Mother's Grave / In a Little Village Churchyard

Written by: Carson Robison
Language: English
Comments: Song first recorded by Vernon Dalhart on September 9, 1925. The release credited Maggie Andrews for the songwriting credits, which was a pseudonym used by Dalhart's collaborator, Carson Robison. The opening line is "In a little village churchyard...". There was a song named "In a Little Village Churchyard" apparently first printed in Elder John R. Daily's 1918 Primitive Baptist Hymn and Tune Book, so Robison likely lifted the lyrics to his song from the hymn book. The earliest recordings called "In a Little Village Churchyard" were by The Carter Family's and J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers in 1937. They both credited themselves on their releases. In 1971 the Stanley Brothers resurrected the song as "Village Church Yard" and Ralph Stanley registered his version. Roscoe Holcomb recorded the song in 1972 and released his in 1975 as "The Village Churchyard". His extensive song notes say he learned it from "The New Baptist Song Book (Song No. 27)". The lyrics to all of the versions over the years are substantially the same.

In a dear old village churchyard
There I see a grassy (or mossy) mound
That is where my mother's sleeping
In the cold and silent ground

There in a weeping willow
Sweet little bird to sing at dawn
It's I've no one left to love me
Since my mother's dead and gone
Licensing: Request a synchronization license

Originals