Collected by Mrs. Laura Willie
For Mary C. Parler
Transcribed by Frances Majors
Sung by Mrs. Maxine Hite
Prairie Grove, Arkansas
January 9, 1959
Reel 264, Item 23
The Knoxville Girl
I fell in love with a Knoxville girl,
With a black and roguish eye;
I promised that I'd marry her,
Some night with me she'd fly.
I went into her mother's room
At twelve o'clock that night,
But little did her mother think
I held her in despite.
I asked her to walk with me
And view the light of day;
And there we'd walk and friendly talk
About our wedding day.
So along we walked,hand in hand,
Till we came to Knoxville town;
I drew my knife from out my belt
And struck that fair one down.
She fell onto her bended knees,
For mercy, she did cry;
For heaven's sake, don't murder me;
I'm not prepared to die.
I picked her up in my arms so cold
And kissed both cheeks and chin;
And as a rolling tide came by
I gently tossed her in.
See how she sinks, see how she dies,
In the dark and rolling tide;
Instead of being there tonight
She should have been my bride.
Then I returned to my master's room
At two o'clock that night;
My master rose and let me in
By the lighting of the light.
The Knoxville Girl (Cont'd)
Reel 264, Item 23 (Cont'd)
My master cross-questioned me,
What stained my hands and clothes.
The answer that I gave to him
Was bleeding at the nose.
Next morning I was taken down
And bound in irons cold;
Her sister swore my life away,
Which grieves I could not hold.
Come all you bold and reckless boys,
And do the girls no harm;
For if you do, you'll surely rue
The day that you were born.