Bow-ee Down- Oldham (OK-AZ) pre1937 Botkin B
[From The American Play-Party Song; Botkin, 1937 version B. Botkin's notes follow. He adds: "This is an old dance song, the leader singing alone, all except the last two lines of each stanza. All joined in the chorus on the last two lines."
R. Matteson 2014]
For dance usage, cf. Hudson (Culture in the South), p.524; Pound (Poetic Origins and the Ballad), pp. 53, 54; Thomas (Kentucky) pp. 3-5. Raine (The Land of Saddle-Bags, p.17) notes: " 'Bowee down!' and 'Bow and balance to me!' are a remnant from an old dance jingle, which was occasionally sung by dancers even after the music was furnished by the fiddle."
As is related to the square dance, "Two Little Sisters."
B. Bow-ee Down (Bow Ye Down)
(Mrs. Demma Ray Oldham, Oklahoma city, Oklahoma County, who heard in Arkansas.)
I There lived an old lady by the northern sea,
Bow-ee down!
There lived an old lady by the northern sea,
Bow and balance to me!
There lived an old lady by the northern sea,
And she had daughters, one, two, three,
I'll be true to my love,
If my love'll be true to me.
2 A young man came a-courting there, etc.
And he made choice of the youngest fair, etc.
3 He bought this youngest a beaver hat,
And the oldest sister didn't like that.
4 As they walked down the water's brim,
The oldest pushed the youngest in.
5 O sister, O sister, lend me your hand,
And you may have my house and land.
6 She floated down the miller's dam,
The miller drew her safe to land.
7 And off her finger took five gold rings,
Then into the water he plunged her again.