Song View

There are various versions of the ballad, which originated in England and Scotland as early as the mid-17th century. The earliest version was entered in the “Stationers' Register of London” on February 15, 1657. A woman waits for the return of her lover, who was conscripted as a sailor. After learning of his death, she agrees to marry a carpenter, with whom she has three children. Then the ghost of her lover appears, and she disappears with him. The carpenter commits suicide after learning of his wife’s death.

In this version, which was brought to the United States by English and Scottish immigrants, a ghostly figure is once again blamed for the woman’s disappearance. As in earlier versions, there was no standard melody to which the ballad was sung. However, a melody has become established in the Appalachian region and has been recorded; it is the one used in the versions known today. The first known recording was made in 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia, by the Carolina Tar Heels.