It's a pleasure to hear from you Mary. Thank you for your kind comment.

A simple lament played and sung beautifully. I enjoyed learning the history of the song with you and Strumelia. And yeah, that Christine Leroy must've been something else!

Thank you Charles, good to hear from you.

That was sooo good! Your voice and your six string are a great match. I also love hearing about the history of a song.

Thanks for your very kind comment Lexie, great to hear from you.

Hey Lisa, I didn't know the Montreal connection....but it very likely was an old favorite back in the day, it has that melancholy flavor that some of us are partial to.  I found this youtube recording by an English tenor (threelegsoman) playing the song on his guitar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCnZO2ZARg4  Maybe the song like so many old Appalachian hits originated in the British Isles.

Very nice Gordon, I love hearing you sing sad songs to us.

It is fun to hear about the history of the song, thanks Gordon and Lisa.

Hi Gordon!  Yes it's part of that Ozarks collection, and also shows up in various references in the US.  But the very earliest date I could find that references the song is mentioned  as an 'old favorite' in a Montreal newspaper from 1927:
http://www.vwml.org/record/RoudBS/B94395#

But that doesn't mean it's Canadian of course... perhaps it just suggests that people in Montreal considered it an 'old favorite' back in the 1920s at least.  The style of the lyrics suggest to me that it's older than that.  Then there's the lyric reference to 'gaslight' as well, which seems to persist in several versions of the ballad. By the 1890s indoor gas lights were already being phased out.    Fascinating stuff!

Boy, that husband couldn't manage to stay faithful for even one year to his new bride...  

Thanks Terry, glad you like the songs because I sure do like singing them.

You nailed it again, Gordon.  Nice tear drop song.

Thanks for posting ,  as I always enjoy your songs.

Thanks Lisa, always lovely to hear from you. I don't think Canada had anything to do with this song except for a certain Canadian who thinks he can sing it.  I believe it is part of a collection called "Songs of the Ozarks"

The repertoire that you explore is wonderful, Gordon.  I think the earliest mentions of this ballad are from the 1920s and 30s in both Appalachia and Canada?  

Nice version, I always love listening to your songs.

Thanks for listening Steven, I appreciate your comment.

Well done, Gordon!

Steven