Lyrics:
I'll tell you of a lovely girl
Her country and her name;
She lived alone in Switzerland,
And they called her Mary Blane.
chorus:
O then farewell, O then farewell,
Farewell, poor Mary Blane.
O tell me true, if ever you
Are coming back again.
Some cruel robbers went one day
A-hunting for their game,
And breaking in her peaceful hut,
They stole poor Mary Blane.
When time rolled by, it greiv'd me much
To think no tidings came,
The woods I hunted night and day
To find poor Mary Blane.
At last, when I discovered how
They'd bound her with a chain,
And cruelly deserted her,
I wept for Mary Blane.
But soon came death, relentless death,
To free her from all pain;
And ere another dawn of day
All cold was Mary Blane.
chorus:
O then farewell, O then farewell,
Farewell, poor Mary Blane.
For till we meet beyond the sky,
We'll never meet again.
traditional
Lyrics:
I once did know a pretty gal,
And took her for my wife,
She came from Louisiana,
And I lik'd her as my life,
We happy lib'd togethder,
She nebber caus'd me pain,
But on one dark and dreary night,
I lost poor Mary Blane,
chorus:
Oh, farewell, farewell, poor Mary Blane,
One faithful heart will think of you,
Farewell, farewell, poor Mary Blane,
If we ne'er meet again.
While in de woods I go at night,
A hunting for some game,
A nigger came to my old hut,
And stole my Mary Blane,
Long times gwan by it grieb'd me much,
To tink no tidings came,
I hunt de woods both night and day,
To find poor Mary Blane.
I often ask'd for Mary Blane,
My Massa he did scold,
And said you saucy nigger boy,
If you must know, she's sold,
If dats de case she cannot live
Thro'-out a weary life,
Oh let me die, and lay me by
My poor heart broken wife.
F.C. German, as sung by the Ethiopian Serenaders
Lyrics:
I once did lub a pretty gal,
I lub'd her as my life,
She came from Lusiana;
And I made her my dear wife.
At home we lib'd so happy,
Oh, free from grief and pain,
But in de winter time ob year
I lost my Mary Blane.
chorus:
Oh fare de well, poor Mary Blane!
One feeling heart bids you adieu,
Oh fare de well, poor Mary Blane!
We'll never meet again.
I went into de woods one day,
To hunt among de cane,
De white man came into my house,
And took poor Mary Blane.
It grieb me berry much to tink,
No hopes I entertain,
Of eber seeing my dear gal,
My own poor Mary Blane.
When toiling in de cotton field,
I cry and say good bye,
Unto my broder comrades,
Dat, oh, soon, oh, soon I die,
My poor wife gone, I cannot lib
Amidst dis world ob pain,
But lay me in de grabe to find,
Out my poor Mary Blane.
chorus:
Den fare de well dear Mary Blane,
Do we are parted here on earth,
Oh, fare de well dear Mary Blane,
We soon shall meet again.
traditional
1)
Although sheet music attributes the melody to William Bennett, 1846, or T. Halliday, 1847, it was more likely based on an existing tune.