“Friends and Neighbors (Virginia's Alders)”

Description

The singer reports, "Friends and neighbors, I am now going to leave you..." He says that, despite what people think, it is not for any wrongdoing. He simply wants to go home to "the handsome young girl I left behind" among Virginia's alders

Supplemental text

Friends and Neighbors (Virginia's Alders)
  Partial text(s)

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Friends and Neighbors

From Norman Cazden, Herbert Haufrecht, Norman Studer, Folk Songs
of the Catskills, #35, pp. 149-150. From the singing of George Edwards.

Friends and neighbors, I'm going for to leave you,
It makes no doubt but you think it is strange.
But God be pleased, I never have robbed,
Neither have I done any wrong.

(5 additional stanzas)

Notes

This song is sung to the shape note hymn "Nettleton" (one of several settings for "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"). Cazden et al report that it has only been collected twice: From their informant George Edwards, and from a recording of another Catskills singer, Frank Edwards, who may have been related to George. - RBW

References

1. FSCatskills 35, "Friends and Neighbors" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST FSC035 (Partial)
3. Roud #4603
4. BI, FSC035