Gypsy Davie- Doc Watson (NC) 1979 REC
[From Doc & Merle Watson, "Look Away!" United Artists, UA-LA887-H, 1979. Also Doc & Richard Watson's "Third Generation Blues."
I saw Doc perform this many times with his grandson Richard Watson and I thought it was a cover of Cliff Carlisle (with the slide guitar fill) but when I compared the texts they were quite different. Doc's text has an unusual twist at the end and I assume it was arranged from tradition by Doc or he got it from an unknown source.
R. Matteson 2015]
GYPSY DAVIE- Doc Watson and Merle Watson from the 1979 recording, "Look Away!"
1. Oh, the Gypsy Davie came a-ridin' along, singin' so loud and gaily.
With his old guitar and a lusty song, he charmed the heart of a lady,
The heart of a pretty little lady.
2. "How old are you, my pretty little miss? How old are you, my lady?"
"Come next week. I'll be sixteen. I've a husband and a baby,
A man and a pretty little baby."
3. "Oh, would you leave your house and land, your husband and your baby?
Would you leave them all behind to go with the Gypsy Davie,
Ride along with the Gypsy Davie?"
4. She dressed in silks and rings of gold and shoes of Spanish leather,
Then she got on a pony fine and they rode off together,
And they rode off together.
5. That night when the man of the house came home, asking for his lady,
Well, the only answer that he got: "She's gone with the Gypsy Davie,
Rode away with the Gypsy Davie."
6. He called for his boots and he called for his hat, his pistol, and his saddle,
Then he sprang on his very best horse and after them did travel,
And after them did travel.
[Instrumental break]
7. When he saw the man who'd wronged him so, his wrath was hotly kindled,
Then he thought of his lady's tender love, and his anger slowly dwindled,
His anger slowly dwindled.
8. "Oh, would you leave your house and land, your true love and your baby?
Oh, would you leave us all behind to go with the Gypsy Davie,
With the likes of the Gypsy Davie?"
9. "I care not for your house and land, and you can have my baby.
Yes, I'll leave you all behind to go with the Gypsy Davie,
For I love this Gypsy Davie."
10. When the silks and the gold and the rings were gone, old Davie would not tarry.
He says, "You're not a Gypsy girl and you I cannot marry,
You I cannot marry."
11. As a beggar now she's dressed in rags. In her heart, she's still a lady.
Tonight she'll cry herself to sleep thinkin' about her baby,
True love and her baby.