Crazy Jane

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Popular music--England

Unrequited love--Songs and music

Mental illness--Songs and music

Warnings--Songs and music

Lewis, M. G. (Matthew Gregory), 1775-1818

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

Crazy Jane

Why, fair maid, in every feature,
Are such signs of fear exprest?
Can a wandering, wretched creature,
With such terror fill thy breast?
Do my frenzied looks alarm thee?
Trust me sweet, thy fears are vain,
Not for kingdoms would I harm thee,
Shun not then poor Crazy Jane.

Dost thou weep to see my anguish?
Mark me, and avoid my woe,
When men flatter, sigh, and languish,
Think them false—I found them so,
For I loved—ah! so sincerely,
None could ever love again,
But the youth I loved so dearly,
Stole the wits of Crazy Jane.

Fondly my young heart received him,
Which was doomed to love but one:
He sighed—he vowed—and I believed him,
He was false and I am undone.
From that hour has reason never,
Held her empire over my brain:
Henry fled—with him forever,
Fled the wits of Crazy Jane.

Now forlorn and broken-hearted,
And with frenzied thought beset,
On that spot where last we parted,
On that spot where first we met,
Still I sing my lovelorn ditty,
Still I slowly pace the plain,
While each passerby, in pity,
Cries, God help thee, Crazy Jane.

1800

113_CrazyJane_ocr