TEXT of BARBARA ALLEN that THE BRIAR AND THE ROSE was based on

+ sound files with excerpts of 3 different versions of BARBARA ALLEN (you will hear a different part of the ballad in each excerpt - Dolly's excerpt contains the last 2 verses as seen in the "History" of THE BRIAR AND THE ROSE). Sound files are at the bottom of this page.

Barbara Allen

Arranged by Dolly Parton

‘Twas in the merry month of May

When rosebuds were a swellin’

Sweet William on his deathbed lay

For the love of Barbrie Allen

He sent his servant to the town

The town where she was dwellin’

Said my master’s sick and he sent for you

If ye name be Barbrie Allen

Then slowly, slowly she got up

And slowly she went nigh him;

And all she said when she got there,

“Young man I think you’re dyin’.”

Oh, yes I’m sick, I’m very sick

I hear the death wind howling

No better, no better I never shall be

If I can’t have Barbrie Allen

I can’t forgive that jealous night

Down at the Lockwood Tavern

You drank and danced with the ladies there

And you slighted Barbrie Allen

She was on her long way home

She saw the hearse a comin’

Lay down, lay down your corpse of clay

That I may look upon him

The more she looked, the more she moaned

‘Til she fell to the ground in sorrow.

Sweet William died for me today,

I’ll die for him tomorrow.

They buried her in the old church yard

And William’s grave was nigh her.

On William’s grave there grew a red rose

On Barbara’s grave a briar

They grew and grew up the old church wall

‘Til they could grow no higher

They lapped and tied in a true love knot

The rose wrapped ‘round the briar

© 1994, Velvet Apple Music
             Nashville, Tennessee

        Used by permission

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WMA: Windows Media Player     RM: Real Player

Emmy Rossum	Emmylou Harris	Dolly Parton
WMA      -     RM	WMA     -     RM	WMA     -     RM

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