Charming Willie- Otto (WV) pre1925 Cox C
[My title. From Folk-Songs of the South by John Harrington Cox, 1925. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2014]
168 BILLY BOY
For American texts see Clifton Johnson, What They Say in New England (Boston, 1897), p. 230; Shoemaker, pp. 102, 131 (Pennsylvania); Wolford, The Play-Party in Indiana, p. 24; Campbell and Sharp, No. 89 (North Carolina);
Pound, No. 113 (Nebraska; cf. Journal, xxvi, 356); Waugh, Journal, xxxi, 78 (Ontario); De Marsan broadside, List 18, No. 4; Beadle's Dime Song Book No. 10 (cop. 1863), p. 62. Cf. Shearin and Combs, p. 30 (Kentucky); F. C. Brown, p. 10 (North Carolina); Jones, p. 3 (Michigan); Wyman MS., No. 25 (Kentucky) ; Minish MS. (North Carolina) ; Belden's Missouri collection.
A parody written in the days of the Civil War ("Bully Boy, Billy") may be read in Child's War-Songs for Freemen (Boston, cop. 1862), p. 41. For British references see Kittredge, Journal, xxvi, 357, note 1. Sharp (One Hundred English Folksongs, p. xxxiv) suggests that "Billy Boy" is "a comic derivative, or burlesque," of "Lord Randal" (Child, No. 12).
Hector Macneht's "My Boy Tammie" or "Tammy's Courting," modeled on the English song (see The Vocal Magazine, Edinburgh, 1797, Song cv), is found in American songbooks: as, The Minstrel (Baltimore, 181 2), p. 106; The Singer's Magazine and Universal Vocalist (Philadelphia, 1835), I, 176; The Bijou Minstrel (Philadelphia, 1840), p. 117; The Bonnie Dundee Songster (cop. 1868), p. 68; Delaney's Scotch Song-Book No. 1, p. 16.
In addition to the texts given below, this song was reported by others as follows: Miss Sallie Evans, Elkins, Randolph County; Mr. N. D. Barber, Charleston, Kanawha County; Miss Emma Boughner, Morgan town, Monongalia County; and a second text by Mrs. Hilary G. Richardson, Clarksburg, Harrison County.
C. 'Charming Willie.' Communicated by Miss Julia Otto, Wheeling, Ohio County.
1 "Where have you been, charming Willie?
Where have you been, charming boy?"
I've been to see my wife, she's the secret of my life
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."
2 "Did she ask you in, charming Willie?
Did she ask you in, charming boy?"
"She asked me in, with a dimple in her chin:
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."
3 "Did she give you a chair, charming Willie?
Did she give you a chair, charming boy?"
"She gave me a chair, with a wrinkle in her hair:
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."
4 "Did she light you to bed, charming Willie?
Did she light you to bed, charming boy?
"She lit me to bed, with a candle in her head:
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."
5 "Can she bake a cherry pie, charming Willie?
Can she bake a cherry pie, charming boy?"
"She can bake a cherry pie while a cat can wink her eye:
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."
6 "How old is she, charming Willie?
How old is she, charming boy?"
"Twice six, twice seven, twice twenty and eleven:
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."
7 "How tall is she, charming Willie?
How tall is she, charming boy?"
"She's as tall as any pine, and straight as any pumpkin vine:
She's a young girl and can't leave her mother."