon his face
And on his heart is stealing,
So come you now to comfort him
If your name is Barbary Allen, Allen,
If your name is Barbary Allen.”

“Though death is painted upon his face
And on his heart is stealing,
Yet little better shall he be
Though my name is Barbary Allen, Allen,
Though my name is Barbary Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she’s got up
And slowly’s come she nigh him,
But all she said when she saw him there,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“If on your death bed you do lie
What needs the tale you’re telling?
I cannot keep you from your death
Though my name is Barbary Allen, Allen,
Though my name is Barbary Allen.”

“Oh look at my bedhead,” he cried,
Oh there you’ll find it ticking:
My gold watch and my gold chain
I’ll leave to Barbary Allen, Allen,
I’ll leave to Barbary Allen.”

“Oh look at my bed foot,” he cried,
And there you’ll see them lying:
Bloody sheets and bloody shirts,
I’ve sweated for you, Allen.”

And as she walked all across the field
She’s heard the death bell knelling,
And every stroke that death bell gave
Cried, “Woe be to you, Allen.”

And then she’s turned herself around,
She saw his corpse a-coming,
“Lie down, lie down your weary load
Till I get to gaze upon him.”

When he’s dead and laid in his grave
Her heart was struck with sorrow,
“Oh mother, mother make my bed
For I must die tomorrow.”

“Hard-hearted was I him to slight
He who loved me dearly,
Oh had I been more kind to him
When he was alive and near me, near me,
When he was alive and near me.”

And she upon her death bed lay,
Bed to be buried by him.
And she’s repented of the day
That e’er she did deny him.

Martin Carthy’s Barbara Allen on Song Links

In Reading town, where I was born,
A fair maid there was a-dwelling,
I fixed her up to be my bride,
And her name was Barbara Allen.

It was all in the month of May,
When the green leaves they were a-springing,
A young man on his sick bed lay,
For the love of Barbara Allen.

And he sent his servant man
To the place where she was dwelling,
𝄆Saying, “Fair maid, go to your mother’s house,
If your name is Barbara Allen𝄇”

So slowly, slowly she walked up,
So slowly she got to him,
And when she called to his bedside,
She says, “Young man, you’re dying.”

“Oh nothing would help what’s in your fate,
Oh daughter, take it from me,
I cannot save you from the grave,
So farewell dearest Johnny.”

As she was walking through the field
She heard the bells a-ringing,
And as they rang, they seemed to say,
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

And she was walking through the street
She saw his corpse a-coming,
𝄆“You little hearts come set him down,
And let me gaze all on him.”𝄇

The more she looked, the more she laughed,
And farther she got to him,
And her friends cried out for shame,
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

“Hard-hearted creature sure I was
To the one that loved me dearly,
𝄆I wish I had more kinder been,
In the time of life was near me.”𝄇

It was he that died was today,
She died on the morrow,
𝄆It was he that died for love,
And she has died for sorrow.𝄇

Martin Carthy’s Barbary Ellen on Signs of Life

All in the third part of the year
When green leaves they were falling,
Young Johnny Rose, all down from the war,
Fell in love with Barbary Ellen.

He sent his men down to the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “Lady, come quick and come very quick
If your name be Barbary Ellen.”

So slowly, slowly she rose up,
So slowly she put on her,
So slowly come to his bedside
And so slowly she looked upon him.

“You’re lying low, young man,” she cries,
“And death is with you dealing.
No the better for me you never shall be
Though your heart’s blood were spilling.”

“Oh look at my bedhead,” he cries,
“And there you’ll find it ticking:
My gold watch and my gold chain,
I bestow them to you, my Ellen.”

“Oh look at my bed foot,” he cries,
“And there you will find them lying:
Bloody sheets and bloody shirts,
I swept them for you, my Ellen.”

“Tell me, do you mind the time, ” she cries,
“All in the tavern swilling?
You made the health of all round the place
But never for your love Ellen.”

She walked over yon garden field,
She heard the dead bell knelling.
And every stroke that the dead bell gave
It cried, “Woe be to you now, Ellen.”

She walked over yon garden field,
She saw his corpse a-coming,
“Lay down, lay down, your weary load
Until I get to look upon him.”

She lifted the lid from off the corpse,
She bursted out with laughing.
And all of his friends that stood round about,
They cried, “Woe be to you now, Ellen.”

She come home to her father’s house,
“Make my bed long and narrow,
For young Johnny Rose died for me today
And I must die tomorrow.”

They buried her all in the churchyard,
They buried him in the choir.
And out of him there grew a red rose
And out of her a briar.

They grew and they grew all in the churchyard
Till they could grow no higher.
They twisted and twined themselves in a knot
As the rose growed all round the briar.

June Tabor sings Barbry Ellen

In Scarlet Town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry “Well-a-day”,
And her name was Barbry Ellen.

All in the merry month of May
When the green buds they were swelling,
Young William Green on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbry Ellen.

He sent his servant to the town
To her own father’s dwelling,
Saying, “Master’s sick and he bids you to come
If your name be Barbry Ellen.”

Then slowly slowly rose she up,
So slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said when she got there,
“Young man I believe you’re dying.”

“O yes I’m sick and I’m very sick
And I never will be any better,
Until I gain the love of one
The love of Barbry Ellen.”

“O yes you’re sick and you’re very sick
And you never will be any better,
For you never will gain the love of one,
The love of Barbry Ellen.”

“O don’t you remember in yonders town,
In yonders town a-drinking,
You gave the health to the ladies all round
And slighted Barbry Ellen.”

“O yes I remember in yonders town,
In yonders town a-drinking,
I gave the health to the ladies all round
But my heart to Barbry Ellen.”

He’s turned his pale face to the wall
And death was with him dwelling,
“Farewell, farewell my good neighbours all,
Be kind to Barbry Ellen.”

As she was a-walking through the fields
She heard the death bell knelling,
And every stroke that death bell gave
Cried, “Woe to Barbry Ellen.”

And as she was a-walking through the woods
She saw his pale corpse a-coming,
“Set down set down that corpse of clay
That I might look upon him.”

The more she looked the more she grieved
Until she burst out crying,
“O take him away o take him away
For I myself am dying.

“O mother, mother, make my bed,
And make it both long and narrow.
Sweet William has died for love of me
And I shall die of sorrow.

“O father, father, go dig my grave,
And dig it both long and narrow.
Sweet William has died for me today
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

She was buried in the old churchyard,
Sweet William was buried a-nigh her.
And out of his grave grew a red red rose
Out of Barbry’s grew a green briar.

And they grew and they grew up the old church tower
Till they couldn’t grow any higher,
And there they tied in a true lovers’ knot,
Red rose around green briar.

Cathie O’Sullivan’s Barbary Ellen on Song Links

In Dublin I was reared and born,
In Dublin I was dwelling.
I fell in love with a dark eyed girl
And her name was Barbary Ellen.

He sent his servant to her room,
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “Haste unto my master’s room
If your name be Barbary Ellen.”

’Twas slowly, slowly she put on her clothes
And slowly she walked to him,
She pulled the curtains from round of his head
Saying, “Young man, you are dying.”

“Don’t you remember last Saturday night
Whilst drinking at the Royal?
You drank the health of all fair maids
But you slighted Barbary Ellen”

“Oh it’s well I remember last Saturday night
Whilst drinking at the Royal,
I drunk the health of all fair maids
But my trust to Barbary Ellen.”

“Oh mother, mother, make my bed,
Oh make it soft and narrow.
For William died of love today
And I shall die of sorrow.”

“Oh father, father, dig my grave,
Oh dig it deep and narrow.
For William died for me today
And I shall die tomorrow.”

A rose grew from fair William’s heart,
From Barbary Ellen’s a briar,
They grew and grew to the top of the church
Till they couldn’t grow any higher.

They grew and grew to the top of the church
Till they couldn’t grow any higher,
And at the top they formed a knot,
𝄆 The rose wrapped round the briar. 𝄇

Steve Tilston sings Barbry Allen

’Twas early, early in the spring
When green buds they were swellin’,
Young William on his death bed lay
For love of Barbry Allen.

He sent his servant round the town
To the place where she was dwellin’,
Sayin’, “Rise, O rise, and go with me
If your name be Barbry Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly drew she nigh him,
Whisperin’ softly in his ear:
“Young man, I think you’re dyin’.”

“O, a dying man, that’s what I am;
One kiss from you would cure me.” –
“Ah, one kiss from me you ne’er shall have
For choosin’ to ignore me.

“Do you remember New Year’s Eve,
All drinking in the tavern?
You drank a health to all the girls around
But none to Barbry Allen.”

Then slowly, slowly she got up,
Without a glance diparted.
He turned his face unto the wall,
“Here I die broken hearted.”

As she was on the high road home
The small birds they were singing;
They sang so clear, they seemed to say:
“Here comes cruel Barbry Allen.”

She’d scarcely gone a mile but one,
She heard the death-bell knelling;
At every toll the bells did say:
“Hard-hearted Barbry Allen.”

She’d scarcely gone a mile but two,
She saw his coffin comin’;
She begged the bearers to lay him down
That she might look upon him.

“O mother, mother, make my bed,
Go make it long and narrow.
Sweet William died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

They laid her in the old church-yard
And he was buried nigh her.
Out of his grave grew a red, red rose,
Out of hers grew a briar.

They grew unto the steeple top
Till they could grow no higher,
And there they twined in a true lover’s know
For lovers to admire.

Tom Spiers sings Barbara Allen

It fell aboot the Martinmas Time,
Fan the green leaves they were faain;
That young John Graeme, fae the north countrie,
Fell in love wi Barbara Allan,
Fell in love wi Barbara Allan.

He’s coortit her for seven lang years,
Till he could coort nae langer;
For he fell sick and his hert wis sair,
So he sent for his true lover,
Aye he sent for his true lover.

He sent his man doon through the toon,
Tae the place far she wis dwellin;
Sayin, “Haste ye come tae my maisters side,
Gin yer name bees Barbara Allan,
Gin yer name bees Barbara Allan.”

Sae hooly hooly she’s raised up,
And sae slowly she’s gaed wi him;
And fan she’s poud the curtains roond,
She said, “Young man I think yer dyin.”
Said, “Young man I think yer dyin.”

“Aye surely I am dyin love,
But one kiss fae you micht cure me.”
“One kiss fae me that will niver be,
Though yer herts bleed wis a-spillin,
Though yer herts bleed wis a-spillin.”

“For mind ye no young man,” she said,
“Fan we sat in yonder tavern?
Ye gart the healths gae roond an roon,
But ye forgot yer Barbara Allan,
Ye forgot yer Barbara Allan.”

“O look ye doon tae my bed fit,
And it’s there ye’ll find a token;
A china vase that’s full o tears,
Gae that tae Barbara Allan,
Gae that tae Barbara Allan.”

Then he’s turned his face untae the waa,
For death wis wi him dealin;
And he’s bid farewell tae aa his freens,
And adieu tae Barbara Allan,
And adieu tae Barbara Allan.

Well she hid scarcely walked a mile,
Fan she heard the deid bell tollin;
And every strike, it seemed tae say,
Hard-herted Barbara Allan,
Hard-herted Barbara Allan.

“O mither, mither mak my bed,
For I am broken herted;
For young John Graeme his died for me,
But we winna lang be pairted,
No we winna lang be pairted.”

The pair were laid in yon kirkyaird,
Aye she wis lain aside him;
And fae her hert there grew a rose,
And fae his hert a briar,
And fae his hert a briar.

They grew up tae the bell tower tap,
Till they could grow nae higher;
And there they’ve made a lover’s knot,
The rose among the briar,
The rose among the briar.

Carol Elizabeth Jones sings Barbry Allen

All in the merry month of May
When the green buds they were swelling,
Young William Green on his deathbed lay
For the love of Barbry Allen.

He sent his servant to the town,
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “Master’s sick and he sent for you,
If your name be Barbry Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she drew nigh him,
And all she said when she got there,
“Young man I think you’re dying.”

“O yes, I’m low, I’m very low,
And death is on me dwelling;
No better, no better I’ll never be,
If I can’t have Barbry Allen.”

“O yes, you’re low, you’re very low,
And death is on you dwelling;
No better, no better you’ll never be,
For you can’t have Barbry Allen.

“Don’t you remember in yonder town,
In yonder town a-drinking,
You passed your glass to the ladies all around,
And you slighted Barbry Allen.”

”O yes, I remember in yonder town,
In yonder town a-drinking,
I gave my health to the ladies all around,
But my heart to Barbry Allen.”

He turned his pale face to the wall,
For death was on him dwelling:
“Adieu, adieu, you good neighbors all,
Adieu, sweet Barbry Allen.”

As she was going across the field,
She heard those death bells knelling,
And every stroke did seem for to say
“Hard-hearted Barbry Allen.”

“Oh Mother, oh Mother, go make my bed,
Make it both long and narrow,
For Young William’s died for me today,
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

O she was buried ’neath the old church tower
And he was buried a-nigh her,
And out of his bosom grew a red, red rose,
Out of Barbry’s grew a green briar.

They grew and grew in the old churchyard
’Til they could grow no higher;
They locked in tight in a true lover’s knot,
Red rose grew ’round the briar.

Rosanne Cash sings Barbara Allen

’Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds all was swelling,
Sweet William on his deathbed lay
For love of Barbara Allen.

So slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she drew nigh him;
The only words to him did say
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

He turned his face unto the wall,
Death was in him welling:
“Good-bye, good-bye, to my friends all,
Be good to Barbara Allen.”

When he was dead and laid in grave
She heard the death bells knelling,
And every stroke to her did say
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen.”

“O Mother, Mother dig my grave,
Make it long and narrow;
Sweet William died of love for me,
And I will die of sorrow.”

She was buried in the old churchyard,
Sweet William was beside her;
Of William’s heart there grew a rose,
Out of Barbara Allen’s a briar.”

They grew and grew in the old churchyard
’Til they could grow no higher;
At the end they formed a true lover’s knot,
And the rose grew round the briar.

’Twas in the merry month of May
When green buds all was swelling;
Sweet William on his deathbed lay
For love of Barbara Allen,
For love of Barbara Allen

Martyn Wyndham-Read sings Barbara Allen

In Scotland I was bred and born
’Though England was my dwelling,
T’was there I courted a fair young maid,
Her name was Barbara Allen.

As it fell on the Martimas time when
The green leaves they were falling
When Sir John Graham from the West
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

He sent his servant to the town
To the place where she was dwelling
Saying, “Haste and come to my master dear
If your name be Barbara Allen.”

Well slowly, slowly she got up
And slowly she came nigh him.
And all she said when she there came,
“Young man I think you’re dying.”

“O dying, dear, that cannot be
When a kiss from you would save me.”
“One kiss from me you never would see
Not if your heart was breaking.

“Do you recall last Friday night
When at the tavern drinking?
You gave a toast to all the maids
Yet slighted Barbara Allen.”

“O go and look on yonder wall
And there you’ll see a hanging,
A silver watch and golden chain
Were bought for Barbara Allen.

“And go and look by yon bedside
And there you’ll see a basin,
And in that basin you’ll see blood
T’was shed for Barbara Allen.”

He turned his face unto the wall
And a deathly pale befell him.
“Adieu, adieu unto you all,
Be kind to Barbara Allen.

Well slowly slowly she went home
And the death bells they were tolling.
And as they struck they seemed to say
“Hard-hearted Barbara Allen”.

“O father, father, dig my grave,
Dig it both long and narrow.
My true love died for me today,
I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

The graves were dug and they were laid
Two lovers off together,
And from one side there grew a rose
And from the other a briar.

They grew and grew and grew and grew
‘Till they could grow no higher
And there they formed a true loves’ knot
The rosie and the briar.

Pete Morton sings Barbry Allen

All in the merry month of May,
When the greenwoods they were a swellin’
Young William Green on his death bed lay
For the love of Barbry Allen.

He sent his servant to the town
To the place she was dwellin’,
Saying,  Master’s sick and he sent for you
If your name is Barbry Allen.”

So slowly, slowly she got up,
And slowly she came nigh him,
And all she said when she got there,
“Young man I believe you’re dying.”

“O yes I’m sick, so very sick,
And death is on me dwellin’.
No better, better I ever will be
If he can’t have Barbry Allen.”

“O yes you’re sick, so very sick,
And death is on you dwellin’.
No better better you ever will be
For you can’t have Barbry Allen.

“Don’t you remember in the tavern,
In yonder Tavern a-drinkin?
You passed your glass all around and around
And you slighted Barbry Allen.”

“O yes I remember in the tavern,
In yonder Tavern a-drinkin.
I gave my health to the ladies all round
But not to Barbry Allen.”

He turned his pale face to the wall
For death was on him dwellin’,
“Adieu, adieu, you good neighbours all
Adieu sweet Barbry Allen.”

As she was walking across the fields
She heard those death bells a-knellin,
And every stroke that the death bell gave
“Hard-hearted Barbry Allen”.

“O mother, o mother, make my bed,
Make it both long and narrow.
Young William’s died for me today
And I’ll die for him tomorrow.”

O she was buried ’neath the old church tower
And he was buried all nigh her,
And out of his bosom grew a red red rose
And out of Barbry’s a green briar.

They grew and they grew up the old church tower
’Til they could grow no higher,
And they were locked in a true loves’ knot,
The red rose and green briar.

(repeat first verse)

Findlay Napier and Gillian Frame sing Barbara Allen

It fell about the Martinmas time
When the green leaves were doon fallin,
That Sir John the Grahame from the West Countrie
Fell in love wi Barbara Allan.

He sent his men down through the town
To the place where she was dwellin,
“O haste and come to ma maister dear,
Gin ye be Barbara Allan.”

O hooly, hooly she rose up,
Till she cam where he was lyin,
An’ when she drew the curtains roun,
Said, “Young man I think ye’re dyin.”

“I am sick and very very sick
An’ it’s a’ for Barbara Allan.”
“But the better for me ye ne’er shall be,
Though your heart’s blood were a-spillin.”

“Don’t you mind young man,” she said,
“When in the tavern calling,
Ye made the toast gang roun and roun
But ye slighted Barbara Allan”

“A kiss o you would do me good,
My bonnie Barbara Allan.”
“But a kiss o me ye canna get,
Though your heart’s blood were a-spillin.”

He’s turned his face untae the wa’
For death was wi him dealin
Said, “Fare ye weel my kind friends a’
But be kind to Barbara Allan.

“Put in your han at my bedside
An there you’ll find a warran
Wi my gold watch an my prayer book,
Gie that to Barbara Allan.

“Put in your hand at my bedside
An there you’ll find a warran
An’ a napkin fu’l o’ my hairt’s blood,
Gie that to Barbara Allan.”

Slowly, slowly rose she up
An’ slowly slowly left him,
An’ sighing said, she couldna stay,
Since the death o life had reft him.

She hadna gane a mile but ane
When she heard dead bell knellin,
An ilka toll that the dead bell gae
Said woe to Barbara Allan.

Then in came her faither dear,
Said, “Bonnie Barbara tak him.”
“It’s time to bid me tak him noo,
When you know his coffin’s makin.”

In then cam her brother dear,
Said, “Tak him Barbara tak him.”
“It’s time to bid me tak him noo,
Now his grave-claes is a-makin.”

Then in cam her sister dear,
Said, “Bonnie Barbara tak him.”
“It’s time to bid me tak him noo,
When my hairt it is a-breakin.”

“O Mother dear mak ma bed
An mak it lang an narrow.
My love has died for me the-day,
I’ll die for him the-morrow.”

Frankie Archer sings Barbara Allen

It was about the autumn time,
When the green leaves were a-falling,
That Sir John Graham in the west country
Fell in love with Barbara Allen.

He sent his men down through the town
To the place where she was dwelling,
Saying, “Haste and come to my master dear
If you are Barbara Allen.”

I don’t owe you anything,
I didn’t ask for your attention.
I don’t owe you anything
And lechery is not a compliment.

O slowly slowly she rose up
To the place where he was lying,
And when she drew the curtain by,
“Young man, I think you’re dying.”

“O I am sick, I’m very sick,
I’m weak for you, Barbara Allen.”
“It’s not for me to fix you, John,
It’s time that you were gannin.”

I don’t owe you anything,
I didn’t ask for your attention.
I don’t owe you anything
And lechery is not a compliment.

“Did you forget, young man,” said she,
“The night that you went drinking.
You made good faith to all around
And slighted Barbara Allen.”

He turned his face unto the wall
And death was with him dealing.
“Adieu, adieu my dear friends all,
Be kind to Barbara Allen.”

I don’t owe you anything,
I didn’t ask for your attention.
I don’t owe you anything
And lechery is not a compliment.

And slowly slowly she rose up
And slowly slowly left him.
And sighing said she could not stay,
Since death of life had reft him.

And suitors come and suitors go
With pressure and persuasion.
But you don’t owe them anything
And nor does Barbara Allen.

Acknowledgements

Garry Gillard transcribed the lyrics from Bright Shiny Morning and Signs of Life.