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In Scarlet Town where I was born |
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There was a fair maid dwelling |
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Made every youth cry well-a-day |
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And her name was Barbry Ellen |
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All in the merry month of May |
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When the green buds they were swelling |
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Young William Green on his death bed lay |
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For the love of Barbry Ellen |
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He sent his servant to the town |
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To her own father's dwelling |
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Saying "master's sick and he bids you to come |
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If your name be Barbry Ellen" |
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Then slowly, slowly she got up |
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So slowly she came nigh him |
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And all she said when she got there |
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"Young man I believe you're dying" |
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"O yes I'm sick and I'm very sick |
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And I never will be any better |
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Until I gain the love of one |
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The love of Barbry Ellen" |
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"O yes you're sick and you're very sick |
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And you never will be any better |
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For you never will gain the love of one |
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The love of Barbry Ellen |
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O don't you remember in yonders town |
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In yonders town a-drinking |
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You gave the health to the ladies all around |
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And slighted Barbry Ellen" |
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"O yes, I remember in yonders town |
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In yonders town a-drinking |
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I give the health to the ladies all around |
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But my heart to Barbry Ellen" |
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He's turned his pale face to the wall |
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And death was with him dwelling |
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"Farewell, farewell my good neighbours all |
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Be kind to Barbry Ellen" |
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As she was a-walking through the fields |
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She heard the death bell knelling |
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And every stroke that death bell gave |
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Cried woe to Barbry Ellen |
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As she was a-walking through the woods |
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She saw his pale corpse a-coming |
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"Set down set down that corpse of clay |
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That I might look upon him" |
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The more she looked, the more she grieved |
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Until she burst out crying |
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"O take him away o take him away |
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For I myself am dying |
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O mother, mother, make my bed |
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And make it both long and narrow |
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Sweet William has died for love of me |
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And I shall die of sorrow |
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O father, father, go dig my grave |
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And dig it both long and narrow |
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Sweet William has died for me today |
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And I'll die for him tomorrow" |
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She was buried in the old churchyard |
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Sweet William was buried a-nigh her |
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And out of his grave grew a red red rose |
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Out of Barbry's grew a green briar |
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And they grew and grew up the old church |
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Tower till they couldn't grow any higher |
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And there they tied in a true lover's knot |
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Red rose around green briar |