In the United States

The version of Barbara Allen on the left – Barbery Ellen – was passed down from Seth Sparkman to his son Etsyl who transcribed it in 1964.   Seth's father, who cowboyed in Texas, said the cowboys would sing this song to the cows to calm them down.  This melody of this version differs from what is traditionally associated with the song. 

The version on the right was sung in 1946 by Callie Craven, who was illiterate and from Gadsden, Alabama, born in 1871.  As written in Southern Folk Ballads, “Craven learned most of her songs from her mother, a native of Charleston, South Carolina.   The family was destitute and when Callie was eighteen a Mr. B.W. Duke 'adopted' them, providing a house on his farm.  In return, Craven helped raise Duke's six children, one of which recalled that she frequently sang ballands and folksongs while rocking them to sleep.  She also love to sing for company or at various local entertainments."

In a western town where I did dwell
There was a fair maid dwellin'
and every youth cried well away
For the heart of Barbery Ellen.

Lonely lonely was a town
Where three fair maids were dwelling;
There was but one that I called my own
And that was Barb'ry Allen.
Twas in the merry month of May
And green buds they were swellin'
When Sweet William from a far way off place
Fell in love with Barbery Ellen 		 
He sent his servant to the town
Where Barbery was a-swellin'
Saying my master is sick and sent for you
If you name be Barbery Ellen

He sent his servant to the town
Where these fair maids were dwelling,
“My master's sick and he's very sick
And for your sake he's dyin'.”
Oh yes he's sick and very sick
and death is on him swelling
And no better no better he ever can be
If he can't have Barbery Ellen
  
Slowly Slowly she got up
and slowly she came neigh him
Saying no better no better you ever will be
For you can't have Barbery Ellen

Slowly, slowly she rose up
And to his bedside going
She drew the curtain to one side
And said, “Young man, you're a-dyin'.”
He turned his face then to the wall
and death was on him dwellin'
Saying goody farewell to you my friends
And my love to Barbery Ellen

He turned his pale face to the wall
His back towards his darlin,
“Adieu, adieu to the friends around
Be kind to Barb'ry Allen.”
Oh don't you remember in yonder town
Yonder at the tavern
You gave a health to the ladies all around
But you slighted Barbery Ellen
  
Oh yes I remember in yonder town
Yonder at the tavern
I gave a health to the ladies all around
But my heart to Barbery Ellen 		 
Then slowly slowly she got up
and slowly then she left him
Saying only that she could not stay
Since life to death had sent him 		 
She had not gone for more than a mile
When she heard the death bell ringing
and every stroke they seemed to say
Hard hearted Barbery Ellen

As she was walking through the field
She heard a death bell tollin;
She looked to the east and she looked to the west
And saw the corpse a-coming.
 

“Lay down, lay down the corpse,” she said,
“That I may kiss upon him.”
The more she kissed and the more she grieved,
And bursted out a-cryin'.
O mother O mother go make my bed
Go make it long and narrow
Sweet William died for me today
I'll die for him tomorrow

“On mother, oh mother, make my bed,
Go make it long and narrow;
Sweet William died for me today,
I'll die for him tomorrow.”
 

Sweet William died on Saturday night
And Barb'ry died on Sunday;
The old lady died for the love of both
And was buried Easter Monday.
They buried him in the old church yard
And she was buried neigh him
On William's grave grew a red red rose
On Barbery's grave a green brier

Sweet William's buried in one church yard
And Barb'ry in another;
A rose bud sprang from one church yard
And a brier from the other.
They grew to the top of the old church wall
Til they could grow no higher
There they tied a true lovers knot
The red rose and the green brier.

They grew and they grew until they grew so tall
They could not grow any higher;
They linked and tied in a true lover's knot
That all true lovers might admire.

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