In London town where I was born There lived a fair maid dwellin' Made every youth cry well away And her name was Barbara Allen
I sent a servant to your town Where Barbara she was dwellin' My master sent and he sent for you If your name is Barbara Allen
T'was in the merry month of May When all the flowers were a-bloomin' A young man on his death bed lay For the love of Barbara Allen
Oh Nellie Mae on her way home Were the words so sweet love singin' And as they sang they seemed to say Hard hearted Barbara Allen
Oh the more she ran oh the more she mourned 'Till she could not stop her cyin' Oh pick me up and take me home For I am surely a-dyin'
Oh father my father go dig my grave Go dig it long and narrow Sweet William died for me today So I'll die for him tomorrow
Oh they buried her in the old churchyard Buried sweet William down beside her On William's grave grew a red red rose On Barbara's grew a great briar
Oh it grew to the top of the old churchyard It grew till It could not grow no higher And there they tied in a true love's knot The red red rose 'round the briar
