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THE GOLDEN WILLOW TREE (THE SWEET TRINITY; THE GOLDEN VANITY; THE LOWLANDS LOW) Sung by: Almeda Riddle Recorded in 1970 Click here to listen to the original recording And the name of that ship was the Merry Golden Tree, A-sailing on the low and the lonesome low, A-sailing on the lonesome lowland sea. Now she’d been out a day, two or three, Until she sighted the British robbery, A-sailing on the low and the lonesome low, Flaunting the Jolly Roger on the lowland sea. The captain’s crying and a-wringing of his hands, And saying, “Oh, my Lord,” and “What will we do? They will sink us in this low and the lonesome low; They’ll sink us to the bottom of the lowland sea.” Said the little cabin boy, “And what will you give me If I will sink this British robbery? I can sink her in the low and the lonesome low; I can sink her to the bottom of the lonely sea.” “It’s I that have wealth, and I have fame, A fair young daughter, and a time-honored name, If you’ll sink her in the low and lonesome low, If you’ll sink her to the bottom of the lonely sea. “I’ll give you wealth, I’ll give you your fee, My youngest daughter to you shall married be, If you’ll sink her in the low and the lonesome low, If you’ll sink her to the bottom of the lonely sea.” He took his little kit and jumped overboard, A-saying, “I’ll be as good as my word. I will sink her in the low and lonesome low; I’ll sink her to the bottom of the lowland sea.” Then from his kit he took a bit. He bored twelve holes in the bottom of the ship, And he sank it in the low and the lonesome low; He sank it to the bottom of the lonely sea. Sailors off with their coats, and some with their caps. They were trying to fill up that salt water gap. They were sinking in the low and the lonesome low, Sinking in the lonesome lowland sea. Then he turned around, and back swam he Until he came to the Merry Golden Tree, A-swimming in the low and the lonesome low, Swimming in the lonesome lowland sea. “Captain, captain, throw a line to me, Because I’m drowning in this lonely sea. I’m drowning in the low and lonesome low; I’m drowning in this lonesome lowland sea.” “And I have wealth, and I have fame, But never yet true to my word I’ve been, So I’ll leave you in this low and lonesome low. I’ll leave you drowning, drowning in the lowland sea. “I’ll not give you wealth, nor give you a fee. To my fair daughter you’ll never married be. I will leave you in the low and the lonesome low, Leave you drowning, drowning in the lowland sea.” "If it wasn't for your daughter, sir, and your men, I'd do to you what I did to them. I would sink you in this low and lonesome low, I'd sink you to the bottom of the lowland sea." Then he turned on his back, and away floated he, Saying, “Fare you well, my Merry Golden Tree.” . . . in the low and lonesome low. They left him there a-drowning in the lonely sea. (Mrs. Riddle: “I almost got two versions that I have done mixed up on that . . . It was an old primitive Baptist minister who I first heard sing this. He sang it to a different tune, and he sang a little different version. They sailed on for a day, two or three after the sinking of the ship and the drowning of the boy. And sure enough, they did spot . . . the Spanish robbery, and they were sank, and I can’t get that together. And I can’t even get that tune. I’ve tried it unsuccessfully. And neither can . . . He has two daughters . . .”) Also found in Child, #286, “The Sweet Trinity (The Golden Vanity)”; Randolph, Vol. I, #38, “The Lowlands Low”; Brown, Vol. II, #47, “The Sweet Trinity”; Belden, p. 97, “The Golden Vanity.” |
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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 |