British & other versions 9. Seventeen Come Sunday Roud 277 (Waukrife Mammy; Waukrife Minnie;
[This popular Scottish ballad has undergone a number of revisions since the 1700s. The song, known as "Waukrife Mammy" or "Waukrife Minnie" (Wakeful Mother) was first reported by Robert Burns who collected a short version from Martha Crosbie of Nithsdale, a carder and spinner of wool, about 1788 and gave the version with minor emendations to Johnson's Musical Museum about 1790. Robert Hartley Cromek added a stanza in a footnote and published Burns arrangement in Select Scottish Songs, Ancient and Modern, Volume 2 in 1810. In the late 1700s and early 1800s it was regarded as an old song by Burns and Alan Cunningham who reprinted Burns version in 1825 adding two stanzas (one a variant of the "clog that dinna cling" stanza given by Cromek in 1810). Here is Burns' text:
A WAUKRIFE MINNIE. [A wakeful mother]
I PICKED up this old song and tune from a country girl in Nithsdale. I never met with it elsewhere in Scotland:
Whare are you gaun, my bonnie lass?
Whare are you gaun, my hinnie?
She answered me right saucilie?
An errand for my minnie.
O, whare live ye, my bonnie lass?
O, where live ye, my hinnie?
By yon burn-side, gin ye maun ken,
In a wee house wi' my minnie.
But I foor up the glen at e'en,
To see my bonnie lassie;
And lang before the grey morn cam'
She was na hauf sae saucie.
O, weary fa the waukrife cock,
And the foumart lay his crawin'!
He waukened the auld wife frae her sleep,
A wee blink or the dawin.
An angry wife I wat she raise,
And o'er the bed she brought her;
And with a mickle hazel rung
She made her a weel-payed dochter.
O, fare thee weel, my bonnie lass,
O, fare thee weel, my hinnie :
Thou art a gay and a bonnie lass,
But thou hast a waukrife minnie.
In 1827 Thomas Lyle gave a standard version in his "Ancient Ballads and Songs: Chiefly from Tradition, Manuscripts, and Scarce Works." In his notes he says:
The "Wakerife mammy," is here noted down with some trifling corrections, from the west country set of the Ballad, where its day of popularity amongst the peasantry, was equal, at least, with that of the foregoing one. Burns says that he picked up a version of it from a country girl's singing in Nithsdale, and that he never either met with the song or the air to which it is sung elsewhere in Scotland. We marvel not a little at this, after considering how very common the Ballad has been over the shires of Ayr and Renfrew, both before and since the Poet's day; so common, indeed, is it still, that we have had some demurings about inserting it here at all. The air is a very pretty one, with two lines of a nonsensical chorus, sung after each stanza, which certainly merits other verses to be adapted for it, when like many other wanderers of the day, it then might again be received into favour. Burns's copy, in Johnston's Museum, differs a good deal from the foregoing one, besides wanting the commencing stanza. Cunningham's set of words in the second volume of his " Songs of Scotland," is equally faulty.
However faulty Burns version was, it still seems possible that Lyle took Burns' 6th stanza, since it's not found in other traditional versions. Lyle's version shows that Burns only emended 5 lines out of 24 and corrects the notion that the ballad was rare in Scotland. Here's Lyle's text:
THE WAKERIFE MAMMY.
1. As I gaed o'er the Highland hills,
I met a bonnie lassie;
Wha' look'd at me, and I at her,
And O but she was saucy.
2. Whare are ye gaun, my bonnie lass,
Whare are ye gaun, my lammy;
Right saucily she answer'd me,
An errand to my mammy.
3. An' whare live ye, my bonnie lass,
Whare do ye won, my lammy;
Right modestly she answer'd me,
In a wee cot wi' my mammy.
4. Will ye tak' me to your wee house,
I'm far frae hame, my lammy;
Wi' a leer o' her eye, she answer'd me,
I darna for my mammy.
5. But I fore up the glen at e'en,
To see this bonnie lassie;
And lang before the gray morn cam',
She wasna' half sae saucie.
6. O weary fa' the wakerife cock,
An' the fumart lay his crawing;
He wauken'd the auld wife frae her rest,
A wee blink or the dawing.
7. Wha straught began to blaw the coal,
To see gif she could ken me;
But I crap out from whare I lay,
And took the fields to skreen me.
8. She took her by the hair o' the head,
As frae the spence she brought her,
An' wi' a gude green hazel wand,
She's made her a weel paid dochter.
9. Now fare thee weel, my bonnie lass,
An fare thee weel, my lammy,
Tho' thou has a gay, an' a weel-far't face,
Yet thou has a wakerife mammy.
Lyle's text appeared in print with minor changes as "The Waukrife Mammy" dated 1830 from a Scottish Chapbook (no publisher given) as "printed for the booksellers; Falkirk." The chapbook is titled: "Two Old Songs- The Perjured Maid, The Waukrife Mammy."
Lyle, Burns, Cunningham and Cromek were all not aware of the following print version which included the earliest extant appearance of the identifying stanza (How old are you?). This 1795 version that probably was printed in Edinburgh (two sources have: Edinburgh?) It sent to me by Steve Gardham[]. The Scottish dialect has been tempered and there's a second chorus for the last stanza which may have been used throughout (Cf. Crawfurd's 1829 version of 10 stanzas). The lass is fourteen but will be fifteen on Sunday, the youngest age of the many versions of Seventeen.
The Lassie Lost Her Maidenhead a' for Her Waukrif Mammie.
As I went o'er the Highland hills,
I met a bonnie lassie;
She looked at me, and I at her,
And vow[1] but she was saucy.
CHORUS: To my rou tou fal dee lal, &c
Where are you going, my bonny lass?
Where are you going, my honey?
Right modestly she answer'd me,
An errand for my mammie.
To my rou tou fal dee lal, &c
What is your age, my bonny lass?
What is your age, my honey?
Right modestly she answer'd me,
I'm fifteen years come Sunday.
To my rou tou fal dee lal, &c
Will you take a man, my bonny lass?
Will you take a man, my honey?
Right modestly she answer'd me,
I dare not for my mammie.
Where do you live, my bonnie lass?
Where do you live, my honey?
Right modestly she answer'd me,
In a wie[wee] house wi' my mammie.
I went into my love's chamber,
To see if she was wauking,
But we had not spoke a word or to [two]
Till her mother heard us talking.
Then she began to blaw the coal,
To see if she could ken me;
But I creeped out at the bed-foot,
And took the fields to screen me.
Then she took her by the hair of the head,
And to the floor she brought her,
And with a good green hazel rung,
She made her a well paid daughter.
O haul your hand, mother she says
You're like for to devour me;
For I would never have done the like,
If you had not done't before me.
Blink o'er the burn, my bonny lass,
Blink o'er the burn, my honey,
For you've got the clod that will not cling,
In spite of your waulkrif mammie.
So fare thee well, my bonnie lass,
So fare thee well, my honey,
For I would come and see you again,
Weren't for your wakerif mammy.
With my rou tou fal dam dail,
All, all de to my tou.
This poorly constructed print with inconsistent Scot slang is obviously taken from another source which his missing. It adds another new stanza-- the "hold your hand mother" stanza-- rarely found in tradition (see Carpenter collection). It also has the "In spite of your waulkrif mammie" line which is different and easier to understand than "A' for yer waukrife mammy."
The following Scotch versions are part of the Waukrife Mammy tradition:
e. "The Well Pay't Dochter," collected in Lochwinioch Scotland from William Orr, dated c.1829. From Andrew Crawfurd's Collection of Ballads and Songs: edited E. B. Lyle; Edinburgh: Scottish Text Society, 1975
g. "My Rolling Eye" dated c. 1850. Taken from Alexander Smith of Perthshire by Robert Ford. Published in Vagabond Songs and Ballads of Scotland: With Many Old and Familiar Melodies edited by Robert Ford, 1899.
h. "As I Gaed O'er yon Hech, Hech Hill," sung by Bell Roberston (1841-1922) of New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire. The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection, version L. Collected in c.1906 but much older, dated c.1860.
i. "As I Came Our[O'er] yon High, High Hill," sung by Mrs. Margaret Gillespie (1841-1910) later of Glasgow. The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection, version B, collected by Rev. Duncan from his sister in the early 1900s, dated c.1870 but older.
j. "I'm Seventeen 'gin Sunday" from Ballycastle District, published Oct. 9, 1926.
k. "Bonnie Lassie," sung c. 1930 by William Still of Waterside, Cuminestown, Scotland (Carpenter Collection 1929-1935).
l. "Weel Paid Dochter," sung by William Farquhar of Brownhill, Bruxie Scotland about 1929 from the James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/11/165, Disc Side 159, 01:43.
m. "Blink O'er the Burn," sung by Alexander Troup (1851-1939), Damside, Foudland, by Insch, Aberdeenshire Scotland c. 1929; Carpenter Collection.
n. "Sixteen Come Sunday," dated 1955, sung by Norman Kennedy of Aberdeenshire. Recording "Sixteen Come Sunday," Ballads & Songs of Scotland, 1968 by Sandy Paton of Folk Legacy. Text from Cliff Haslam: Songs and Ballads of Pub, Sea and Shore.
o. "Ma Rovin' Eye," sung by the Scottish folk group Ossian and recorded in Edinburgh in 1976. This version, presumably traditional, is from the North East of Scotland. From School of Scottish Studies.
By the late 1700s a revision of "Waukrife Mammy" was printed in Edinburgh titled "Lady and the Soldier." This version, apparently an attempt at sanitizing the story, removed the "waukrife mammy" and in the new text her lover became a "soldier" who had a girl in every town. Full versions were printed in England as "Maid and Soldier" and elements of the revision began appearing in some Scottish traditional versions by the 1850s[1].
The text of "Maid and Soldier," by T. Batchelar, printer; London, 115 Long Alley, was printed between 1817 and 1828. The addition of the "soldier" and the "moon shines bright and clearly" in this revision possibly comes from the similar "Trooper and the Maid." There are several extant prints of "Maid and Soldier," all nearly identical and from England. Here's the text from T. Batchelar:
Maid and Soldier
As I did walk along the street,
I was my father’s darling,
A pretty maid there I did meet
Just as the sun was rising.
With my row de dow.
Her shoes were black her stocking white,
The buckles were of silver,
She had a black and rolling eye,
Her hair hung down her shoulders.
Where are you going my pretty maid
Where are you going my honey,
She answer’d me right cheerfully,
Of an errand for my mammy.
How old are you, my pretty maid?
How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully:
"I'm seventeen come Sunday."
Will you marry me, my pretty maid,
Will you marry me, my honey,
With all my heart, kind sir, she said,
But dare not for my mammy.
Come you but to my mammy’s house.
When the moon shines bright and clearly,
I will rise and let you in,
My mammy shall not hear me.
Oh! soldier, will you marry me?
Now is your time or never,
And if you do not marry me,
I am undone forever.
I have a wife and she is my own,
How can I disdain her,
And every town that I go thro',
A girl if I can find her.
I’ll go to bed quite late at night,
Rise early the next morning,
The buglehorn is my delight,
And the oboy [oboe] is my darling.
Of sketches I have got enough.
And money in my pocket,
And what care I for any one,
It's of the girls I’ve got it.
This first revision from the late 1700s was changed again around the late 1830s when two revisions were made: "The Soldier and the Fair Maid" and "Seventeen Come Sunday." Both are very similar and have the same opening stanza. Since "The Soldier and the Fair Maid" was not popular[2] and only two extant prints were made, the following text given will be "Seventeen Come Sunday," widely printed in England and absorbed in English traditional versions. This 4th form, a revision of "Maid and Soldier," was crafted by a broadside writer by 1840. This is the standard form with the "Seventeen Come Sunday" title and a "happy" ending. Here's the text (from J. Paul and Co., Printers, 2 & 3, Monmouth Court, Seven Dials, 1838-1845):
SEVENTEEN COME SUNDAY. (standard broadside text)
As I walked out one May morning,
One May morning so early'
I overtook a handsome maid,
Just as the sun was rising,
With my ru, rum, ra.
Her stockings white, her shoes were bright,
Her buckles shined like silver,
She had a black and a rolling eye,
And her hair hung over her shoulder.
Where are you going my pretty maid,
Where are you going my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully,
An errand for my mammy.
How old are you my pretty maid,
How old are you my honey,
She answered me right modestly,
I'm seventeen come Sunday.
Will you take a man my pretty maid,
Will you take a man my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully,
I dare not for my mammy.
If you will come to my mammy's house,
When the moon shines bright and clearly,
I'll come down and let you in,
My mammy shall not hear you.
I went down to her mammy's house,
When the moon so bright was shining,
She came down and let me in,
And I lay in her arms till morning.
Soldier will you marry me?
For now is your time or never,
For if you do not marry me,
I am undone for ever.
Now I am with my soldier lad,
Where the wars they are alarming,
A drum and fife are my delight,
And a pint of rum in the morning.
The last line appears "And a merry man in the morning" which is found in tradition as well. Most of the traditional English versions from the late 1800s and early 1900s adhere to this broadside text. The line of descent follows:
Waukrife Mammy (Scottish tradition/print) late 1600s-early 1700s Form 1>
Maid and Soldier (tradition/print) late 1700s early 1800s (1st revision) Form 2>
Soldier and the Fair Maid (print) c. 1830s (2nd revision) Form 3>
Seventeen Come Sunday (print/tradition) (3rd revision) Form 4>
As I Roved Out (Irish Tradition) Ennis 1947 (Composite w/ Trooper and the Maid)
As I Roved Out (Irish Tradition) Makem 1952 (Family composite about 1960)
The versions from North America will not be covered here. They are shorter and in general follow the first revision (Maid and Soldier). Many of the US versions are composites with various floating play-party song stanzas. Please see main Headnotes for details. The British/Australia versions are attached to this page.
R. Matteson 2018]
____________________________________
Footnotes:
1. See "My Rolling Eye" Ford dated c. 1850. The blending of the two versions A and B probably started much earlier than the 1850s.
2. Only two English versions resembling Soldier and th Fair Maid" have been found; see versions by Amos Ash and also Bob Holt.
____________________________________
CONTENTS: (To access individual versions, lick on highlighted blue title below or on the title attached to this page on the left hand column).
1) Wakerife Mammy- (Ayr) c.1750 T. Lyle
2) A Waukrife Minnie- M. Crosbie (Dumf) c.1788 Burns
3) Waukrif Mammie- (Edin) 1795 print
Lady and Soldier- (Edin) 1800 chapbook J. Morren
Maid and Soldier- (Lon) c.1820 Batchelar broadside
Waukrife Minnie- (Scot) 1825 Cunningham/Cromek
Well Pay't Dochter- Wm Orr (Renf) 1829 Crawfurd
Waukrife Mammy- (Falkirk) c.1830 Chapbook
Soldier and the Fair Maid- (York) c.1838 broadside
Seventeen Come Sunday- (Lon) 1840 J Paul broadside
My Rolling Eye- A. Smith (Perth) c.1850 Ford
O'er the High, High Hill- Mrs. Thain (Aber) c.1850
Yon Hech, Hech Hill- Bell Robertson (Aber) c.1860
Yon High, High Hill- M. Gillespie (Glas) c.1870
Where Are You Going? Jim Cox (Glou) c.1870 Carp
Seventeen Come Sunday- T. Bunting (Warw) c.1870
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday- Hayden (Oxf) c.1870
As I Gaed Up Yon Hich, Hich Hill- Doe (Aber) 1873
Rolling eye- Singing Sandy (Scot) 1882 Chambers
I'm Zebenteen Come Zunday- (IOW) 1886 Long
North Riding Hiring Song- (Dur) 1886 Kidson
As I walked out- Edmund Fry(Dev) 1889 Baring Gould
Seventeen Come Sunday- Wardill (York) 1892 Kidson
On a May Morning so Early- Huggins (Dev) 1892
Wi' My Rollin' Eye- Mathieson (Aber) 1897
Seventeen Come Sunday- H. Hills (Sus) 1899 Merrick
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday- White (Som) 1904
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday- W. Spearing (Som) 1904
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday- Overd (Som) 1904 Sharp
Seventeen Come Sunday- Fred Atkinson (Linc) 1905
Seventeen Come Sunday- Amos Ash (Som) 1905
Owre Yon High, High Hill- Mrs. Grieg (Aber) 1906
Sixteen Agin' Sunday- Urquhart (Scot) 1906 RVW
Seventeen Come Sunday- Cranstone (Sus) 1907
Yon High, High Hill- Robert Reid (Aber) 1907 Greig
Soldier Lad- William Watson (Aber) 1907 Greig A
Yon High, High Hill- Mrs. Lyall (Aber) 1907 Greig
Yon High, High Hill- A. Greig (Aber) 1907 Greig H
As I Gaed Ower- Spence (Aber) 1907 Greig H
O Whare Are Ye Gaun- Mrs Milne (Aber) 1907 Greig G
As I Gaed Ower- V. Davidson (Aber) 1907 Greig J
Whare Are Ye Gaun- H. Rae (Aber) 1907 Greig M
O Whare Are Ye Gaun- S Davidson (Aber) 1907 Greig
Seventeen Come Sunday- J. Hiscock (Hamp) 1908
Seventeen Come Sunday- W. Cole (Hamp) 1909 Gard
Seventeen come Sunday- John Brading (Hamp) 1909
Seventeen Come Sunday- J.Keen (Sur) 1913 Keel
Rudam Day- Anon (wilt) c.1916 Alfred Williams
Seventeen Come Sunday- Williams (Glou) 1921 Sharp
I'm Seventeen 'gin Sunday (Antrim) 1926 Henry A
Mommie Ca's Me Annie- Alex Robb (Aber) c. 1929
Seventeen Come Sunday- Sam Bennett (Warw) 1929
One May Morning- William Hands (Glou) c.1929
Where Are You Going? B. Wallace (Corn) c.1929
Yon High, High Hill- John Ross (Delny) c.1929
Blink O'er the Burn- Alex Troup (Aber) c.1929
Bonnie Lassie- Peter Christie (Aber) c.1929 Carp
Weel Paid Dochter - W. Farquhar (Brux) c.1929
Bonnie Annie- Annie Clark (Aber) pre1929 Carpenter
Haliky Daliky- S. Rapoport (Glas) c.1930 MacColl
As I Gaed ower a Whinny Knowe- Allen (Col) 1939
New Ross Town- Snap Cash (Tip) c.1944 M. Delaney
When Cockle Shells- Seamus Ennis (Dub) 1947 REC
As I Roved Out- Sarah Makem (Armagh) 1951 REC
Field of Barley- Fred Jordon (Shrop) 1952 Kennedy
My Pretty Fair Maid- C. Scamp (Kent) 1954 Kennedy
Sixteen Come Sunday- Norman Kennedy (Aber) c.1955
Seventeen Come Sunday- Harry Cox (Norf) 1956 REC
The Soldier and the Maid- A.L. Lloyd (Lon)1956 REC
My Pretty Little Maid- Sally Sloane (AU) 1956
Seventeen Come Sunday- Bill Smith (Shrop) 1958 REC
As I Roved Out- Joe Heaney (Dub) c.1960 REC
Flash Gals and Airy Too- C. Hughes (Dor) c.1962
Whaur Are Ye Gaun? (Scot) c. 1964 Mudcat A
Seventeen Come Sunday- MacRobbie (Wig) 1967
My Rolling Eye- Duncan Williamson (Arg) 1967 REC
Seventeen Come Sunday- J. Brightwell (Suf) c.1972
Seventeen Come Sunday- R. Brader (Linc) 1973 Hamer
The Night Visit- John Riley (Ros) c.1973 C. Moore
Sixteen Come Sunday- J. Orchard (Dev) c.1975 REC
Seventeen Come Sunday- Potters (Sus) 1975 Wales
Sixteen Come Next Sunday- Dhomhnaill (Don) 1976
Wi' Ma' Rovin' Eye- Ossian (Edin) 1976 REC
Seventeen Come Sunday- Bob Copper (Sus) 1976
Seventeen Come Sunday- C. Renals (Corn) 1978 REC
Seventeen Come Sunday- Walter Pardon (Nor) 1978
Whaur Are Ye Gaun? Stewarts (Aber) 1986 MacColl
Seventeen Come Sunday- Freda Black (Hamp) 2012
_________________________________
[work notes] Various notes, missing texts, texts;
Archie Fisher - Seventeen come Sunday
Recorded live in a folk club on 2 February 1969.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9llRJLrc8g0
----------------
Tommy Dempsey, the Birmingham/Irish folksinger used ( and I'm sure still does) a great version of this song.
--------------
unknown stanza Carpenter on single sheet, pen.
He has gone ti her windi
Fen the moon wis shini' clearly
An' she has risen and letten him in,
An' her mammie's never heard them.
----------------------
"As I Roved Out" The High Kings [Cover of Makem version]
As I roved out on a May morning
On a May morning right early
I spied my love upon the way
Oh Lord but she was early.
Her shoes were black, her stockings white
Her buckles shone like silver
She had a dark and rovin' eye
And her earrings touched her shoulders.
She sang:
A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee
Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy
and cha lan day. (x2)
How old are you my bonny be girl
how old are my darlin
How old are you my bonny be girl
"I'll be seventeen on Sunday"
So I went to the house at the top of the hill
The moon was shining clearly
She arose to let me in
but her mother chanced to hear me.
She sang
A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee
Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy
and cha lan day. (x2)
She caught her by the hair of the head
And out of the room she brought her
With the root of a hazel branch
She was the well beat daughter.
Will you marry me now my soldier boy?
Will you marry me now or never?
Will you marry me now my soldier boy?
Can't you see I'm done forever?
I won't marry you now my bonnie be girl
I won't marry you my darlin'
For I have got a wife at home
And how can I disown her
She sang
A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee
Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy
and cha lan day. (x2)
A pint at night is my delight
And a gallon in the morning
The old women they are my heartbreak
And the young ones are my darlin's.
As I roved out on a May morning
On a May morning right early
I spied my love upon the way
Oh Lord but she was early.
She sang
A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee
Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy
and cha lan day. (x2)
_____________________________
Paul Clayton, 1950s (cover of Ennis)
SIDE I, Band 1: WHEN COCKLE SHELLS MAKE SILVER BELLS
This merry little ballad of courtship is better known both in the Old World and America by the title "Seventeen Come Sunday." It was as much '"a. favorite with the British broadside printers as it was with traditional Singers in England, Ireland and Scotland, though often the versions known in tradition were of a bawdy and ribald nature. Traditional singers found the happy ending of the broadside version to be a little too tame, and substituted the more realistic ending in which the soldier answers the maiden's entreaties concerning marriage with an evasive reply. In this last detail, this ballad is not unlike "The Trooper and the Maid", Child #299. The version sung here was learned from a BBC recording of Seamus Ennis made in Jamestown, Co. Dublin, Ireland, in 1947.
As I roved out one bright May Morning,
One May morning merrily;
As I roved out one bright May morning,
One May morning merrily,
I met a maid upon the way,
She was her mamma's darling.
CHORUS: With my rurum rab, fol the diddle-la
Starry diddle-all lee di-dee-do.
Her shoes were black and her stockings white,
And her hair shines like the silver;
Her shoes were black and her stockings white,
And her hair shines like the silver.
She has two nice bright sparkling eyes
And her hair hangs o'er her shoulder.
What age are you my pretty fair maid,
What age are you my darling?
What age are you my pretty fair maid,
What age are you my darling?
She answered me quite modestly,
I'm sixteen years next Monday morning.
And will you came to my momma's house,
The moon shines bright and clearly;
Will you came to my momma's house,
The moon shines bright and clearly,
Open the door and let me in
And dada will not hear me.
She took me by the lily-white hand
And led me to the table;
She took me by the lily-white hand
And led me to the table,
There's plenty wine for soldiers here
As far as they can take it.
And she took my horse by the bridle right
And brought him to the stable;
She took my horse by the bridle right
And brought him to the stable,
There's plenty hay for soldier's horses
As far as they are able.
And she went up and dressed in bed
And dress-ed soft and hazy;
She went up and dressed in bed
And dressed soft and hazy,
And I went up to tick her in,
Cryin', Lassie, are you comfortable?
And I slept in the house till the break of day
And in the morning early,
I slept in the house till the break of day
And in the morning early
I got up and put on my shoes
Crying, lassie, I must leave you.
And when will you return again
Or when will we get married;
When will you return again
Or when will we get married
When cockle shells make silver bells
That's the day we'll marry.
___________________
Gardham (Broadsides):
Earliest (A) appear to be London printed c1830 Pitts, Catnach, Jennings, Batchelor with title '(The) Maid and Soldier' FL 'As I did walk along the street.' 10 sts+refrain
The others seem to be offshoots of this group.
(B) London later..J Paul, C Paul, Such, Disley, Hodges, titled 'Seventeen Come Sunday' 9 sts+refrain FL 'As I walked out one May morning.' Fortey (and later Sanderson of Edinburgh) have same title & FL with the 10 sts+refrain
(C) Yorkshire, later, Dickinson of York, and Forth of Pocklington have title 'Soldier and The Fair Maid' with the 9 sts+refrain and As I walked out FL.
(D) Lancashire, later, Bebbington/Pearson of Manchester, McCall of Liverpool and Harkness of Preston are as (A) with title 'I'm Seventeen Come Sunday'.
_____________________
[cover of Makem's first recordings] David Hammon
AS I ROVED OUT: A most appropriate song for a wanderer like David. Here are a few verses of "Sixteen Again Sunday," which is the Irish version of "Seventeen Come Sunday," a favorite English folk song. The tune, in the Ray mode, comes from Keady, County Armagh.
I Am The Wee Falorie Man; 1958 - Tradition TLP 1028 LP
As I Roved Out
As I walked out on a May mornin'
On a May morning right early,
I met my love upon the way
and Lord but she was early.
Her boots was black and her stockin's black
And her buckle shined like silver
And her she has a dark and rollin' eye
And earrings tipped her shoulder.
It's when will you come back again
And when will we get married
When cockle shells turn silver bells,
It's then we will get married
As I walked out on a May mornin'
On a May morning right early,
I met my love upon the way
and Lord but she was early.
____________________________
The Maid and Soldier- J. Catnach, 2 Monmouth Court, c.1820
1. As I did walk along the street,
I was my father’s darling,
A pretty maid there I did meet
Just as the sun was rising.
With my row de dow.
2. Her shoes were black her stocking white,
The buckles were of silver,
She had a black and rolling eye,
Her hair hung down her shoulders.
3. Where are you going my pretty maid
Where are you going my honey ?
She answer’d me right cheerfully,
Of an errand for my mammy.
4. How old are you, my pretty maid?
How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully:
"I'm seventeen come Sunday."
5. Will you marry me, my pretty maid?
Will you marry me, my honey ?
With all my heart, kind sir, she said ,
But dare not for my mammy.
6. Come you but to my mammy’s house.
When the moon shines bright and clearly,
And I will rise and let you in,
My mammy will not hear you.
7. Oh soldier, will you marry me?
Now is your time or never,
And if you will not marry me,
I'm quite undone forever.
8. I have a wife and she is my own,
And how can I disdain her,
And every town that I go through,
A girl if I can find her.
9. I’ll go to bed quite late at night,
Rise early in the morning,
The buglehorn is my delight,
And the hautboy [oboe] is my darling.
10. Of sketches I have got enough.
And money in my pocket,
And what care I for any one,
It's of the girls I’ve got it.
________________________
YON HIGH HIGH HILL- From The Scottish Folksinger, Buchan and Hall (Soldier and the fair Maid)
As I gaed ower yon high high hill
I met a bonnie lassie;
She looked tae me an' I tae her
And oh but she was sassy.
cho: Lin tae toorin ray, fol the diddle ay
Fal the diddle ido, lil tae toorin rae.
"Oh what's your name my bonnie bonnie lass,
Oh what's your name my honey?"
Quite modestly she answered me,
"My mammy calls me Annie."
"Far are ye gyaun my bonnie bonnie lass,
Far are gyaun my honey?"
Quite modestly she answered me,
"An errand for my mammy."
"Wid ye tak' a lad, my bonnie bonnie lass,
Wid ye tak' a lad, my honey?"
Quite modestly she answered me,
"I daur nae for my mammy."
"I will come tae you in the middle o' the nicht,
When the moon is shining clearly,
An' ye will rise and let me in
An' the auld wife winna hear me."
Oh there I lay that lee lang nicht,
An' we parted there next morning,
As up I rose, put on my clothes,
Says "Fare thee weel, my darlin'."
"Ah sodger, ye maun marry me,
An noo's the time or never.
Ah sodger ye maun marry me,
Or I am done forever."
__________________________
Songs of England, Ireland, and Scotland: A Bonnie Bunch of Roses [Lyrics edited "Maid and Soldier"]
By Dan Milner, Paul Kaplan
The Maid and the Soldier
As I did walk along the street,
I was my mother's darling,
As I did walk along the street,
I was my mother's darling,
There I did meet a pretty fair maid,
Just as the sun was rising.
With me ru rum rah, fol de riddle duh,
Di ree fol dee diddle dairee o.
2. Her shoes were black, her stocking white,
The buckles were of silver,
Her shoes were black, her stocking white,
The buckles were of silver,
She had a black and rolling eye,
Her hair hung down her shoulders.
Where are you going my pretty fair maid?
Where are you going my honey?”
She answered me right cheerfully,
“On an errand for my mammy.”
“How old are you my pretty fair maid?
How old are you my honey?"
She answered me right modestly,
“I'm seventeen come Sunday.”
But if you come to my mother's house.
When the moon shines bright and clearly,
Tghern I'll come down and let you in,
My mammy shall not hear me.
I went up to her mammy's house
When the moon was shining clearly
And she came down and let me in
And I laid in her arms till morning.
“Oh, soldier, soldier will you marry me now?
Now is your time or never.
And if you will not marry me now,
I'm quite undone forever.”
I have a wife and she is my own,
How can I disdain her,
And every town that I go thro',
A girl if I can find her.
I'll go to bed quite late at night,
Rise early the next morning,
The buglehorn is my delight,
And a pint of rum my darling.
---------------------
Soldier and the Fair Maid. (standard broadside text)
As I walked out one May morning,
Just as teh day was dawning,
There I espied a pretty fair maid,
Just as the sun was rising,
With my row, dow, dow.
Where are you going my pretty maid,
Where are you going my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully,
An errand for my mammy.
Her shoes were black, her stockings white,
[Her buckles shined like silver,]
She had a black and rolling eye,
And her hair hung over her shoulder.
Will you marry me, my pretty fair maid,
Will you marry me, my honey?
She answered me right cheerfully,
I dare not for my mammy.
How old are you my pretty fair maid,
How old are you my honey,
She answered me right cheerfully,
I am seventeen come Sunday.
Will come to my mammy's house,
When the moon shines bright and clearly,
I'll come down and let you in,
And my mammy shall not hear me.
I went down to her mammy's house,
When the moon shone bright and clearly,
And she came down and let me in,
And her mammy never heard me.
Come soldier will you marry me?
For now is your time or never,
For if you will not marry me,
I am undone for ever.
No lassie I will not marry,
For all thy father's treasure,
For every town I pass through,
I will have a fresh lass if I can gain her.
__________________________________
Baring-Gould MS pages [Too Young to Marry] [possibly use in opening Seventeen broadsides]
C.
1. As I walked out one May Morning
Down by a riverside
I heard a fair maid sing this song
Which it calls me long to hide(?)
2. I thanked this pretty fair maiden
O for another song.
I asked for a conversation
But her answer was – Too young.
3. The younger you are the better you are
For you to be my bride
That I may say on another day
I married my wife a maid.
4. O I am a lovely maid forlorn
Like a bird all in a cage.
O I am a lovely maid undone
Tho’ scarcely sixteen years of age.
5. Go down to your father’s garden
There sit & cry O! O!
And when you think on what you’ve done
You can blame your free will.
6. I’ve in my father’s garden
A herb that some call rue,
When fishes fly as swallows high
O then young men will prove true.
Taken down from H. Smith, Two Bridges. May 1890. A worthless version save for one new verse or half verse 4.
D. 1. As I went out one May morning
A May morning it happened to be,
Then I was aware of a weel fa'ed lass,
Come linking o'er the lea to me.
2. She had a voice that was more clear,
Than any damsel's under the sun.
I ask't at her if she'd marry me?
But her answer it was - I am too young.
3. I am too young with you to wed
It would bring shame to all my kin
So begone young man & trouble me no more,
For you never shall my favour win.
4. I took her by the lily-white hand
Above our heads the lavrocks sung,
Syne kissed her cherry cheeks & more
And told her she was not a day too young.
5. Her colour came, her colour went
Away from me the damsel sprung.
With colly o'er the gowany bent
While in my ear her sweet voice rung.
6. Saying, As I mau’t, sae maun I brew,
And as I brew sae maun I tun.
Gae tell your tale to some other fair may,
For to marry you I am too young.
"This ballad in its original dress at one time from my recollection was not only extremely popular, but a great favourite among the young peasantry in the W. of Scotland. To suit the times however we have been necessitated to throw out the intermediate stanzas, as their freedom would not bear transcription, whilst the 2nd & 3rd have been slightly altered from the recited copy"
Lyle's Ballads, 1827
______________________________
Baring Gould MS pages
[this text is from Edmund fry although it was collected similarly from other informants]
LXXII As I Walked out: Taken down from Edm. Fry, Lydford; Jas. Parsons, & Will Huggins.
A.
1. As I walked out one May morning
One May morning so early,
O there I spied a fair pretty maid
All in the dew so pearly.
With a fa-la-la- with a fa-la-la
All in the dew so pearly.
2.O where are you going, my fair pretty maid?
O where are you going my lambie?
Then cheerfully she answered me
An errand for my mammie
With a fa-la-la &c.
An errand for my mammy.
3.How old are you, my fair pretty maid?
How old are you my honey?
Then cheerfully she answered me
I’m seventeen on Sunday.
With a fa-la-la &c.
I’m seventeen on Sunday.
4.Will you take a man my fair pretty maid?
Will you take a man, my lambie?
Then cheerfully she answered me
I dare not for my mammie.
With a fa-la-la &c.
I dare not for my mammie.
5.If you’ll come (with me) to my mammy’s house,
When the moon is shining clearly.
I’ll lift the pin & I’ll let you in,
And my mammy shall not hear me.
With a fa-la-la &c.
And my mammy shall not hear me.
6.O then I went to her mammy’s house
When the moon was brightly shining.
Then she lifted the pin & she let me in
And we lay our arms entwining
With a fa-la-la &c.
And we lay our arms entwining
7.Then she said to me, will you marry me?
As she let me out in the morning.
For by thee I am one that is all undone,
O leave me not with scorning
With a fa-la-la &c.
And leave me not with scorning
8.Then she said to me, will you marry me
O say this now or never,
For if that you are not good & true
Then I am undone for ever
With a fa-la-la &c.
Then I am undone for ever
_______________________
Seventeen Come Sunday
Common as a broadside as well as in aural tradition, the "amorous encounter" song was more popular with singers than with collectors, who often considered such lyrics unfit or unworthy of publication. This one became well known to Grainger aficionados through his 1912 chorus arrangement. It comes from Mr. Fred Atkinson of Redbourne, 1905.
As I walked out on a May morning, on a May morning so early,
I overtook a pretty fair maid just as the day was a-dawning.
With a rue-rum-ray, fol-the-diddle-day,
Whack-fol-lare-diddle-I-doh.
Her eyes were bright and her stockings white, and her buckling shone like silver,
She had a dark a roving eye, and her hair hung over her shoulder.
"Where are you going, my pretty fair maid? Where are you going, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully, "I've an errand for my mummy."
"How old are you, my pretty fair maid? How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully, "I'm seventeen come Sunday."
"Will you take a man, my pretty fair maid? Will you take a man, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully, "Ooh, I dare not for my mummy."
"But if you come round to my mummy's house, when the moon shines bright and clearly,
I will come down and let you in, and my mummy shall not hear me."
So I went down to her mummy's house, when the moon shone bright and clearly,
She did come down and let me in, and I lay in her arms till morning.
So, now I have my soldier-man, and his ways they are quite winning.
The drum and fife are my delight, and a pint of rum in the morning.
_____________________________
Clancy Brothers – As I Roved Out [Makem/Clancy arrangement]
As I roved out on a May morning
On a May morning right early
I met my love upon the way
Oh, Lord but she was early
[Chorus]
And she sang lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle, lilt-a-doodle-dee,-
And she hi-di-lan-di-dee, and she hi-di-lan-di-dee and she lan- day
Her boots were black and her stockings white
And her buckles shone like silver
She had a dark and a rolling eye
And her ear-rings tipped her shoulder
[Chorus]
"What age are you my bonny wee lass
What age are you my honey?"
Right modestly she answered me
"I'll be seventeen on Sunday"
[Chorus]
"Where do you live my bonny wee lass
Where do you live my honey?"
"In a wee house up on the top of the hill
And I live there with my mammy"
[Chorus]
"If I went to the house on the top of the hill
When the moon was shining clearly
Would you arise and let me in
And your mammy not to hear you?"
[Chorus]
I went to the house on the top of the hill
When the moon was shining clearly
She arose to let me in
But her mammy chanced to hear her
[Chorus]
She caught her by the hair of the head
And down to the room she brought her
And with the butt of a hazel twig
She was the well-beat daughter
[Chorus]
"Will you marry me now my soldier lad
Will you marry me now or never?
Will you marry me now my soldier lad
For you see I'm done forever"
[Chorus]
"I can't marry you my bonny wee lass
I can't marry you my honey
For I have got a wife at home
And how could I disown her?"
[Chorus]
A pint at night is my delight
And a gallon in the morning
The old women are my heart break
But the young ones is my darling
[Chorus]
________________________
[Similar opening, different song]
Sarah Kelly, just the one verse & chorus -(Greig Duncan).
As I cam owre yon high, high hill
And doon yon thorny valley o,
Twas there I met a weel faur'd maid,
An her name was Sarah Kelly, o
I, I reedle I-do
I-dee up an' I-dee o
Cheer up, my fal de reedle i-do
She's my rovin' Sarah Kelly o
-----------------
Roud 3479
As I roved out one bright May morning
The most resonant series with which he was associated was As I Roved Out. Running for six series between September 1953 and September 1958, it was in effect the national shop window for the work Séamus, Peter Kennedy and others were doing as folk song collectors for the BBC. The collectors would talk about their song-hunting adventures across the British Isles and introduce recordings they had made. Occasionally, as with Donegal fiddler Frank Cassidy and Galway Gaelic singer Colm Ó Caodháin, Séamus would enjoy an opportunity to profile his favourite discoveries. At least two episodes across the six series were broadcast from rural pubs, and Séamus often enjoyed an opportunity to perform something himself.
The half-hour shows were generally broadcast on Sunday mornings, bar series five (mysteriously on Wednesday afternoons), and would become the programme most associated with Séamus’ BBC career. In 1978, Peter Kennedy – a man who became deeply controversial within the British folk world for his business dealings and his approach to intellectual property – wrote to Folk News to outline the programme’s history and his role in it:
‘I suggested As I Roved Out and, with Séamus Ennis, presented the programmes weekly on Sunday mornings…’
As Séamus explained in a 1972 interview: ‘Each programme would be 30 minutes, of which about 14 minutes would be me. Peter Kennedy or some other part-time collector would do another 12 to 14 minutes. I would say, yes [this period was the height of my career]. That would be because of the programme. Every Sunday morning for most of the year – nine months of the year, anyway.’
There was some exaggeration in what Séamus was recalling. Over six years, there were a total of 54 episodes, from 13 in 1953 winding down to four in 1958, although each series was repeated once. Similarly, Séamus was not present in every episode, though he was there in most. He was surely correct, though, when he explained why he felt the programme resonated with a wide audience:
_____________________
Chamber's Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Arts - Page 501
1882 From Chambers’ Journal.
WILL STOUT THE PARISH BEADLE.
A CHARACTER.
We can well rerember, too, the pleasure with which we children welcomed the visits of “hunch-backed ” Singing Sandy, a lingering remnant of the wandering minstrel fraternity. Too lazy in his younger days to work, Sandy had gradually acquired wandering habits, into which he fell the more readily from being slightly weak in intellect. It was a standing tradition among the boys that his “hump" was a made-up one ; and certainly Sandy knew how to produce effects. On arriving at a village, his first proceeding was to enter some cottage where he saw roses were plentiful, and get the goodwife to fix a garland of them — the reddest being preferred — round his old battered Kilmarnock bonnet, when forth he issued with a kind of boyish exultation, flourishing his stick round his head, and delighting the hearts of the children with the song of “Rolling eye:”—
Oh, whaur are ye gaun, my bonnie bonnie lass?
Oh, whaur are ye gaun, my honie
Right modestly she answered me,
An errand to my mammie.
With my rolling eye, faul the diddle eye,
With my rolling eye dum dary.
From the popularity of this song, with its unfailing chorus, to which Sandy danced as vigorously as his stiff joints and rheumatic frame would allow, he was generally known by the name of “Rolling-eye,” and the song was regarded as in some way his own especial property. “Johnnie Cope’” was another of his songs; but never took the place of “Rolling-eye” in the children's estimation.
__________________________
The song repertoire of Amelia and Jane Harris - Page xxxv
Amelia Harris, Jane Harris, Emily B. Lyle - 2002
... GD 1099), the opening line of which is "The Duke o' Gordon had three bonnie daughters" or something similar. Item 2 could be "The Soldier Lad" (GD 791) which can have the title "Where Are Ye Gaun" and normally includes a verse which begins with lines like "Where are ye gaun, my bonnie lass, / Where are ye gaun my honey". Similar material occurs in "Seventeen Come Sunday" and "My Rolling Eye" that can be regarded either as versions of the same song or as related songs.
___________________________
Three Songs: LODGINGS for Single GENTLEMEN, Young Man's Frolic, The Lady and Soldier;
Edinburgh printyed by J. Morren c. 1800
The Lady and Soldier.
AS I did walk along the street,
(I was my father’s darling,)
There I spied a pretty maid,
Just as the fun was rising.
With my rulal, la.
Where are you going my pretty maid:
Where are you going my honey ?
She answer’d me right modestly,
Of an errand for my mammy.
Will you marry me, my bonny lass ?
Will you marry me, my honey ?
With all my heart kind sir, said she,
But dare not for my mammy.
Come ye but to my father’s house.
When the moon fnines bright and clearly,
And I will rise and let you in,
And my mammy she won’t hear me.
I have a wife, she is my own,
And how can I disdain her.
And every town that I go through,
A girl if I can find her.
I’ll go to-bed quite late at night,
Rise early the next morning,
The buglehorn is my delight,
And the hautboy is my darling.
Of sketches I have got enough.
And money in my pocket,
And what care I for any one.
Its of the girls I’ve got it.
With my rulal, la.
FINIS.
---------------------------
Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Volume 2, Issues 6-9
By Folk-Song Society (Great Britain)
This ballad seems to be well diffused throughout most parts of England, and I have no doubt it is current in Scotland also. Personally, I think, there is a decidedly Northern ring in the air, which on the whole differs very slightly wherever obtained.
Already copies have been printed in the Folk-Song Journal (Vol. i, p. 92, Vol. ii, p. 9), and in Mr. Sharp's second collection of Folk-Songs from Somerset, but I cannot quite agree with Mr. Sharp that the song is the same as the one he refers to, in The Scots' Musical Museum; the theme is common enough to produce any quantity of folk-ballads.
The full song is printed on broadsides by different printers—the one following from a broadside by Bebbington, of Manchester, but it is the same as one by Such.
I'M SEVENTEEN COME SUNDAY.
As I walked out one May morning,
One May morning so early;
I overtook a handsome maid,
Just as the sun was rising.
With my ru rum ra.
Her stockings white, her shoes so bright,
Her buckles shone like silver,
She had a black and rolling eye,
And her hair hung o'er her shoulder.
"Where are you going, my pretty fair maid?
Where are you going, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully:
"An errand for my mammy."
"How old are you, my pretty maid?
How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me right modestly:
"I'm seventeen come Sunday,"
"Will you take a man, my pretty maid?
Will you take a man, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully:
"I dare not for my mammy."
"Soldier, will you marry me?
For now's the time or never;
For if you do not marry me,
I am undone for ever."
Now I'm with my soldier lad,
Where the wars they are alarming;
A drum and a fife is my delight,
And a pint of rum in the morning.
F.K.
A Scottish version of the song, set to what seems to be an imperfect memory of the same Dorian tune—known in many variants—is printed in Ford's Vagabond Songs and Ballads as "My Rolling Eye," the chorus being:
With my rolling eye,
Fal de diddle eye,
Rolling eye, dum derry, etc.
Mr. Kidson's third version has some resemblance to the old Scotch dance-tune set to the song " Alistair Macalistair."—A. G. G.
---------------------
1905. JOURNAL OF THE FOLK-SONG SOCIETY
3.— I'M SEVENTEEN COME SUNDAY.
Sung by Mr. William Spearing,
AT Ile Bruers, April, 1904. Collected Sharp
As I walked out one May morning,
One May morning so early,
I over-tooked a handsome maid
Just as the sun was arising;
With my ru- rum-a- day,
Fal the did-dle- i - day,
Fal the doll the did-dle - i - day.
Her shoes were bright and her stockings white.
And her buckles shone like silver ;
She had a black and a rolling eye,
And her hair hung over her shoulder.
"How old are you, my fair pretty maid?
How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me, quite cheerfully,
"I am seventeen, come Sunday."
"Will you marry me, my fair pretty maid?
Will you marry me, my honey ? "
She answered me quite cheerfully,
"I dare not, for my mammy."
" If you'll come unto my mammy's house
When the moon is shining brightly,
I will come down and let you in
And my mammy shall not hear me."
I went unto her mammy's house
When the moon was shining brightly.
She did come down and let me in,
And I stayed with her till morning.
" Now, soldier, will you marry me ?
Now is your time, or never,
For if you do not marry me
I am undone for ever."
And now she is the soldier's wife
And the soldier loves her dearly.
The drum and fife is my delight,
And a merry old man is mine, O !
-------------
Yon High High Hill
As I gaed ower yon high high hill
I met a bonnie lassie;
She looked tae me an' I tae her
And oh but she was sassy.
cho: Lin tae toorin ray, fol the diddle ay
Fal the diddle ido, lil tae toorin rae.
"Oh what's your name my bonnie bonnie lass,
Oh what's your name my honey?"
Quite modestly she answered me,
"My mammy calls me Annie."
"Far are ye gyaun my bonnie bonnie lass,
Far are gyaun my honey?"
Quite modestly she answered me,
"An errand for my mammy."
"Wid ye tak' a lad, my bonnie bonnie lass,
Wid ye tak' a lad, my honey?"
Quite modestly she answered me,
"I daur nae for my mammy."
"I will come tae you in the middle o' the nicht,
When the moon is shining clearly,
An' ye will rise and let me in
An' the auld wife winna hear me."
Oh there I lay that lee lang nicht,
An' we parted there next morning,
As up I rose, put on my clothes,
Says "Fare thee weel, my darlin'."
"Ah sodger, ye maun marry me,
An noo's the time or never.
Ah sodger ye maun marry me,
Or I am done forever."
From The Scottish Folksinger, Buchan and Hall
____________________________
As I Roved Out (book version)
traditional (adapted by Sarah & Tommy Makem and Pat, Tom, and Liam Clancy. ©1962, 1969, by Tiparm Music Publishers, Inc.)
As I roved out on a May morning,
On a May morning right early,
I met my love upon the way,
Oh, Lord, but she was early.
Chorus:
And she sang lilt-da-doo-dle, lilt-a-doo-dle, lilt-a-doo-dle-dee,
And she hi-da-land-da-dee, And she hi-da-land-da-dee, and she lan-dae.
Her boots were black and her stockings white,
And her buckles shone like silver;
She had a dark and a rolling eye,
And her earrings tipped her shoulders.
Chorus
"What age are you, my nice sweet girl?
What age are you, my honey?"
How modestly she answered me,
"I'll be sixteen age on Sunday."
Chorus
I went to the house on the top of the hill
When the moon was shining clearly;
She arose to let me in,
For her mammy chanced to hear her.
Chorus
She caught her by the hair of the head,
And down to the room she brought her;
And with the root of a hazel twig,
She was the well-beat daughter.
Chorus
"Will you marry me now, my soldier lad?
Marry me now or never?
Will you marry me now, my soldier lad?
For you see I'm done forever."
Chorus
"No, I won't marry you, my bonny wee girl,
I won't marry you, my honey,
For I have got a wife at home,
And how could I disown her?"
Chorus
A pint a night is my delight,
And a gallon in the morning;
the old women are my heartbreak,
But the young ones is my darling.
Chorus
(from The Irish Songbook - Makem & the Clancys)
_________________________________
Reeves: "The original of this song, whatever it was, shocked all the editors, from the 18th century onward, into a frenzy of emendation..."
_______________________
I'M SEVENTEEN COME SUNDAY
As I rose up one May morning,
One May morning so early,
I overtook a pretty, fair maid
Just as the sun was dawning
CHO:
With my rue rum ray,
Fother diddle ay,
Wok fol air diddle i-do.
Her stockings white, and her boots were bright
And her buckling shone like silver
She had a dark and a rolling eye
And her hair hung round her shoulder
"Where are you going, my pretty, fair maid
Where are you going, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully
"I've an errand for my mummy."
"How old are you, my pretty, fair maid
How old are you, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully
"I am seventeen come Sunday"
"Will you take a man, my sweet pretty maid
Will you take a man, my honey?"
She answered me right cheerfully
"I darst not for my mummy
Will you come down to my mummy's house
When the moon is shining clearly?
If you come down, I'll let you in
And me mummy shall not hear me"
I went down to her mummy's house
When the moon shone bright and clearly?
She did come down, and let me in
And I lay in her arms till morning
"Oh, it's now I am with my soldier lad,
His ways they are so winning.
The drum and fife are my delight
And a pint o' rum in the morning"
Collected by Percy Grainger at Redbourne, Lincolnshire September 1905. Versions also collected in Sussex, Somerset and Scotland. Burns re-wrote the words in "The Scots Musical Museum", vol IV, no. 397, and there are also broadside versions of the text.
X: 1
T:I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
M:2/4
L:1/8
Q:1/8=180
C:collected by Percy Grainger
S:Mr Fred Atkinson, September 1905
O:English
A:Lincolnshire
K:DDor
A>G|FD EC|DD DE/F/|GE CE|
M:3/4 L:1/8
G2A3A|cAc2d2|c/c/A c2B>A|
M:2/4
AGED|A>B cE|ED C2|D/D/E/D/ C2|DA AG/F/|E2 D2-|Dz||
--------------
This from Tipperary Travelling woman Mary Delaney along with the CD note.
Jim Carroll
New Ross Town
(Roud 277, Laws 017)
Mary Delaney
For, as I went out on a moonlight night
As the moon shined bright and clearly,
When a New Ross girl I chanced to meet,
She looks at me surprising;
We had a roo ry rah, fol the diddle ah,
Roo ry, roo ry, roo ry rah.
"Oh, will I go, my dear," he says,
"Or will I go my honey?"
Nice and gay she answered me,
"Go down and ask me mammy."
We'll have roo ry rah, fol the diddle ah,
Roo ry rah she was a tome* old hag.
Oh, I went down to her mammy's house
When the moon shined bright and clearly,
She opened the door and let me in
And her mammy never heard us;
We had...
"Oh, soldier dear, will you marry me
For now is your time or ever,
Oh, Holy God, will you marry me?
If you don't and I'm ruined for ever;"
With my...
"You are too young, my dear," he says,
"You are too young, my honey."
"For if you think I am too young,
Go down and ask me mammy;"
We'll have...
"How old are you, my dear," he says,
"How old are you, my honey?"
Nice and gay she answered me,
"Gone seventeen since Sunday."
With my ...
"Now I have a wife and a comely wife,
And a wife, I won't forsake her,
There's ne'er a town I would walk down
Where I'd get one if I take her."
With my roo ry rah, fol the diddle ah,
Roo ry rah you are a tome old hag.
[* tome : good - Gammon or Cant]
Usually known as Seventeen Come Sunday, this was extremely popular throughout Eng¬land where it has been described as 'one of the most widely known folk songs of all'. The two texts published in the Sharp Collection conclude with the couple who have spent the night together getting married, while Mary's ends with the girl's demands of marriage being rejected. Quite often, as here, the seducer is a soldier.
In Scotland, Robert Burns found the song in Nithsdale and sent a re-written version of it to the Scots Musical Museum (1787-1803) where it was published under the title A Waukrife Minnie; (A Watchful Mother). It was claimed there that it had never before appeared in print.
The Irish variants seem to have been found mainly in the northern counties. We recorded this from Mary on a number of occasions and, although it was one of her favourite songs and among the first she gave us, she never sang it the same way twice. She would cut out verses or change them around as the mood took her and, at one time, she sang:
"You are too young, my dear," he said. "You are too young my honey." "Oh, if you think I am too young, You must lay me down and try me."
She learned the song some thirty years earlier from Co Tipperary traveller, 'Snap' Cash.
Sixteen Come Sunday- Cliff Haslam
I learned this song from Norman Kennedy, one of the finest Scottish singers. He has been living in theUnited Statesfor quite a number of years now. “Seventeen Come Sunday” is an English variant of this song, and “As I Roved Out” is an Irish version.
Chorus – Gordon Bok, Rene Gilbert, Glenn Jenkins
As I gaed up yon hieland hill,
I met a bonnie lassie
She gave me a wink wi’ the tail o’ her eye;
Ah, faith, but she was saucy!
Chorus
Wi’ my rovin’ eye, Fal a diddle die,
Wi’ my rovin’ fal do derry, Wi’ my rovin’ eye.
Where are ye gang, my bonnie lass?
Where are ye gang my honey?
Where are ys gang, my bonnie lass?
For ‘baccy for my granny chorus
What is your name, my bonnie lass?
What is your name, my honey?
What is your name, my bonnie lass?
They cry me Bonnie Annie. chorus
How auld are ye, my bonnie lass?
How auld are ye, my honey?
How auld are ye, my bonnie lass?
I’ll be sixteen come Sunday. chorus
Where dae ye sleep, my bonnie lass?
Where dae ye sleep, my honey?
Where dae ye sleep, my bonnie lass?
In a wee bed next to me mammy. chorus
Gin I was tae come tae your hoose then,
When the meen it’s shining clearly,
Will ye arise and let me in
Sae your mither would not hear me? chorus
Gin ye come doon tae my hoose then,
When the meen is shining clearly,
I’ll arise and let ye in
Sae my mither would not hear me chorus
When I got tae the lassie’s door,
I found that she was awaukened.
But long, long ere the morning came,
Her mither heard us talkin’. chorus
She went tae the grate tae poke up the fire
Tae see gin she would ken me,
But I shoved the auld wife intae the fire,
And bid my heels defend me. chorus
Oh, sodger, sodger, marry me noo,
It’s either noo or never!
Sodger, sodger, marry me noo,
For I am done forever! chorus
Come o’er the burn, my bonnie lass,
Blink o’er the burn, my honey,
For ye are a sweet and kindly lass
For a’ your cankered mammy! chorus
----------------------
Seventeen come Sunday. Irish Molly O
ITMA Reference: 1872-BS
https://www.itma.ie/digital-library/text/1872-bs
Publisher: Monmouth Court, Seven Dials, London : W. S. Fortey, [18--?]
_________________________________
[Children's game song]
WHAUR ARE YE GAUN, MY BONNIE WEE LASS?
1. Whaur are ye gaun, ma bonnie wee lass,
Whaur are ye gaun, ma dearie?
Whaur are ye gaun, ma bonnie wee lass?
A message for ma mammie.
Will I come wi you, ma bonnie wee lass,
Will I come wi you, ma dearie?
Will I come wi you, ma bonnie wee lass?
I'll hae to ask ma mammie.
What did she say, ma bonnie wee lass,
What did she say, ma dearie?
What did she say, ma bonnie wee lass?
She'll tell me come next Sunday.
Will you marry me, ma bonnie wee lass,
Will you marry me, ma dearie?
Will you marry me, ma bonnie wee lass,
And never heed your mammie?
I'll marry you, ma bonnie wee lad,
I'll marry you, ma dearie,
I'll marry you, ma bonnie wee lad,
But I'll hae to bring ma mammie.
2. [Haliky Daliky]
Where are you going, my bonnie wee lass?
Where are you going, my dearie?
Where are you going, my bonnie wee lass?
A message for my mammy.
Haliky, daliky, daliky dee,
Haliky, daliky, dearie,
Haliky, daliky, daliky dee,
A message for my mammy.
-------
(1) Coll. 1964; ultimately from Glasgow, c. 1930. Tune,
"Quaker's Wife".
(2) MacColl Streets of Song, no. 19; "A ring game learned in 1957 from Sylvia Rapoport, a 36 year old London housewife who learned it as a child in the Gorbals district of Glasgow."
______________________________________________
Songs and Ballads of the West: A Collection Made from the Mouths of the People
By Sabine Baring-Gould 1892
LXXIII. On a May Morning so Early. This melody belongs to the song or ballad "I'm Seventeen on Sunday," which is known elsewhere than in Devon and Cornwall. The air was taken down by Mr. Sheppard, from Roger Huggins, at Lydford. Taken down again by Mr. Bussell, from William Bickell, of Bridestowe. Bickell sang it to the broadside ballad, “ Seventeen on Sunday,” but Huggins' words, as far as they went, were earlier and better. The original ballad was altered by Burns to the “Wakeriffe Mammy,” which he re-wrote for Johnson's Museum, IV., p. 410 ; and Allan Cunningham arranged a song on this topic, as the original was objectionable.
Lyle gives it in his " Ballads," 1827, [wrong song- notes for I am Too Young] saying: “This ballad, in its original dress at one time, from my recollection, was not only extremely ' .g the young peasantry of the “last of Scotland. not bear transcription, whilst the and and 3rd have ' h version (re-written) to the He says: " cannot his song, for I have known them 3! veral reasons {the original words] could It was not possible or us either to give
1 As I walked out one May morning,
One May morning so early:
I there espicd a fair pretty maid,
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
2 Stay, fair one, stay! Thus did I say,
On a May morning so early:
My tale of love, your heart will move.
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
No tiles for me, Kind sinsuid the
On a May morning so early:
My lwuinil true, I dont want two
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
4 with Ii‘ghtsome tread, Away lhe lped.
This May morning I0 early:
To meet her lad, And left me lad,
All in the dew so pearly.
O! 'twas sweet, sweet spring,
Merry birds did sing,
All in the morning early.
--------------------
Lloyd's 'Soldier and the Maid'
from "The Foggy Dew and Other Traditional English Love Songs"
The biggest differences between Lloyd's version and those I'm familiar with is the "teeth" business, the phrase "the moon shone bright as dawning" (sounds also like Lloyd) and the final stanza, which includes "Let this be a warning!" and ends with an unfolklike, "And I'll be back for your mummy in the morning!"
As I went out on one May morning,
On one May morning early,
I met a maid upon the way
And oh she was her mother's darling.
Refrain : "With a toorin ah,
Fol the diddle ah,
Starva lump fol the daddy o."
Her shoes was bright, her stockings white,
And her hair hung down her shoulder.
She had a black and a rovin eye
And all her teeth they shone like silver.
“Whre are you going, my pretty little miss,
Where are you going, my honey?”
She answered me quite modestly,
“I'm on an errant for my mummy.”
“How old are you, my pretty little miss,
How old are you, my darling?”
She answered me quite modestly,
“Well I'll be sixteen year come a Monday morning.”
“Could you fancy a man, my pretty little miss,
Could you fancy a man, my honey?
She answered me quite modestly,
“Well I daren't for my mummy.”
“But if you'll come to my mummy's house
When the moon shines bright and clearly,
I will come down and let you in
So my mummy shall not hear me.”
Oh I went to her mother's house
When the moon shone bright as dawning.
She did come down and let me in
And she rolled im my arms till the morning.
About the hour of six o'clock
We heard the bugles blowing.
The little gal gave a thrilling cry,
“Oh by Jiminy I am ruined!”
“So now farewell, my pretty little miss,
And let this be a warning.
The drum and fife is my delight
And I'll be back for your mummy in the morning.”
__________________
[single stanzas of Sharps MS follow]
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday] / The Gipsy Laddie
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4615)
Title
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday] / The Gipsy Laddie
First Line
Will you court me, my pretty, little Miss?
Performer
Connelly, Margaret [Callaway, Margaret]
Date collected
16 Sep 1918
Place
USA : N. Carolina : Burnsville
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
-------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Manuscript Collection (PG/5/33)
Title
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
First Line
How old are you my pretty fair maid
Performer
Stark, Thomas
Date collected
28 Jul 1906
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Broughton
Collector
Grainger, Percy
-------------
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/786)
Title
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
First Line
As I walked out one May morning
Performer
Haste, John
Date collected
15 Jan 1906
Place
England : Somerset : Enmore
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
-------------
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4836)
As I walked out one may morning
Performer
Noble, George
Date collected
1 Sep 1921
Place
England : Herefordshire : Ross
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
--------------
17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/1560)
As I walked out one May morning
Performer
Jarrett, Mrs.
Date collected
7 Jan 1908
Place
England : Somerset : Bridgwater
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
-------------
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4947)
Title
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
First Line
How old are you my pretty fair maid
Performer
Pittaway, William
Date collected
19 May 1923
Place
England : Oxfordshire : Burford
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
--------
'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/4869)
Title
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
First Line
Where are you going my sweet pretty maid
Performer
Taylor, Thomas
Date collected
7 Sep 1921
Place
England : Herefordshire : Ross
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
----------
'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/2591)
Title
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
First Line
As I walked out one May morning
Performer
Bradley, John
Date collected
13 Apr 1911
Place
England : Warwickshire : Shipston-on-Stour
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
--------------------
As I Walked Out / I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/655)
Title
As I Walked Out / I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
First Line
As I walked out one May morning
Performer
Ginger Jack [John Woodridge / John Woodrich]
Date collected
12 Sep 1905
Place
England : Devon : Lew Trenchard
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/987)
Title
I'm 17 Come Sunday [I'm Seventeen Come Sunday]
First Line
As I walked out one May morning
Performer
Binding, Charlotte
Date collected
11 Aug 1906
Place
England : Somerset : Stogursey
Collector
Sharp, Cecil J.
------------------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Sharp, A Selection of Collected Folk-Songs Vol.1 [n.d.] pp.32-33, 1908 Novello and Company
---------
7. Seventeen Come Sunday (12in. LP) 22915
Recorded at Catfield, Norfolk, July 19th, 1956
Harry Cox
Peter Kennedy: HARRY FRED Cox was born on October 10th, 1885, at Barton Turf, near Yarmouth,
Norfolk. Now a widower of seventy-three and a retired farm worker he lives with his
married daughter at Catfield. He was thirty-five when he first sang to the composer,
the late E. J. Moeran, with a number of other traditional singers in the Hickling and
Barton area, and some of his songs were published in the Folk Song Journals of 1922
and 1931. In the 1930's he made a record for the E.F.D.S.S. containing the songs
'Down by the Riverside' ('The Bold Fisherman') and 'The Pretty Ploughboy'. In
1942 he was visited by Francis Collinson who was then collecting material for the
Country Magazine broadcasts, and three years later he took part in one of a number
of East Anglian public-house recordings made by Mr. Moeran in conjunction with
the B.B.C. Three of his songs were contributed to the Journal of 1946 by Mr. Collinson,
and two of them were subsequently arranged and published, with others, in Songs from
the Countryside (1946) and Folk Songs from 'Country Magazine' (1952).
Naturally Harry Cox was included in the B.B.C.'s Folk Music Recording Scheme
and I recorded several songs when I was sent by the B.B.C. to East Anglia in the
autumn of 1953, and again in 1956. His version of 'The Foggy Dew' is now widely
known since its inclusion on the H.M.V. records 'Folk Songs To-day' and 'The
Barley Mow'
-----------------------
Sixteen Agin Sunday
Roud Folksong Index (S190536)
First Line
Oh it's up yon heathery mountain
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
BBC recording 21838
Performer
McCreesh, Bob
Place
N. Ireland : Co. Armagh : Armagh
Collector
Ennis, Seamus
Date collected
1954 (11 Aug)
--------------
As I Walked Out
First Line
As I walked out one midsummer morning
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
BBC recording 17794
Performer
Westaway, Bill
Place
England : Devon : Belstone
Collector
Kennedy, Peter
Date collected
1952 (26 May)
-------------
------------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
Source
Cassette acc. Patten, Somerset Scrapbook
Performer
Showers, Charlie
Place
England : Somerset : Drayton
Collector
Bland, Dave
Date collected
1973 (17 Jan)
Format
Sound recording
----------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
First Line
As I was going along the road
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
BBC recording 21837
Performer
McGarvey, Margaret
Place
N. Ireland : Co. Armagh : Armagh
Collector
Ennis, Seamus
Date collected
1954 (11 Aug)
Format
Sound recording
Src Contents
Audio
----------------
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-214812725/listen
Sally Sloane
00:01:08
Sally Sloane (1894-1982) sings 'My Pretty Little Maid'
Recorded at Teralba on 16 June and 13 October 1956.
Where are you going my pretty little maid,
Where are you going my honey?
Where are you going my pretty little maid,
Where are you going my honey?
She answered him quite modestly,
On erran' for my mommie.
With my tu-rum ra, fal a diddle da,
Right fal-la-diddle dolly die, do.
How old are you my pretty little girl,
How old are you my honey,
She answered him quite modestly,
I'm seventeen come Sunday.
Will you marry me, my pretty little girl,
will you marry me, my honey?
She answered him quite modestly,
"I dare not for my Mommie."
Will come unto my Mama's house,
When the moon shines bright and clearly?
O, I'll rise up and let you in,
And the auld woman will not hear me.
Meredith, John, 1920-2001. (interviewer)
Sloane, Sally, 1894-1982. (performer)
ORAL TRC 4/17A
Recorded at Teralba on 16 June and 13 October 1956.
---------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
[How old are you] my pretty fair maid
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Helions Bumpstead NLCD 5/6 ('Voice of Suffolk: Stour Valley 1')
Performer
Place
England : Suffolk : Cavendish
Collector
Lanham, Neil
---------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Percy Grainger Phonograph (Cylinder) Collection (VWML CDA Tape Collection No.6)
Performer
Leaning, Joseph
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Brigg
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (4 Aug)
Format
Sound recording
Src Contents
Audio
---------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
BBC recording 22336
Performer
McLaverty, John
Place
N. Ireland : Belfast
Collector
Kennedy, Peter / O Boyle, Sean
Date collected
1952
--------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
First Line
As I walked out one May morning
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
BBC recording 18620
Performer
Jones, Peter
Place
England : Herefordshire : Bromsash
Collector
Karpeles, Maud / Patrick Shuldham-Shaw
Date collected
1953 aug 18
----------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
First Line
As I walk'd out one May morning
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Plunkett Collection (Sussex Texts typescript)
Performer
Lester, Mrs.
Place
England : Sussex : Saint Hill
Collector
Plunkett, Mervyn
Date collected
1956c - 1959c756 (S60
-----------
Seventeen Come Sunday
Oh where are you going my pretty fair maid
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
BBC recording 18580
Performer
Doran, Paddy
Place
N. Ireland : Belfast
Collector
Kennedy, Peter / O Boyle, Sean
Date collected
1952 (24 Jul)
--------------
Grainger variants:
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
First Line
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.126)
Performer
Robinson, Dean
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Brigg
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (26 Jul)
-----------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Roud Folksong Index (S148853)
70 of approx 609 results
First Line
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.132)
Performer
Hyldon, Edgar
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Brigg
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (4 Aug)
--------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Roud Folksong Index (S148845)
84 of approx 609 results
First Line
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index ONS 43)
Performer
Atkinson, Alfred
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Redbourne
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1905 (3 Sep)
--------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.129)
Performer
Stark, Thomas
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Broughton
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (28 Jul)
--------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Roud Folksong Index (S148854)
Source
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.133)
Performer
Gleadall, Thomas
Place
England : Yorkshire : Lindrick
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (2 Aug)
---------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.410)
Performer
Bulcock, Mrs. F.W.
Place
Australia : Brisbane
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1926 (15 Oct)
------------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Phonograph (Cylinder) Collection (VWML CDA Tape Collection No.5)
Performer
Robinson, Dean
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Brigg
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (26 Jul)
--------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.131)
Performer
Cooper, Bryan
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Barrow-on-Humber
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (27 Jul)
---------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger MSS Collection (Hektograph copies at VWML) No.133
Performer
Gleadall, Thomas
Place
England : Yorkshire : Lindrick
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (2 Aug)
--------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.127)
Performer
Skinner, Joseph
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Barrow-on-Humber
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (27 Jul)
---------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Phonograph (Cylinder) Collection (VWML CDA Tape Collection Nos.6 & 9)
Performer
Hyldon, Edgar
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Brigg
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (4 Aug)
--------------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Percy Grainger Collection (O'Brien Index No.128)
Performer
Clark, William / Mr. Beedham
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Barrow-on-Humber
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (26 Jul)
-------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
Source
Brian Matthews Collection ('Woody' tape)
Performer
Porter, Sarah
Place
England : Sussex
Collector
Matthews, Brian
-------------
As I Roved Out
As I roved out on a May morning
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Tradition TCD 1053 ('So Early in the Morning')
Performer
Clancy Children
Place
Ireland : Co. Tipperary : Carrick-on-Suir
Collector
Hamilton, Diane
Date collected
1955-1961
--------------
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Where are you going to my pretty maid
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Percy Grainger MSS Collection (Hektograph copies at VWML) No.126
Performer
Robinson, Dean
Place
England : Lincolnshire : Brigg
Collector
Grainger, Percy
Date collected
1906 (26 Jul)
-----------------
Who are You My Pretty Fair Maid
Who are you, my pretty fair maid
Topic TSCD 651 (`Come Let Us Buy the Licence')
Performer
Heaney, Joe
Place
Ireland
-----------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
As I walked out one May morning
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Davenport, Down Yorkshire Lanes (2013) p.38
Performer
[Young navvy]
Place
England : Lincolnshire / Yorkshire : Braithwell
Collector
Gatty, R.A.
Date collected
1907
----------------
As I walk'd out one May morning
Lucy Broadwood MSS (Vaughan Williams Memorial Library) LEB/5/427
Performer
Elston, Samuel
Place
England : Devon : Cowley
Collector
Wyatt-Edgell, Miss P.
Date collected
1908 (Jan)
---------------
Seventeen Come Sunday
First Line
As I walked out one May morning
Roud No
277 [Search for 277 in the current indexes]
Other nums
Laws O17
Source
Patten, Somerset Scrapbook (1987) pp.10-11 / Musical Traditions MTCD 252 (2013)
Performer
Showers, Charlie
Place
England : Somerset : Drayton
Collector
Bland, Dave
Date collected
1973 (17 Jan)
----------
Loreena Mckennitt - As I Roved Out; 6 years ago; YouTube
Who are you, my pretty fair maid,
Who are you, me honey?
And who are you, my pretty fair maid,
And who are you, me honey?
She answered me quite modestly, I am me mother's darling
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day
Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
And will you come to me mother's house,
When the moon is shining clearly?
And will you come to me mother's house
When the moon is shining clearly?
I'll open the door and I'll let you in
And divil 'o one will hear us
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
So I went to her house in the middle of the night
When the moon was shining clearly
So I went to her house in the middle of the night
When the moon was shining clearly
She opened the door and she let me in and divil the one did hear us
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
She took me horse by the bridle and the bit
And led him to the stable
She took me horse by the bridle and the bit
And led him to the stable
Saying "There's plenty of oats for a soldier's horse,
To eat it if he's able"
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
Then she took me by the lily-white hand
Led me to the table
Then she took me by the lily-white hand
Led me to the table
Saying "There's plenty of wine for a soldier boy,
To drink if he is able"
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
Then I got up and I made the bed
I made it nice and aisy
Then I got up and I made the bed
I made it nice and aisy
The I got up and I laid her down
Saying "Lassie, are you able? "
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
And there we lay till the break of day
Divil the one did hear us
And there we lay till the break of day
And divil the one did hear us
Then I arose and put on me clothes
Saying "Lassie, I must leave you"
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
And when will you return again
When will we get married?
And when will you return again
When will we get married?
When broken shells make Christmas bells
We might then get married
With me
Too-ry-ay Fol-de-diddle-day Di-re fol-de-diddle Dai-rie oh
Songwriters: LOREENA MCKENNITT
_________________________________________
Missing Versions:
The Dudaim My Rovin' Eye Ben and Adam 1960
Vic Legg Seventeen Come Sunday John Howson Collection 1970-1995
Susan Reed The Soldier and the Lady
Steve Benbow & Jimmie MacGregor As I Roved Out Sinful Songs 1958
Bernard Cherry Seventeen Come Sunday John Howson Collection 1970-1995
Seventeen come Sunday
Cherry, Bernard (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: John Howson Collection
Collection title: Traditional Music in England project
SHELFMARK: C1034/222
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0012691
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0010861
Contributor: Cherry, Bernard (singer, male)
Contributor: Howson, John (sound recordist)
Recording date: 1991-01-19
Recording location: The Queen's Head, Stradbroke, Suffolk
Country: England
Genre: English folk songs and music (Suffolk)
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index no. 277
Item note: Recorded at an "Old Hat Music Night" hosted by John Howson
Item copyright: John Howson & recorded artists
Seventeen come Sunday
Corbett, Dick (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: Nick & Mally Dow Collection
Collection title: Traditional Music in England Project
SHELFMARK: C1012/27
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0010629
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0007029
Contributor: Corbett, Dick (singer, male)
Contributor: Dow, Nick (sound recordist)
Recording date: 1987-07-22
Recording location: White Lion, Broadwindsor, Dorset
Country: England
Genre: English folk songs and music (Dorset)
Item note: One verse.
Item note: Parody of 'Folk' singers.
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index No. 277
Item note: LAws Ballad No. 017
Item note: Evening coming to an end.
Item copyright: Dick Corbett
I'm seventeen come Sunday
Jones, Joe (singer, male)
FIND WORK DETAILS: I'm seventeen come Sunday/
Collection title: Mike Yates Archive
SHELFMARK: C796/43
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0002869-1CDR0002875
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0000808-2CDR0000814
Contributor: Jones, Joe (singer, male)
Contributor: Yates, Mike (sound recordist)
Performance note: 92 year old traveller, nicknamed "Sharper's Joe"
Performance note: Live performance
Recording date: 1973
Recording location: St Mary Cray, Kent
Item duration: 0 min. 59 sec.
Country: England
Culture: Gypsies
Genre: English folk songs and music (Kent)
Item copyright: Mike Yates and Joe Jones
Recording note: Background sounds of wind and birdsong.
Sound quality code: a
Seventeen come Sunday
Adams, Harry, 1903-1982 (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: Bob and Jacqueline Patten Collection
Collection title: Traditional Music in England Project
SHELFMARK: C1033/41
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0010836
Contributor: Adams, Harry, 1903-1982 (singer, male)
Contributor: Patten, Bob (sound recordist)
Recording date: 1976-10-24
Recording location: Isle Abbotts, Somerset
Country: England
Genre: English folk songs and music (Somerset)
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index No. 277
Item note: Laws Ballad No. O17
Item note: Song learnt from Rose Smith who he was at school with and who learnt a lot of songs from Louie Hooper and the other shirt makers at Westport.
Item copyright: Bob & Jacqueline Patten and recorded artist
Seventeen come Sunday
Legg, Vic (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: John Howson Collection
Collection title: Traditional Music in England project
SHELFMARK: C1034/263
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0014060
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0011960
Contributor: Legg, Vic (singer, male)
Contributor: Howson, John (sound recordist)
Performance note: Cornish singer from family of West Country travellers; son of Sophie Legg and nephew of Charlotte and Betsy Renals (also traditional singers)
Recording date: 1992-11-13
Recording location: Musical Traditions Club at The King and Queen, Foley Street, London
Country: England
Genre: English folk songs and music (Cornwall)
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index no. 277
Item copyright: John Howson & recorded artists
Recording note: Recorded in folk club with audience
Seventeen come Sunday
Showers, Charlie, 1906-1985 (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: Bob and Jacqueline Patten Collection
Collection title: Traditional Music in England Project
SHELFMARK: C1033/80
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0010875
Contributor: Showers, Charlie, 1906-1985 (singer, male)
Contributor: Bland, Dave (sound recordist)
Recording date: 1973-01-17
Recording location: Drayton, Langport, Somerset
Country: England
Genre: English folk songs and music (Somerset)
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index No. 277
Item note: Laws Ballad No. 017
Item copyright: Dave Bland, Bob & Jacqueline Patten and recorded artist
Recording note: recording level increase
I'm seventeen come Sunday
Kellett, Rowland (singer, male)
FIND WORK DETAILS: I'm seventeen come Sunday/
Item title: Sweet sixteen come Sunday
Collection title: Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger Collection
SHELFMARK: C102/194
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0002063-2CDR0002064
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0001637-1CDR0001638
Contributor: Kellett, Rowland (singer, male)
Contributor: Kellett, Rowland (speaker, male)
Performance note: From Bognor Regis (Sussex)
Recording date: 1966
Country: England
Item note: Alternative version. Ends "We'll have a bouncing baby"
I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Robinson, Dean (folk) (singer, male)
Item title: I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
SHELFMARK: 1LL0010254
Other ref no.: Melody 126
Other ref no.: Roud 277
Contributor: Robinson, Dean (folk) (singer, male)
Recording date: 1906-07-26
Recording location: Brigg (Lincolnshire)
Country: England
Item note: Melody 126
Item note: From outside cut, disc 12A copied by the Library of Congress from Cylinder 2 of the Percy Grainger collection of folk songs
Item note: Music and words noted by Percy Grainger from original cylinder on manuscript held in Percy Grainger Manuscript Collection (Vaughan Williams Memorial Library PG/5/84)
I'm seventeen come Sunday
Doran, Paddy (singer, male)
Electronic access: Play this (at British Library only)
FIND WORK DETAILS: I'm seventeen come Sunday/
Collection title: Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger Collection
SHELFMARK: C102/395
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0001787-1CDR0001788
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0002213-2CDR0002214
Contributor: Doran, Paddy (singer, male)
Performance note: from Belfast
Recording date: 1955?
Item duration: 1 min. 07 sec.
Country: Ireland
I'm seventeen come Sunday
Goodluck, John (singer, male)
FIND WORK DETAILS: I'm seventeen come Sunday/
SHELFMARK: 1LP0130190
Contributor: Goodluck, John (singer, male)
Contributor: Goodluck, John (whistle)
I'm seventeen come Sunday
Williamson, Duncan, 1928- (singer, male)
FIND WORK DETAILS: I'm seventeen come Sunday/
Item title: Sixteen come next Monday
Collection title: Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger Collection
SHELFMARK: C102/193
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0002062
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0001636
Contributor: Williamson, Duncan, 1928- (singer, male)
Contributor: Fullerton, Helen (sound recordist)
Contributor: MacIntyre, George (sound recordist)
Performance note: with backing vocals and whistling
Country: Scotland
Culture: Travellers
Genre: Field recordings
I'm seventeen come Sunday
unidentified (singer, male)
FIND WORK DETAILS: I'm seventeen come Sunday/
Collection title: Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger Collection
SHELFMARK: C102/168
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0002032
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0001606
Contributor: unidentified (singer, male)
Contributor: MacColl, Ewan (sound recordist)
Contributor: Seeger, Peggy (sound recordist)
Performance note: Linconshire field singer
Country: England
Holdings
RECORDING Copies Material Location
1CDR0001606 S1 BD14 NSA 1 RECORDING Store
eventeen come Sunday
Moran, Paddy (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: Russell Wortley Collection
SHELFMARK: C777/3
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0011162
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0009962
Contributor: Moran, Paddy (singer, male)
Contributor: general chorus
Contributor: Wortley, Russell (sound recordist)
Recording location: unknown
Country: Ireland
Genre: Irish folk songs and music
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index No. 277
Item note: Laws Ballad No. O17
Item copyright: Diana Hillman
Recording note: copied from the radio
Seventeen come Sunday
McCafferty, John (singer, male)
Item title: Seventeen come Sunday
Collection title: Russell Wortley Collection
SHELFMARK: C777/3
SHELFMARK: 1CDR0011162
SHELFMARK: 2CDR0009962
Contributor: McCafferty, John (singer, male)
Contributor: Wortley, Russell (sound recordist)
Recording location: unknown
Country: Ireland
Genre: Irish folk songs and music
Item note: Roud Folk Song Index No. 277
Item note: Laws Ballad No. O17
Item note: One verse
Item copyright: Diana Hillman
Recording note: copied from the radio
----------------------
First Line: How old are you my pretty maid
Ralph Vaughan Williams MSS Collection (British Library 54190) Vol.2, MS bk 2, p.37; RVW2/2/29
England : Essex : Willingale Doe
Vaughan Williams, Ralph
Date collected
1904 (14 Apr)