House Carpenter

Cat. #0772 (MFH #426) - As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on June 25, 1969

VERSE 1
Good morning, good morning my ole true love
Good morning, good morning, said he
Just returned from th salty water sea
An' it's all for th love of thee

VERSE 2
WIll you forsake your house carpenter
An' go along with me
I'll take you down younder where th grass grows green
On th banks of Sweet Willie

VERSE 3
She called her three little babes to 'er knee
An' kisses she give three
Say, stay at home my sweet little babes
An' keep your Papa's company

VERSE 4
She hadn't been on sea, more two weeks or three
I'm sure it was not four
Til this fair maid begin to weep
An' she wept most bitterly

VERSE 5
What 'er you weeping for, my dear
Er you weeping for your store
Er you weeping for your house carpenter
That you'll never see anymore

VERSE 6
I'm neither weep'n for my house carpenter
I'm neither weep'n for my store
Weep'n for my sweet little babes
That I'll never see anymore

VERSE 7
They hadn't been on ship more'n two weeks or three
I'm sure tht was not four
Till this fair ship begin to sink
An' it sunk, to rise no more
While my poor body's sinking in th sea
My soul will burn in hell

Variants