Billy Grimes the Drover
This bit of social satire is widely known in the United States.
See BSM 251, and add to the references there given Virginia
(FSV 234), North CaroHna (FSRA 134-5), Florida (SFLQ viii
190-1), and Wisconsin (JAFL lii 40-1, from Kentucky), and, per-
haps, an entry in Davis's list (FSV 178). It is also listed as known
in Michigan (BSSM 477). In our collection it exists in two forms:
a shorter, in which only the mother's worldliness is satirized (texts
A B C E G), and a longer, in which the drover turns upon the
girl's calcuhations. The use in the D text of pounds instead of
dollars suggests that the piece is of British origin, not American
as Belden (BSM 251) supposed; but it seems to be of record only
in the United States. That Grimes is sometimes called a rover in-
stead of a drover is probably due to the singer's being unfamiliar
with the old way of conducting the cattle business. The texts are so
much alike that only one specimen of the short form and one of the
long are given here There are eight texts in the collection :
A 'Billy Grimes.' From Miss Amy Henderson of Worry, Burke county,
in 1914.
B 'Billy Grimes.' From Miss Lura Wagoner's manuscript book of songs
compiled at Vox, Alleghany county, apparently in the second decade of
this century.
C 'Billy Grimes.' From Mrs. Sutton. Time and place not indicated.
D 'Billy Grimes, the Drover ; or, Across the Fields of Barley.' Con-
tributed in 1923 by Miss Gertrude Allen (later Mrs. Vaught) from
Taylorsville, Alexander county.
E 'Billy Grimes.' Contributed in 1927 by Julian P. Boyd, presumably
from one of his pupils in the school at Alliance, Pamlico county.
F 'Billy Grimes.' From Miss Susie Hageman of Beach Creek, Watauga
county, in 1922.
G 'Billy Grimes.' From Miss Laura Matthews of Durham. Two stanzas
only.
H 'Billy Grimes.' From E. B. Spivey, Jr., of Trotville, Gates county.
Mrs. Sutton's text exemplifies the shorter form.
1 'Tomorrow morn I am sweet sixteen, and Billy Grimes, the
drover,
He pops the question to me, maw, and wants to be my
lover.
He says tomorrow morning, maw, he's coming here quite
early
To take a pleasant walk with me across the fields of barley.'
2 'You must not go, my daughter dear. There's no more
use in talking.
You shall not go with Billy Grimes across the fields
a-walking.
OLDER BALLADS MOSTLY BRITISH 467
To think of his presumption, too, the ugly dirty drover.
I wonder where your pride has gone, to think of such a
lover.'
3 'Old Grimes is dead, you know, my maw, and Billy is so
lonely.
Besides, they say of Grimes' estate that Billy is the only
Surviving heir to all that's left, and that, they say, is nearly
A good ten thousand dollars, maw, and about six hundred
yearly.'
4 'My daughter dear, I did not hear your last remark quite
clearly.
For Billy is a clever lad and no doubt loves you dearly.
Remember, then, tomorrow morn to be up bright and early
To take a pleasant walk with him across the fields of
barley.'
The longer version adds two stanzas, taken here from the D text :
5 'And when we're married, dear inama, we both shall look
so neatly.
I'll wear a thousand dollar shawl; 'twill make me look so
sweetly.
This common frock is getting old, and silks will soon be
fashion ;
I'll turn his pockets inside out, and meet with a short,
guess him.'^
And then the drover — who has been there all along, perhaps, or perhaps
has just dropped in — speaks for himself:
6 'Not quite so fast, my pretty miss; don't try to win the
drover,
Who's traveled this whole country through in search of a
true lover.
My money ne'er shall buy your shawl nor build your castles
higher.
Please, madam, take your daughter home ; I did it but to
try her.'
-----------------------
Billy Grimes the Drover
'Billy Grimes.' Sung by Miss Amy Henderson. Recorded as MS score at
Worry, Burke county, in 1914.
For melodic relationship cf. **'Maryland, My Maryland,' measures 6-8.
Scale: Hexatonic (6), plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: aa^ba^ (4,4,4,4)
= Reprisenbar.
'Billy Grimes.' Sung by Miss Susie Hageman. Recorded at Beech Creek,
Watauga county, in 1922. The first, eighth, and ninth measures are identical
with those of 193I.
Scale : Irrational, plagal. Tonal Center : g. Structure : aaiaa^ai (4,4,4,4,4) .
'Billie Grimes.' Sung by Mrs. G. L. Bostic. Recorded at Mooresboro, Cleve-
land county, 1939. This ballad is related to 193A. The first measure is the
same as that of 193F. The second, third, and fourth stanzas given below are
followed with the third and fourth stanzas of Mrs. Sutton's version, 193C.
Scale : Pentachordal, plagal. Tonal Center : f . Structure : abab (4,4,4,4) = aa
(8,8).
2 'Hush, hush, my daughter dear, there is no use of talking;
You shall not go with Billy Grimes across the fields awalking.
To think of his presumption, too, the trifling low-down drover,
And I wonder where your pride has gone to think of such a lover.*
3 'My dearest Maw, I must confess that Billy is quite clever,
A cleverer lad cannot be found through all this wide world over.
He takes me to the fair, mama, and he buys me cakes and candy,
And when he's dressed in his Sunday blue, he looks quite like a dandy.'
4 My grand, dear child, I am surprised at your infatuation.
For Billy is the poorest chance throughout this Yankee nation.
And now, young miss, I don't allow your cutting up these capers,
So swift I'll give Old Grimes's son his fastest walking papers.'