Nickety Nackety- Barker (VA) pre1956 Chase
[From: American Folk Tales and Songs- Richard Chase 1956; no date given. Chase says the tune comes from Horton Barker but does not say the text came from Barker- he doesn't say where the text is from- citing many sources, see his notes below). I assume it's an adaptation of Chubby Parker's 1927 song, "Nickety nackety, now, now, now" which begins:
I married my wife in the month of June,
Nickety nackety, now, now, now!
and I escorted her home by the light of the moon,
Nickety, nackety, nay down thackety!
Willety, wallety, rustico-quality!
Nickety nackety, now, now, now!
After that it goes into various complaints about the wife but has nothing to do with Child 277. Clearly Parker's first verse is the same as it was sung by Barker. Both have the same form and a similar melody which I can assume was adapted from Parker(by Chase?) to form this version of the ballad.
R. Matteson 2013]
Nickety Nackety
This tune is from Horton Barker, blind singer in Virginia. The text comes from many sources. This is known also as "The wee cooper of Fife," and "The Wife Wrapt in the Wether Skin."
I married my wife in the month of June,
Nickety nackety, now, now, now!
I escorted her home by the light of the moon,
Nickety, nackety, nay down thackety!
Willety, wallety, rustico-quality!
Nickety nackety, now, now, now!
One day when I came in from the plow,
Nickety, nackety, now, now, now!
says, Oh my good wife, is my-dinner ready now?
Nickety, nackety, nay down thackety!
Willety, wallety, rustico-quality!
Nickety nackety, now, now, now!
3. There's a little piece of cornbread on the shelf,
Nickety, nackety, now, now, now!
If you want any more you can bake it yourself,
Nickety, nackety, nay down thackety!
Willity, wallity, rustico quality!
Nickety, nackety, now, now, now!
4. Oh I went out behind the barn,
and I cut me a hickory as long as my arm.
5. Then I went out to my sheep pen,
and I grabbed me up an old sheep skin.
6. I laid that skin all around her back,
and with that stick I went Whickety-whack!
7. I'll tell my mother, I'll tell all my kin,
how you hit me with a hickory limb.
8. You can tell your mother and you can tell all your kin,
I was only tanning my old sheep skin.
9. Next day when I canne in from the plow,
says, Oh my good wife, is my dinner ready now?
10.. She fiew around and the board was spread,
and Yes, my dear husband, was all she said.