A Rich Irish Lady- Haigood (OK) 1938 Owens
[From Texas Folk Songs by William Owens; 1950. His notes follow.
This ballad is not to be confused with the popular ballad, Child No. 73 Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, which is commonly known in the US, and Canada as "The Brown Girl."
US and Canada versions are based on the hundreds of late 18th century English broadsides sometimes titled "The Sailor from Dover" or "Sally and her Truelove Billy."
Child's B version of 295, "The Brown, Brown Girl" collected by Rev. S. Baring-Gould, introduced stanzas from the "Sally and her Truelove Billy" songs. In his article "Folk Song Tradition, Revival and Re-Creation" Steve Gardham has shown that Baring-Gould's ballad is a re-creation of two ballads and not traditional.
To put it simply, the versions are not closely related to "The Brown Girl" but are part of the "The Sailor from Dover" and "Sally and her Truelove Billy" song group. In the US and Canada some common titles are "Pretty Sally," "Sally," and "A Rich Irish Lady." They have been put here following Bronson and others who have attached them to Child 295, not because they belong here.
R. Matteson 2014]
TEXAS FOLK SONGS
A RICH IRISH LADY
Sometimes known as "Pretty Sally" or "The Brown Girl," this ballad was especially popular with the women in my family, and the cause of considerable discussion at times, as they could never agree on the wording of certain passages. The version printed here was recorded for me by a great-aunt, Mrs. Penelope Haigod. All three versions sung in my family had in the fifth stanza, the words "my young Jew" a phrase no one could explain.
The cruelty of the young man can be understood in any Texas community, where a girl's slight is a damaging thing. In some versions the girl did not mean to slight him; she was only slow to respond. But his behavior is the same.
In an English version, called "The Brown Girl," a dark girl is slighted by her lover for a "pretty fair maid." In other details, even to the dancing on the grave, the version printed here follows the English version.
A Rich Irish Lady- Sung by Mrs. Elizabeth Penelope Haigood, Purcell, Oklahoma, 1938.
A rich Irish lady from London she came,
Fine Sally, fine Sally indeed was her name.
A young man came courting for numbers of years,
Toward this young lady his courtship did steer.
"Oh, Sally, oh, Sally, and Sally," said he,
"I'm sorry that your love and mine don't agree;
I know that your beauty will my ruin prove
Unless all your hatred will turn unto love."
"Sir, to say that I hare you or any other man,
Or to say that I love you is more than I can;
I neither love you nor hate you, but to end your discourse,
I never will marry you unless I am forced."
Before five and twenty weeks had quickly come and passed,
This young man had heard of her downfall at last.
She sent for this young man all like unto die,
All tangled in love and she knew not for why.
This young man came to her bedside,
Said, "Where lies the pain, in your head or in your side?"
"Oh, no, my young Jew, you cannot know the part;
The pain that troubles me lies nearest my heart."
"Am I any doctor, you sent for me here,
Or am I the young man that once loved you dear?"
"You are the very one that can kill or can cure,
\Without your assistance I'll die I am sure."
"Oh, Sally, oh, Sally, and Sally," said he,
"Oh, don't you remember the time you slighted me?
You slighted me, Sally, you slighted me to scorn,
And now I'll reward you, for times past and gone."
"For times past and gone, love, I hope you will forgive,
And grant me yer longer a time here to live."
"I'll never forgive you and while I have breath
I'll dance over your grave when you're cold in the earth."
She took off her fingers gold diamond rings three,
Saying, "Take these and wear them while dancing over me.
I freely forgive you but you cannot me;
Ten thousand times over my folly I see."