Doc Watson - Omie Wise

Thank you, my friend CW5 Jack Cardwell for sharing the music video of Doc Watson performing the bittersweet traditional American murder ballad "Omie Wise" from his wonderful folk album, "The Essential Doc Watson."

"Omie Wise" traditional, David Francis Baerwald, Steven Trip
Lyrics
"Come listen to my story, I'll tell you no lies, how John Lewis did murder a little Omie Wise,
He asked her to meet him at Adams's spring, said he'd bring her money and other fine things,
So fool-like she met him at Adams's spring, no money he brought her nor other fine things

John Lewis, John Lewis, won't you tell me your mind, do you intend to marry me or leave me behind?
Little Omie, Little Omie, I will tell you my mind, my plan is to drown you and leave you behind,
Have mercy on my baby and spare me my life, I'll go home as a beggar and never be your wife

He hugged her and he kissed her and turned her around and threw her in deep water where he knew that she
would drown,
It was on one Thursday morning the rain came pouring down and they searched for Omie's body but it
nowhere could be found,
Two boys went a fishin' one fine summer day and they saw little Omie's body go floating away

They called for John Lewis to come to that place so he could see her body and they could see his face,
Though he made no confession they threw him in jail, no friend nor relation would go on his bail"

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" PriceSGT Jim Arnold Maj Robert Thornton SPC Douglas Bolton Cynthia Croft SSgt Boyd Herrst TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSG William Jones PO3 Craig Phillips PVT Mark Zehner

CW5 Jack Cardwell Tells a story.

The image used for the video is from the painting Ophelia by John Everett Millais. I saw it in the Louvre in 1988. The image from the video doesn't do it justice.