The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

IF YOU PLEASE MISS NELLIE

BOY: IF YOU PLEASE, MISS NELLIE
WHY DO YOU WEAR A FROWN?
YESTERDAY I WAS LONELY
BECAUSE YOU WENT TO TOWN
GIRL: NO SIR, YOU WERE NOT LONELY
I SAW YOU OUT WITH BESSIE BROWN
I SAW YOU BITE HER APPLE
I SAW YOU TWIST HER CURL
BOY: I WAS JUST TALKING TO HER
GIRL: WELL, THEN GO TALK SOME MORE
BOY: NELLIE, DO BE MY PLAYMATE
JUST AS YOU WERE BEFORE
BOTH: PLAYMATES, PLAYMATES
SINCE OUR BABY DAYS
LITTLE PLAYMATES
TRA, LA, LA
BOTH: NOW WE QUARREL - LA, LA, LA
GIRL: RUN RIGHT AWAY, YOU BIG BILLY GRAY
FOR I SHALL BE TEDDY'S GIRL
BOY: HERE IS A ROSY APPLE
GIRL: GIVE IT TO BESSIE BROWN
BOY: SEE HERE I HAVE A BRAND NEW DIME
I CAN BUY TWO BIG ICE CREAMS
BESSIE'S THEY'LL BE AND MINE
GIRL: I WAS JUST FOOLING, BILLY
OF COURSE I DIDN'T MEAN IT SO
BILLY COME BACK, I WON'T PLAY WITH JACK
YOU'RE THE BEST BOY I KNOW
BOTH: PLAYMATES, PLAYMATES
SINCE OUR BABY DAYS
LITTLE PLAYMATES
TRA, LA, LA
THAT'S HOW IT IS, JUST HOW IT IS
WITH A SAUCER OF PINK ICE CREAM

Submitter comment: SINCE THE TWO CHARACTERS IN THIS SONG ARE YOUNG, IT SHOULD
IDEALLY BE SUNG BY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. MY FATHER AND AUNT PERFORMED
IT AT A CHURCH SHOW WHEN THEY WERE AGED 8 AND 10, RESPECTIVELY.
BOTH REMEMBERED IT INDEPENDENTLY, WORD FOR WORD, THOUGH NEITHER WAS
ABLE TO RECALL FROM WHERE THEY ORIGINALLY LEARNED IT.

Where learned: OHIO ; MASSILLON

Date learned: 11-00-1973