The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SHADY GROVE

(CHORUS) SHADY GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, SHADY GROVE
MY HONEY, SHADY GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, I'M GOING TO SHADY GROVE.

BROWN. YOU ARE THE DARLING OF MY HEART, STAY 'TILL THE SUN GOES DOWN.
(CHORUS) SHADY GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, SHADY GROVE MY DEAR, SHADY
GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE. (CHORUS)
PEACHES IN THE SUMMERTIME, APPLES IN THE FALL, IF I CAN'T GET THE
GIRL I LOVE, I WON'T TAKE NONE AT ALL. (CHORUS) SHADY GROVE MY
LITTLE LOVE, STANDING IN THE DOOR, SHOES AND STOCKINGS IN HER HANDS
LITTLE BARE FEET ON THE FLOOR. (CHORUS) SHADY GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE,
SHADY GROVE I SAY, SHADY GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, DON'T WAIT 'TILL THE
JUDGEMENT DAY. (CHORUS) ONCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY, PLAYING IN THE SAND,
NOW I AM A GREAT BIG BOY, I THINK MYSELF A MAN. (CHORUS) WISH I HAD
ME A BIG FINE HORSE, CORN TO FEED HIM ON, PRETTY LITTLE DARLING
STAY AT HOME, FEED HIM WHEN I'M GONE. (CHORUS) ONCE AROUND THE
MULEY COW, MULEY WHEN SHE'S BORN, TAKES A JAY BIRD FOR A YEAR TO
FLY FROM HORN TO HORN.(CHORUS) WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GOY I WANDERED
THE WICKED NIGHT, NOW I AM A GREAT BIG BOY, I ONLY FOUND A WIFE.
(CHORUS) WISH I HAD A BANJO STRING, MADE OF GOLDEN TWINE, EVERY
TIME I PICK ON IT, I'D WISH THAT GIRL WAS MINE. (CHORUS) WHEN I WAS
A LITTLE BOY, MY MAMA OFTEN TOLD ME, IF I DO NOT HUG AND KISS THE
GIRLS, MY LIPS WOULD ALL GROW MOLDY. (CHORUS) EVERY NIGHT WHEN I
GROW OLD, MY WIFE I TRY TO PLEASE HER, THE MORE I TRY, THE WORSE SHE
GETS, BE DAMNED IF I DON'T LEAVE HER. (CHORUS) FLY AROUND MY BLUE
EYED GIRL, FLY AROUND MY DAISY, THINK WE'LL SING THIS HERE SONG,
YOU MUST THINK WE'RE PLUM CRAZY. (CHORUS)

Submitter comment: IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE WORDS "BIG"
AND "LITTLE" ARE USED. WHEN THIS SONG WAS RECORDED, (SQ73109-9)
THERE WERE THREE OF US IN THE ROOM. WE EACH TOOK ONE VERSE OUT OF
THREE, IN A ROTATING FASHION. THE OTHER PERSON PRESENT BESIDES
JEF FISK AND MYSELF WAS PETER FLEMMING. AN ALTERNATE CHORUS OF THIS
SONG IS, "SHADY GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, SHADY GROVE MY DEAR, SHADY
GROVE MY LITTLE LOVE, I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU HERE."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HARPER WOODS

Date learned: CA03001974