Landslide, 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.

Ballads

Hurricanes--Songs and music

Death--Songs and music

Resurrection--Songs and music

The Cloudburst

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

The Landslide.

In the month of July, in the year sixteen,
The worst tropical storm that was ever seen,
As it made its way fro m the ocean wide,
Struck with full force on the mountain side.

At the head of Jack branch there were children five,
A father and mother and all alive
As they stood in the door and the rain came down,
They saw how quick it covered the ground.

And the pleading voice of Perry was heard:
To the pines let's go together, "he said,
But the words of the boy had just been spoken,
When the windows of Heaven were thrown wide open.

The downpour came with a terrific roar
It struck the house, they were thrown to the floor
The new born babe in the cradle at rest
The mother snatched up and pressed to her breast.

As the house went down they struck a tree
They were all thrown out except the three
As the house went down and the horses, too,
The neighbors said there's work to do.

Julius and Watson in their haste
Turned their steps toward the Wilson place
They had to take to higher groun
When they reached the place no house was found.

Down in the house which William built
Lonas and Lillie and the children knelt.
Said Julius to Lonas and Lillie too
"Are your children all safe? I see only two."

"Oh no! said he, I fear they are drowned
They have not been seen since the house went down."
But down in the bottom by the St. Clair pond
The bodies of Lewis and Jennie were found.

As the neighbors came and walked around
Their teardrops fell fast on the ground
But poor little Perry has not been found-
He sleeps somewhere beneath the ground.

With a bed of mud and a pillow of clay
He may not be found till the last great day
When the angels come with trumpet sound
To awake the dead that are under the ground.

As he awakes in the morning and upward flies
To meet his loved ones beyond the skies.
Oh, God in mercy, and in Thy gteat love,
Prepare them all to meet Thee above.

That when their trials and troubles are past
They may all find a home in Heaven at last,
Through eternity to sing His praise
For dying love and saving grace.

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