The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

DAINTY DAVEY

BEYOND THE TOWN THERE LIVED A MAIDE
AND SHE WAS THE KEEPER OF HER TRADE,
SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH A LIGHT TRIGADE
AND SHE CALLED HIM DAINTY DAVEY.
CHORUS: SO LEASE ME ON YOUR CURLY POW.
O DAINTEY DAVEY, DAINTY DAVEY.
SO LEASE ME ON YOUR CURLY POW.
YOU'RE MY OWN DEAR DAINTY DAVEY.
MY LOVE, MY LOVE, MY LOVE, CRIED HE,
OH, I HAVE A LONGIN' FOR THE SEA.
I'LL GO DEFEND MY COUNTRY.
SAY GOODBYE TO THE DAINTY DAVEY.
REPEAT CHORUS
FOUR YEARS AND SEVEN DAYS WERE GONE.
WHEN SHE SPIED HIS FIGURE COMING ON
SHE KNEW IT WAS HER OWN DEAR ONE
SAYIN, "COME KISS ME DAINTY DAVEY."

Submitter comment: PERFORMED ON APPALACHIAN DULCIMER

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WATERFORD

Date learned: 00-00-1984

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I NEVER WILL MARRY

ONE MORNING I RAMBLED
DOWN BY THE SEASHORE,
THE WIND IT DID WHISTLE
AND THE WATERS DID ROAR.
I HEARD A FAIR MAIDEN
GIVE A PITIFUL CRY,
AND IT SOUNDED SO LONELY
IN THE WATERS NEAR BY.
CHORUS
I NEVER WILL MARRY
I'LL BE NO MAN'S WIFE.
I INTEND TO LIVE SINGLE
ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.
END CHORUS
THE SHELLS IN THE OCEAN
SHALL BE MY DEATH BED,
WHILE THE FISH IN DEEP WATER
SWIM OVER MY HEAD.
CHORUS
SHE CAST HER FAIR BODY
IN THE WATER SO DEEP,
SHE CLOSED HER PRETTY BLUE EYES,
FOREVER TO SLEEP.
REPEAT CHORUS TWO TIMES

Submitter comment: BALLAD PERFORMED ON APPALACHIAN DULCIMER

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WATERFORD

James Callow Keyword(s): SUICIDE

Date learned: 00-00-1984

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"O'LEARY'S BAR"

'TWAS A COLD WINTER'S EVENING.
THE GUESTS WERE ALL LEAVING.
O'LEARY WAS CLOSING THE BAR,
WHEN HE TURNED AND HE SAID TO THE LADY IN RED,
"GET OUT! YOU CAN'T STAY HERE NO MORE."
SHE WEPT A SAD TEAR IN HER BUCKET OF BEER
AS SHE THOUGHT OF THE COLD NIGHT AHEAD,
WHEN A GENTLEMAN DAPPER STEPPED OUT OF THE PHONE BOOTH
AND THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT HE SAID:
"YOUR MOTHER NEVER TOLD YOU
THE THINGS A YOUNG GIRL SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THE WAYS OF COLLEGE MEN AND HOW THEY COME AND GO--
MOSTLY GO!!!!!"
NOW AGE HAS TAKEN HER BEAUTY
AND SIN HAS LEFT ITS SAD SCAR.
SO, REMEMBER YOUR MOTHERS AND SISTERS, BOYS,
AND LET HER SLEEP UNDER THE BAR
NEXT TO THE GIN,
WITH HIRAM WALKER,
IN SOUTHERN COMFORT.
AND THERE WAS GRANNY SWINGING ON THE OUTHOUSE DOOR
WITHOUT HER NIGHTIE
AND GRANDPA YELLING, "MORE, MORE, MORE!"
SHE WORE PAJAMAS.

Submitter comment: WHEN THIS IS SUNG BY MEMBERS OF KAPPA BETA GAMMA SORORITY, THE
PARTS OF THE "LADY IN RED" AND THE "GENTLEMAN DAPPER" ARE
ACTED OUT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): PUN ON BRAND NAMES OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Date learned: 09-00-1985

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"O'LEARY'S BAR"

TWAS A COLD WINTER'S EVENING THE GUESTS WERE ALL LEAVING,
O'LEARY WAS CLOSING THE BAR.
WHEN HE TURNED AND HE SAID TO THE LADY IN RED
"GET OUT YOU CAN'T STAY ANYMORE."
SHE WEPT A SAD TEAR IN HER BUCKET OF BEER
AS SHE THOUGHT OF THE COLD NIGHT AHEAD.
WHEN A DAPPER PHI KAPPER STEPPED OUT OF THE CRAPPER
AND THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT HE SAID,
HER MOTHER NEVER TOLD HER THE THINGS A YOUNG GIRL SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THE WAYS OF COLLEGE MEN AND HOW THEY COME AND GO--
MOSTLY GO--
NOW AGE HAS TAKEN HER BEAUTY AND SIN HAS LEFT ITS SAD SCAR
SO REMEMBER YOUR MOTHERS BOYS AND LET HER SLEEP UNDER THE BAR.
NEXT TO THE GIN. IN WHAT?
IN SOUTHERN COMFORT. WITH WHO?
WITH HIRAM WALKER.
AND THERE WAS GRANNY SWINGIN' ON THE OUTHOUSE DOOR,
WITHOUT HER NIGHTY, AND GRAMPS WAS YELLING MORE, MORE, MORE.
SHE WORE PAJAMAS.

Submitter comment: THERE ARE MANY RUN-ON SENTENCES BECAUSE THE PIECE IS MEANT
TO BE SUNG.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

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"GO WITH CHRIST"

OH THE GAME WAS PLAYED ON SUNDAY, IN THE DEVIL'S OWN BACKYARD
WITH JESUS PLAYING QUARTERBACK AND MOSES PLAYING GUARD.
THE ANGELS IN THE GRANDSTAND LET OUT A MIGHTY YELL
AS JESUS SCORED A TOUCHDOWN AGAINST THE BOYS FROM HELL.
GO WITH CHRIST, GO WITH CHRIST
WITH MOSES PLAYING ON THE LINE, AND JESUS DOING MIGHTY FINE
GO WITH CHRIST, GO WITH CHRIST
ROCK 'EM, SOCK 'EM, JESUS KNOCK 'EM, GO CHRIST GO!

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

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AROUND HER NECK SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON,
SHE WORE IT IN THE SPRING TIME AND IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
AND IF YOU ASK HER WHY THE HELL SHE WEARS IT,
SHE WEARS IT FOR A LAMBDA-CHI WHOSE FAR, FAR, AWAY.
FAR AWAY, FAR AWAY,
SHE WEARS IT FOR A LAMBDA-CHI WHOSE FAR, FAR AWAY.
AROUND HER WAIST SHE WORE A LITTLE SWELLING,
SWELLING IN THE SPRING TIME AND IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
AND IF YOU ASK HER WHY THE HELL SHE'S SWELLING IT,
SHE'S SWELLING FOR A LAMBDA-CHI WHOSE FAR, FAR AWAY.
FAR AWAY, FAR AWAY,
SHE'S SWELLING FOR A LAMBDA-CHI WHOSE FAR, FAR AWAY.
BEHIND THE DOOR, HER DADDY KEEPS A SHOT GUN,
HE KEEPS IT IN THE SPRING TIME AND IN THE MONTH OF MAY.
AND IF YOU ASK HER WHY THE HELL HE KEEPS IT,
HE KEEPS IT FOR A LAMBDA-CHI THAT BETTER STAY AWAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 11-24-1988

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"I'm bringin' home a baby bumble bee,
Won't my mommy be surprised at me,
I'm bringin' home a baby bumble bee.
Ouch, it stung me!
I'm smooshin' up my baby bumble bee,
Won't my mommy be surprised at me,
I'm smooshin' up my baby bumble bee.
Yuck, what a mess!
I'm lickin' up my baby bumble bee,
Won't my mommy be surprised at me,
I'm lickin' up my baby bumble bee.
Eew, that was horrible!
I'm throwin' up my baby bumble bee,
Won't my mommy be surprised at me,
I'm throwin' up my baby bumble bee.

Submitter comment: This is a song with gestures.

Where learned: NEW YORK ; Kenmore

James Callow Keyword(s): GORE ; Nausea

Date learned: 00001977 ca.

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LITTLE DUCKY DUDDLE

MY MOTHER LEARNED THIS SONG WHEN SHE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN.
SHE TAUGHT IT TO ME WHEN I WAS ABOUT THE SAME AGE.
"LITTLE DUCKY DUDDLE"
LITTLE DUCKY DUDDLE
WENT WADING IN A PUDDLE
WENT WADING IN A PUDDLE, QUITE SMALL.
HE SAID,"IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER,
HOW MUCH I SPLASH AND SPLATTER,
I'M ONLY A DUCKY AFTER ALL!"

Submitter comment: THIS WAS ORIGINALLY LEARNED AT PEASLEE SCHOOL,
CINCINNATI, OHIO. WE OFTEN SANG THIS SONG WHILE WALKING
IN THE RAIN. IT WAS ACCENTED WITH "QUACKING" SOUND
EFFECTS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE

Keyword(s): DUCK, RAIN

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"Miss Suzy Had A Steamboat"

Miss Suzy had a steamboat, the steamboat had a bell/ Miss
Suzy went to heaven, the steamboat went to.../ Hello operator,
give me number nine/ And if you disconnect me I'll kick you
from.../Behind the refrigerator, there was a piece of glass, and
if you slip upon it, it'll break your little.../ Ask me no more
questions, tell me no more lies, Miss Suzy told me all of this the
day before she.../ Died her hair in purple, she died her hair in
pink, she died her hair in polka dots and washed it down the
sink.

Keyword(s): HELL

Date learned: 00-00-1979

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