In Reading town, where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwelling,
Made every youth cry, "Well-a-day!"
Her name was Barbara Allen.

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Source: Kidson F, 1891, Traditional Tunes, A Collection of Ballad Airs, Oxford, Taphouse and Son

Notes:
Frank Kidson notes:

The first version here following, noted down from Mr Holgate, is from the singing of an English girl in Ghent, some forty years ago, and this version, with a different termination, is heard in the the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Roud: 54
VWML: GG/1/20/1289, GG/1/17/1110, GG/1/18/1143, GG/1/6/301, GG/1/21/1418, GG/1/16/1029, GG/1/16/1021, AGG/8/4
Laws:
Child: 84

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Related Songs:  Barbara Allen (2) (thematic) Barbara Allen (3) (thematic)