| Author | Topic: Add: My Boy Billy | |
| dmcg | Posted - 14 Jun 03 - 10:17 am | |
My Boy Billy [Billy Boy] "Where have you been all this day, My boy Billy? Where have you been all this day, Pretty Billy, tell me." "I have been all this day, Courting with a lady gay, But she is too young to be taken from her mammy, But she is too young to be taken from her mammy." "Can she bake or can she brew? My boy Billy, Can she bake or can she brew? Pretty Billy, tell me." "She can brew and she can bake, She can make a wedding cake, But she is too young to be taken from her mammy." "Can she make a father bed? My boy Billy, Can she make a feather bed? Pretty Billy tell me." "She can make a feather bed, Fit for any lady's head, But she is too young to be taken from her mammy." How old might she be? My boy Billy, How old might she be? Pretty Billy tell me." "She's one, she's two, twice eleven are twenty two, But she is too young to be taken from her mammy, But she is too young to be taken from her mammy." Source: Sharp C and Vaughan Williams, R, A Selection of Collected Folk-Songs, Novello Notes: Collected by Vaughan Williams. Copyright 1912. No other information provided. Database entry is here. Edited By dmcg - 14/06/2003 10:59:44 | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 14 Jun 03 - 12:08 pm | |
At the Traditional Ballad Index site is says: A number of scholars have linked this simple little song with the classic ballad "Lord Randall." Since they only have two things in common, however (the courting theme and certain metrical traits), in the Ballad Index at least we keep them separate. | ||
| Abby Sale | Posted - 14 Jun 03 - 06:10 pm | |
Aw, dmcg! Next you're gonna claim that "Who's a-gonna shoe your pretty little foot" is a different song from "Lass of Roch Royal." | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 14 Jun 03 - 10:38 pm | |
*GRIN* I'm only pointing out what the Traditional Ballad Index says. I'll leave the arguments about whether this actually related to Lord Randall or not to people who know what they are talking about! | ||
| gareth | Posted - 15 Jun 03 - 12:02 am | |
Vaugly - This may be the stem to the British Army (Royal Tank Regiment) song. Discuss ? Comment ? Gareth | ||