Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands - online songbook

Southern Appalachians songs with lyrics, commentary & some sheet music.

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	The Cruel Mother
	THE CRUEL MOTHER (Child, No. 20) See Barry-Eckstorm-Smyth, p. 80; Campbell and Sharp, No. 9; Cox, No. 5; Davis, No. 9; Mackenzie, Quest, p. 104; Mackenzie, Ballads, No. 3; McGill, p. 83; Sharp, Folk-Songs of English Origin Collected in the Ap­palachian Mountains, Second Series, No. 1; Shearin, p. 4; Shearin and Combs, p. 7; Journal, XXV, 183 (Mackenzie); Randolph, p. 185; Jones, p. 13; Fuson, p. 59. For additional references set Journal, XXX, 293. This song was recorded by Mrs. Henry from the singing of Mrs. Samuel Harmon at Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August, 1930. A visit to the home of the Harmons in Georgia in the summer of 1931 resulted in the recording of still more ballads and a number of tunes. The interesting thing in connection with all these visits is the emphatic pronouncement from every member of the family that no more songs are known by any of them; yet a later visit is sure to bring forth more.
	1. A mother had two little babes, All along in the lone e 0. 2.  She carried them down in the greenwood sides, All along in the lone e 0. 3. She tuk her knife and cut their throats, All along in the lone e 0. 4.  She buried them under a marble stone, All along in the lone e 0. 5.  She covered them up with a marble ball, All along in the lone e 0. 6.  She went to the river for to wash her hands, All along in the lone e 0. 7.  The more she washed the bloodier they got, All along in the lone e 0.
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