The Drown'd Boy

Cat. #0967 (MFH #172) - As sung by Almeda Riddle, Greers Ferry, Arkansas on February 10, 1970

VERSE 1
T'was in th early springtime
All in th month of May
This young man in deep sorrow
From home went away
His parents locked in slumber
He bid his last farewell
What a-go-ny he suffered
No human tongue can tell

VERSE 2
And he sank beneath th waves
No fathers hand to save
No mother there to guide him
He filled th watery grave

VERSE 3
Th moon in all her glory
Was shining from th sky
He started on his journey
Away from home to die
He went to th river
He stood upon th shore
An' thought of home an' loved ones
Whom he'd see o, never more

VERSE 4
He'd left two loving brothers
Friends to mourn their lost
Two broken hearted parents
Must bear th heavy cross
An' th moon in all her glory
Was softly shining down
As he stood aside th river
Then he jumped in to drown

VERSE 5
No father there to save
No mother there to save
No mother there to plead with him
He filled a watery grave

VERSE 6
We found 'im in th evening
N' th sun was bending low
H'ed risen to th surfrece
An' floated to th shore
We put 'im in his coffin
An' hauled 'im to his grave
And laid 'im there to rest
An' wait th Judgement day

VERSE 7
He sank beneath th wave
No fathers hand to save
No mother near to guide him
He filled a watery grave

Almeda said this was about a true story which happened about 1901. The preacher was supposed to have sung this at the grave.