409
Nancy Till
Sear's Index lists this simply as a "Negro song-." It is known
in Kentucky (Shearin 23). and the Archive of American Folk
Song has a recording of it made in Washington. Probahlv it is
nmch more widely known than this short account implies. Our two
texts are identical.
A
'Xancy Till." Reported by Kemp P. Lewis in 1915 or thereabouts as
set down in 1910 from the singing of Dr. Kemp P. P>attle of Chapel
Hill.
1 Down in the cane])rake close by the mill
There lives a pretty girl and her name is Nancy Till.
She knew that I loved her. she knew it very long.
I'm going to serenade her. and this shall he tiie song :
Chorus:
Come. love, come, the boat lies low.
She lies high, dry, on the Ohio.
Come. love, come, won't you go along with me?
I'll row the boat while the boat rows me.
2 Open the window, love, oh, do.
And listen to the music I am playing for you.
The whisperings of love, so soft and low.
Harmonize my voice with the old banjo.
3 Softly the casement began for to rise.
The stars are a-shining above in the skies,
The moon is declining beyond yonder hill.
Reflecting its rays on you, my Nancy Till.
4 Farewell, love. I now mtist away,
I've a long way to travel before the break of day.
But the next time I come, be ready for to go
A-sailing on the banks of the Ohio.
'Nancy Till.' Contributed by C. K. Tillett of Wanchese, Roanoke
Island, in 1923. The text is as in A.
C
The tullowing fragment, contributed by V. C. Royster from Wake
county, with a note that it goes back before the Civil War, is perhaps
a memory of the same song :
Come, my love, and go with me,
J '11 take you down to Tennessee;
There we'll live a happy life,
Every da}' as man and wife.
-----------------------
409
Nancy Till
'Nancy Till.' Sung by C. K. Tillett, Wanchese, Roanoke Island, December
29, 1922. For other texts cf. MSON 88-9 and APPS 182E. Our melody be-
gins somewhat like 'Old McDonald Had a Farm.'
F-380
Down in the cane - brake close by the mill Lives a
lit - tie gal her name is Nan - cy Till. I loved her ht - tie
and I loved her long. Go - in to
8 - nade her, and
sing this song: The boat lies high, the boat lies low. She
lies high, dry, on the Ohio
Come, love, come,
Come and go with me,
I'll take you down to Ten - nes - see.
For melodic relationship cf. ***MSON 88-9.
Scale : Hexachordal. Tonal Center : d. Structure : abab^cdcdi (2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2)
=r aa^bb^ (4,4,4,4). The tonal center is the lowest tone.