“I Cannot Call Her Mother (The Marriage Rite is Over; The Stepmother)”
Description
"The marriage rite is over," and the children have seen their father take a new wife. Their mother's picture is replaced by the pretty new girl's. The child "could not call her mother." She calls herself an orphan; "God gave us but one mother."
Supplemental text
I Cannot Call Her Mother (The Marriage Rite is Over; The Stepmother) Partial text(s) *** A *** The Stepmother From Fred W. Allsopp, Folklore of Romantic Arkansas, Volume II, p. 202. From the author's own recollection. The marriage rites are over, Although I turned aside To keep the guests from seeing The tears I could not hide. I'll wreathe my face in smiles, And take my little brother, I'll greet my father's chosen, But I will not call her mother. (1 additional stanza)
Cross references
- cf. "The Blind Child" (theme)
Recordings
- Bradley Kincaid, "I Cannot Call Her Mother" (Supertone 9565, 1929; Champion 15968, 1930 [as Dan Hughey])
- [Roy Harvey and the] North Carolina Ramblers "I Cannot Call Her Mother" (Silvertone 5181 [as The Three Kentucky Serenaders], 1927; Supertone 9246/Silvertone 8147, 1928)
- Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, "I Cannot Call Her Mother" (Columbia 15307-D, 1928)
References
- Randolph 726, "The Stepmother" (3 texts, 1 tune)
- Rorrer, p. 79, "I Cannot Call Her Mother" (1 text)
- Huntington-Whalemen, pp. 298-299, "I Can Not Call Her Mother" (1 text, 1 tune)
- cf. Gardner/Chickering, p. 482, "The Stepmother" (source notes only)
- ADDITIONAL: Fred W. Allsopp, Folklore of Romantic Arkansas, Volume II (1931), pp. 201-202, "(The Stepmother)" (1 short text)
- ST R726 (Partial)
- Roud #2091
- BI, R726