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ALLEN BANE Sung by: Almeda Riddle Recorded in Miller, AR, 6/25/53 Click here to listen to the original recording They mean to hang me high. They'll draw a rope around my neck And leave me hanging there, For twelve good men have found me guilty, Guilty of bloodshed. They'll hang me on that gallows, Mother, And hang me 'til I'm dead. "The lambs that play on yonder hill And the birds that sing and play Are clear and pure from human blood, And Mother, so am I. But twelve good men have found me guilty, Guilty of bloodshed. They'll hang me to the gallows--oh, Mother-- They'll hang me 'til I'm dead. "They think I've murdered Allen Bane, The best friend I ever had, And they'll hang me on that gallows, Mother, And hang me 'til I'm dead. "Place me in my coffin, Mother; You sometimes seen me rest With one hand beneath my head, The other on my breast. Place my Bible near my heart; Poor Mother, do not weep, But kiss me as in boyhood days You kissed me when asleep. "As for the rest, perform it right, And little do I reck, But cover up that cursed stain-- That black mark 'round my neck-- For Mother, falsely they put it there. I'm innocent, as I've said. Yet they'll hang me on the gallows, Mother, And hang me 'til I'm dead. "Lay me not down by Father's side, For once I mind he said: 'No son that stains my spotless name Can share my mortal bed,' And I have stained that spotless name, Though I'm innocent of bloodshed. Yet they'll hang me to the gallows, Mother, And hang me 'til I'm dead." He mounted to the gallows then. He said, "Goodbye, each hope, And draw the cap across my neck, Around my neck, your rope, But falsely you put it there. I'm innocent of bloodshed. Yet they'll hang me to the gallows, Mother, And hang me 'til I'm dead." A horseman appears with foaming steed, And tightly gathered reins. He steps erect, he waves his hands, "Good God, that's Allen Bane! Oh, Mother, praise the God you love, Raise your poor drooping head. For the murderous gallows black and grim Is cheated of its dead." |
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All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas Back to the Song Index Back to the Wolf Collection Homepage ©Copyright 2002 Lyon College |