Butcher's Boy- Irving Caldwell (KY) 1937 Lomax
[From Lomax LOC recordings for Kentucky. The informant was supplied by Jean Thomas who called him "a little boy."
R. Matteson 2017]
The Butcher's Boy- sung by a young boy, Irving David Caldwell, of Ashland, Kentucky, Boyd County recorded at the home of Jean Thomas on June 28, 1937.
In London City where I did dwell,
There's a butcher boy I loved him well,
He courted me my life away,
And now with me he will not stay.
There is a strange girl in this town,
He goes to her and he sits him down,
He's taken a strange girl on his knee,
And he tells to her what he won't tell me.
The reason why I cannot tell,
Where as she has more gold than I
But gold will melt and silver fly,
And in hard times, she's as poor as I.
She went upstairs to make her bed,
Not a word to mother has she said,
Her mother followed after her saying:
"What's the matter [with] my daughter dear."
Bring me a chair to sit upon,
A big bright pen to write this down,
On every line she left a tear,
And every word, it's Willie my dear.
Her father he was out late that night,
He went upstairs[1] but the door was locked,
He broke the door he broke the bolt,
And he found her hung by a rope.
He took his knife and cut her down,
And in her bosom these words we found
A silly girl was I you know,
To kill myself for a soldier's boy[2].
Go dig my grave both wide and deep,
Place a marble slab at my head and feet,
And on my breast a snow-white dove,
To show the world I died for love.
1. sings "home" seems confused
2. changes from butcher boy.