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House Carpenter Lyrics
Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried she
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
I could have married a King's daughter there
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King's daughter there
It's all for the love of thee
Well, if you could have married a King's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man
Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy
So up she picked her babies three
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone
And keep him good company."
Well, they were sailin' about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When the younger of the girls, she came on deck
Sayin' she wants company
"Well, are you weepin' for your house and home?
Or are you weepin' for your babies three?"
"Well, I'm not weepin' for my house carpenter
I'm weepin' for my babies three."
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I'll never know
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite
Oh twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea
Well met, well met, cried she
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King's daughter there
It's all for the love of thee
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man
And come away with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone
And keep him good company."
I'm sure it was not three
When the younger of the girls, she came on deck
Sayin' she wants company
Or are you weepin' for your babies three?"
"Well, I'm not weepin' for my house carpenter
I'm weepin' for my babies three."
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I'll never know
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite
I'm sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea

Wow this song really hits you when you listen to it. Its on the Bootleg Series Volume 1, It sounds like somthing from his first album, It is very good well worth a listen.

Clarence Ashley was one of the first to record this in 1930

A cautionary/morality tale, as were many songs in the folk venue. The lover comes back and convinces his former love to run away with him. For whatever reason, he/they kill her house carpenter husband and three children. The youngest child's appearance on the deck of the ship represents either the child's ghost or the mother's conscience belatedly kicking in. The ship sinking is the retribution.