Bluegrass Messengers

Katie Morey- Stockton (TN) 1916 Sharp A

[This version was covered by Peegy Seeger on The Long Harvest.]

From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians
Comprising 122 Songs and Ballads, and 323 Tunes With Lyrics & sheet Music
Collected by Olive Dame Campbell and Cecil J. Sharp, published 1917

Sharp's notes: No. 62. Katey Morey.
The tune is a variant of "The Dowie Dens o' Yarrow," several versions of which are given in The Journal of the Folk-Song Society, v., 110-113.

1 Come young, come old, come all draw nigh
Come listen to my story,
I'll tell you what a plan I formed
To spoil (spile) Miss Katie Morey,
CHORUS: My too I- ree I- o-o-o,
My too I- ree I- o.

2   I went unto her father's house
Just like a clever fellow,
I told her that the plums and grapes were ripe,
Yes, they were fine and mellow.

3   She says: My dear, my dearest dear,
There's something else to betray us,
My father dear is on his way,
And he'll be sure to see us.

4   But if the highest tree it's you could climb,
Till he gets out of sight, sir,
It's then we'll go to yonders grove
And spend one happy hour.

5   The tree was rough, he climbed so tough,
And on the top he stopped, sir,
And every jerk he tore his shirt,
And on the top he stopped, sir.

6   As she went trippling over the plains,
She looked so neat and active.
And there he sot in the top of the tree
Almost raving distracted.