Collected by Merlin Mitchell
Transcribed by Kyle Perrin
Fred High
Reel 7
Item 4
High, Ark.
February 20, 1950
Edward in the Lowlands Low
Young Edward was a driver boy who drove the lonesome main,
Who drove the main some gold to gain down in the lowlands low.
Miss Emmly was a lady gay who loved the driver boy,
Who drove the main some gold to gain down in the lowlands low.
Young Edward is your name, said she, don't let parentsknow,
Or they'll send yore body a-sailing down in the lowlands low.
Young Edward kept on smoking 'til time to go to bed,
For little was he dreaming that sorrow crowned his head.
Young William says to his dad, His gold will make a show,
And we'll send his body a-sailing down in the lowlands. low.
Young Edward had but got to bed and scarcely got to sleep,
'Til Emmly1 s curel parents into his room did creep.
They stobbed him, dragged him from his bed and to the sea did go,
And they sent his body a-sailing down in the lowlands low.
Miss Emmly went to bed that night, she had a !rightful dream,
She dreamed her true love bathing, the blood run down in streams.
Miss Emmly rose, put on her clothes and to her parents did go,
Saying, Mother dear, where is my boy who drove the lowlands low?
He's dead and gone, no tongue can tell, is thus the father replied,
I sent his body a-sailing down by the silvery side.
Oh, father, cruel father, you'll die a public show,
For the murdering of my driver boy who drove the lowlands low.
The fish that's in the ocean swims over pore Edward's breast,
His body lying a-mouldering and I hope his soul's at rest.
The coaches in the mountains is tossing· to and fro,
Reminds me of my driver boy who drove the lowlands low.
High •• That' s all of that. I done perty well. I--
M• •••• You shore did. That's as fine a-sanging of those old songs as
I ever heard. Most people sorta stumble along, you know, and they
remember part of it and then, they---
High •• Well, that's the way with me, but I've been studying on these. Now,
there's one--I know two or three little short songs and I've got
some--I'm gonna have some of them short onesprinted. There's one
that--uh--I use to like to sang so well--was--uh--I named one of
my ggirls that--uh--Sadie Ray. Did you ever hear Sadie Ray?
M• •••• No, lets have that.
High •• Well, I'll have to study a minute to git hit started.