Billy Boy- Mrs. Otis Miller c. 1890s
[Billy Boy is a variant of, or similar to, the old Child ballad, Lord Randal. One of the first versions,"My Boy Lammie," was published in England as early as 1776. It's given as an Appendix by Bronson. It was recorded by a number of early country musicians including Frank Crummit (1926), Bradley Kincaid 91928) and later by Louise Masses and the Westerners (1939).
R Matteson 2014]
BILLY BOY
1. "Oh where have you been Billy boy, Billy boy?
Oh, where have you been, charming Billy?"
"I've been to my wife, she's the joy of my life,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
2. "Did she ask you in, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Did she ask you in, charming Billy?"
"Yes, she asked me in, with a dimple in her chin,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
3. "Did she set you a chair Billy boy, Billy boy?
Did she set you a chair, charming Billy?"
"Yes, she set me a chair, with ringlets in her hair,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
4. "Did she sit close to you, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Did she sit close to you, charming Billy?"
"Yes, she sit close to me as the bark on a tree,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
5 "Is she fitten for a wife: Billy boy, Billy boy?
Is she fitten for a wife, charming Billy?"
"she is fitten for a wife as a pocket for a knife
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
6. "Can she make up a bed , Billy boy, Billy boy?
Can she make up a bed , charming Billy?"
"She can make up a bed with the pillows by the head
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
7. "Can she make a cherry pie, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Can she make a cherry pie, charming Billy?"
"She can make a cherry pie quick as a cat can wink his eye ,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
8. "Can she bake a pone of bread, Billy boy, Billy boy?
Can she bake a pone of bread, charming Billy?"
"She can bake a pone of bread with the oven on her head,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
9. "How tall is she, Billy boy, Billy boy?
How tall ls she, charming Billy?"
"She's as tall as any pine and as straight as a pumpkin vine;
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
10. "How old is she, Billy boy, Billy boy?
How old is she, charming Billy?"
"Twice six, twice seven, twice twenty, and eleven,
She's a young thing; too young to leave her mammy."
There's very little variation in the tune of this old song as reported by different individuals. Some of the persons who knew parts of the song have "-- she cannot leave her mother" -- instead of "--too young to leave her mother." McDowell remembers the former of the two versions, but the latter version has been used because it was favored by the majority. Mrs. McDowell also remembered the second stanza "--bid you come in" instead of "--Bid you in" but the latter is used for the reason that it is clearly in the common speech of the folk.
Nearly all the above versions were as furnished by Mrs. Otis Miller, of Smithville, Tennessee. The third and seventh stanzas, not furnished by Mrs. Miller, were supplied by Mrs. McDowell, and the closing phrase was altered as indicated above, to correspond with the others.