Father, Dear Father, Come with Me Now, Lyric Variant 02

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Popular music--United States

Folk songs--United States

Alcoholism--Songs and music

Fathers--Songs and music

Children--Death--Songs and music

Father, Dear Father, Come Home with Me Now

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

Father Dear Father Come Home


Father dear father come home with me now
The clock in the steeple strikes one
You said you were coming
Right home from the shop
As soon as your days work was done.
The fire is gone out the house is all dark,
And mamma's been watching since tea,
With poor brother Bennie so sick in her arms
And no one to help her but me.
Please papa, dear papa come home.

Papa, dear papa, come home with me now
The clock in the steeple strikes two
The night has grown colder
And Bennie is worse, but he has been calling
for you.
Indeed he is worse Mama says he must die
Perhaps before morning shall dawn.
And this is the message she sent me to bring
Come, quickly, or he will be gone,
Please papa, papa come home.

Papa, dear papa, come home with me now
The clock in the steeple strikes three
The night is so lonely the hours so long
For poor weeping Mother and me.
Yes, we are alone poor Bennie is dead
And gone with the angels of light.
And these were the very last words he said
I want to kiss Papa tonight,
Please Papa, dear Papa, come home.

Brown, Drink and Gambling Songs - 24 Randolph, 308

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