Ella's Grave, Lyric Variant 02

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.

Ballads

Death--Songs and music

Love--Songs and music

Tombs--Songs and music

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

Sweet Ella’s Grave.

Gentle zephyrs ,blow ye lightly
On the place where sleeps the dead.
Where the moonbeams shining brightly
Hovers round the narrow bed.

First Chorus.

Over yoxnder ivy xjoyx creeps,
‘Tis thex place Sweet Ella sleeps.
Over yonder ivy xjoyx creeps,
‘Tis theplace Sweet Ella sleeps.

When the night of death came o’er her,
And her eyes began to close,
Happy dreams went on before her
Calling to a sweet repose.

Second Chorus.
Then she fell in slumber deep,
Leaving us below to weep.
Then she fell in slumber deep
Leaving us below to weep.

Angel wings have borne her spirit
To the fairest land of love,
Where the blessed power inspired
All the Father’s holy love.

Third Chorus.
There where I love her memory keeps
In the grave sweet Ella sleeps.
There where love her memory keeps
In the grave sweet Ella sleeps.

Then sweet zephyrs,blow ye highly
On the sacred hallowed spot,
Where the moonbeams shining brightly
Oh it ne’er can be forgot.

First Chorus

Brown, Additional Songs - 319

113_EllasGrave_Lyric_02