THE BALLAD OF WILDWOOD MOUNTAIN
I climbed to the top of the Wildwood mountain,
Where the old, old spirits there reside;
Had a question for old Conjure Woman,
How to bind my love close by my side.
“Go down,” she told me, “your love can’t leave you,
“She’s ever bound close by your side;
“But keep her far from the Wildwood Mountain,
“For there you’ll lose your beautiful bride.”
How I love you Barbry Allen,
You are the fairest of them all,
I could not bear my love to lose you,
You must not hear the mountain’s call. Hm-m.
*
On a beautiful day in the month of June,
When flowers bloomed and the birds did sing,
T’was then I married my Barbry Allen
And sealed her love with a golden ring.
Our love and joy flew through the long hot summer,
But when the autumn leaves turned brown
Up on the slopes of the Wildwood Mountain
A chilling wind came blowing down.
How I love you Barbry Allen,
You are the fairest of them all,
I could not bear my love to lose you,
Oh please don’t hear the mountain’s call. Hm-m.
*
On a dreadful day in the cold of winter,
When snow lay deep upon the ground,
A tiny babe is born is sorrow;
Oh hear oh hear that mournful sound.
She carried her grief to the Widwood Mountain;
That warning clear comes drifting by:
“Oh keep her far from the Wildwood Mountain,
“For there your love will surely die.”
How I loved you Barbry Allen,
You were the fairest of them all,
I could not bear my love to lose you,
But on that mountain you did fall.
In the mist of the mountain you did fall.
© D. Coffey, Music and Lyrics, ca. 1977
for Dark Of The Moon (H. Richardson & W. Berney)