Cat. #0593 (MFH #383) - As sung by Harrison Burnett, Fayetteville, Arkansas on July 5, 1961
VERSE 1
Come Gentle-men an' ladies
A story I'll tell
A story I'll tell you
Of Miss Omie Bell
VERSE 2
Little Omie was drowned
She were drowned on th sly
Little Omie was drowned
Over James Lewis' lies
VERSE 3
He'd promised he'd meet her
Right at Adam'es Spring
Some money he would bring her
And other fine things
VERSE 4
No money, no money
To flatter this kiss
For us to get married
There will be no disgrace
VERSE 5
Come jump up behind me
An' away we will ride
At Londons fair city
I will make you my bride
VERSE 6
She jumped up behind him
An' away they did go
Down by th deep waters
Where th rivers doth flow
VERSE 7
Little Omie, little Omie
I'll tell you my mind
My mind is to drown you
And leave you behind
VERSE 8
O pity, O pity
An' spare me my life
An' let me go begging
If I cain't be your wife
VERSE 9
No pity, no pity
Nor spare you your life
For in yondos deep waters
Your body shall lie
VERSE 10
He whipped her an' he beat her
Till she hardly could stand
An' threw her in th river
Just below th mill dam
VERSE 11
Little Omie was missing
No where to be found
Her friends an' relation
Had hunted all 'round
VERSE 12
Up stepped Omies' Mother
These words she did say,
James Lewis is killed Omie
An' he's run away
VERSE 13
They've got him in prison
Bound down to th ground
He wrote his confession
An' sent it all 'roun
VERSE 14
You may hang me, you may drown me
For I am th man
That drowned little Omie
Just below th mill dam
(Harrison plays a tenor banjo solo)