"O, Say Do You Know The Way To Selin?" Recorded by Peggy Seeger; Sung originally by "Aunt Fannie" Parker, Carthage, Maine. 1937
O, Say Do You Know The Way To Selin?
[Listen: Peggy Seeger] (acc. 5-string banjo)
1 O, say do you know the way to Selin?
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Remember me to a young lady therein,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
2 If she will buy one inch of cloth,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
To make me a shirt to wear thereof,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
3 Tell her to sew it up without any seam,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
And wash it in water that never was seen
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
4 Tell her to wring it out of a dry well,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Where never a drop of rain water fell,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
5 And hang it out on a bush of thorn,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Which never bore a bud since Adam was born,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
6 O, say do you know the way back again?
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Remember me to a young man therein,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
7 If he will buy one acre of land,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Between the salt water and the sea sand,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
8 Tell him to plow it up with one turtle's horn;
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
And plant it all over with one pepper-corn,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
9 Tell him to reap it down with a goose quill,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
And winnow it up into an egg shell,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
10 Tell him to reap it down into a trice,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
And haul it home with a yoke of mice,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
11 Tell him to put it into a dry barn;
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Which never's been boarded since Adam was born,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
12 Tell the man when he's done his work,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
To come to me and he shall have his shirt,
Hickalack, tickalack, farmalack-a-day,
Just below my knee.
X:4
T:Oh say, do you know the way to Selin?
T:The Elfin Knight
B:Bronson
C:Trad
O:Ring, 1937, pp. 12-13. Sung by "Aunt Fannie" Parker,
O:Carthage, Maine.
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Gmix % Hexatonic ( -7) Ion/Mix; Bronson says it's Pi 1, but it's got a C in it.
G | A2 BA G2 G2 | A2 BA G4 |
w:Oh, say do you know the way to Sel-in?
GG A2 BA G2 | dd dd d2 z d | ee ee dd B2 |
w:Hick-a-lack, tick-a-lack farm-a-lack a day, Re-mem-ber me to a young la-
A2 B2 G4 | AA A2 BA G2 | AA BB d2 dc | B2 A2 G2 |]
w:dy there-in. Hick-a-lack, tick-a-lack farm-a-lack a day, Just be-low my knee.
W:
W:Oh, say do you know the way to Selin?
W:(Hickalack, tickalack farmalack-a-day.)
W:Remember me to a young lady therein.
W:(Hickalack, tickalack farmalack-a-day,
W:Just below my knee.)
W:
W:If she will buy one inch of cloth,
W:To make a shirt to wear thereof.
W:
W:Tell her to sew it up without any seam,
W:And wash it in water that never was seen.
W:
W:Tell her to wring it out of a dry well,
W:Where never a drop of rainwater fell.
W:
W:And hang it out on a bush of thorn,
W:Which never bore bud since Adam was born.
W:
W:Oh say, do you know the way back again?
W:Remember me to a young man therein.
W:
W:If he will buy one acre of land;
W:Between the salt water and the sea sand.
W:
W:Tell him to plow it with one turtle's horn;
W:And plant it all over with one peppercorn.
W:
W:Tell him to reap it down with a goose quill;
W:And winnow it up inyo an egg shell.
W:
W:Tell him to reap it down into a trice;
W:And haul it home with a yoke of mice.
W:
W:Tell him to put it into a dry barn;
W:Which never's been boarded since Adam was born.
W:
W:Tell the man when he's done his work,
W:To come to me and he will have his shirt.