My Boy Tommy O- Riordan (Kerry) 1921
[Bronson gives the tunes and text for My Boy Tommy O. A nearly identical version with only two verses was posted in the Digital Tradition forum (see below).]
My Boy Tommy O- Sung by Bat Riordan (Kerry County) 1921
"Where have you been all the day, my boy Tommy O?
Where have you been all the day, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"I've been rolling in the hay, with a lassie young and gay
Wasn't she the young thing, that lately left her mammy O?"
"What did she give you to eat, my boy Tommy O?
What did she give you to eat, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"She gave me bread, she gave me meat, and that's what she gave me to eat,
Wasn't she the young thing, that lately left her mammy O?"
"What did she give you to drink, my boy Tommy O?
What did she give you to drink, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"She gave me wine as black as ink, and that's what she gave me to drink,
Wasn't she the young thing, that lately left her mammy O?"
"Can she mend and can she make, my boy Tommy O?
Can she mend and can she make, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"She mend and can she make, she can give and she can take,
Wasn't she the young thing, that lately left her mammy O?"
"Can she bake a corn-cake, my boy Tommy O?
Can she bake a corn-cake, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"She can bake a corn-cake, fit for any man to eat,
Wasn't she the young thing, that lately left her mammy O?"
"Can she make a feather bed, my boy Tommy O?
Can she make a feather bed, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"She can make a feather bed, fit for any man to rest,
Wasn't she the young thing, that lately left her mammy O?"
"What age is this young thing, my boy Tommy O?
What age is this young thing, my bonnie blue-eyed Tommy O?"
"Twice two, twice four, twice seven and eleven more
Wasn't she the fine one's lately left her mammy O?"
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Digital Tradition forum: At my Uncle Jack's house in Brooklyn about 1952 I roomed with my first cousin and classmate, Francis, who was the class clown at that time and has since become a real estate moghul and a confidant of U.S. Senators, etc. [Thank God he still can't sing or I'd never be able to sleep at night!] It was in that room I first saw the words "folk song." They were written on the label of a candy apple red 78rpm recording of "Billy Boy." Although we had folk songs all around us, I don't think anyone in the house knew what a folk song was. My mother still doesn't! Years later, I came across an outstanding version of "Billy Boy" (Lord Randal) from Co. Kerry where Uncle Jack and my mother were born:
"Where have you been all the day, my boy Tommy O?
Where have you been all the day, my bonnie blue-eyed Tom?"
"I've been rolling in the hay with a lassie young and gay
Wasn't she the fine one's lately left her mammy O?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"What age is this young thing, my boy Tommy O?
What age is this young thing, my bonnie blue-eyed Tom?"
"Twice two, twice four, twice seven and eleven more
Wasn't she the fine one's lately left her mammy O?"