LONDON CITY

(trad./R.W. Gordon)

CARL SANDBURG

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Carl Sandburg, The American Songbag, San Diego, New York, London, 1990 (originally published in 1927), p. 324.

A variant of "Railroad Boy" aka "The Butcher's Boy" aka "Go Bring Me Back My Blue-Eyed Boy" (Sandburg, p. 324).

London City where I used to dwell,
It's a railroad boy I loved so well,
He courted me my life away,
And with me he would not stay.

Go out this fair little town,
Take him a chair and sit right down,
Take other strange girls upon his knee,
And tell them things he won't tell me.

I don't see the reason why
Unless they had more golden eyes.
Gold will melt, silver will fly,
I hope some day they will become as I.

She went off upstairs to fix her bed,
Not a word to her mamma she said.
Mamma went off upstairs saying
Daughter dear, what is troubling you?

Oh, Mamma, Oh, Mamma, I dare to tell
It's the railroad boy I love so well.
He courted me my heart away
And with me would not stay.

Her papa came in from his work
Saying where is my daughter so dear,
Off upstairs he did go
And found her hanging by a rope.

Upon her breast was a letter found
Saying, when you find me cut me down --
Go dig my grave both wide and deep
And place a marble stone at my head and feet.
Upon my breast place a turtle dove
To show this world I died for love.

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