Rich Lady from Scotland- Kinnard (KY) 1917 Sharp G
[From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, Vol 2 by Cecil J. Sharp (1859-1924) and Maud Karpeles; 1932 edition.
My title, Sharp used the generic title, The Brown Girl for all versions, no local titles supplied. Sharp called the ballad "Fine Sally" in his field notes.
This ballad is not to be confused with the popular ballad, Child No. 73 Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, which is commonly known in the US, and Canada as "The Brown Girl."
US and Canada versions are based on the hundreds of late 18th century English broadsides sometimes titled "The Sailor from Dover" or "Sally and her Truelove Billy."
Child's B version of 295, "The Brown, Brown Girl" collected by Rev. S. Baring-Gould, introduced stanzas from the "Sally and her Truelove Billy" songs. In his article "Folk Song Tradition, Revival and Re-Creation" Steve Gardham has shown that Baring-Gould's ballad is a re-creation of two ballads and not traditional.
To put it simply, the versions are not related to "The Brown Girl" but are part of the "The Sailor from Dover" and "Sally and her Truelove Billy" song group. In the US and Canada some common titles are "Pretty Sally," "Sally," and "A Rich Irish Lady." They have been put here following Bronson and others who have attached them to Child 295, not because they belong here.
R. Matteson 2014]
Notes from Cecil Sharp No. 44. The Brown Girl.
Texts without tunes:— Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 295. Gavin Greig's Folk-Song of the North-East, i, art. 79. Broadside by Such, 'Sally and her True Love Billy' Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 366 (see also further
references). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxvii. 73 ; xxxii. 502 ; xxxix. 110.
Texts with tunes: — Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, ii. 241. Kidson's Garland of English Folk Songs, p. 20. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xviii. 295 (tune only). Journal of the Folk-Song Society, viii. 5. British Ballads from Maine, p. 418.
Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 537 and 604.
'Colours' (Texts A and B) may be a corruption of 'country' as given in Folk Songs of the South.
Version J is reminiscent of The Death of Queen Jane (No. 32).
G. [Rich Lady from Scotland]- Sung by Mr. H. D. KINNARD at Berea, Madison Co., Ky., May 27, 1917; Pentatonic. Mode 3 (Tonic A).
1. There was a rich lady from Scotland she came,
Great wealth and great honour and Molly by name.
Her rich es were more than wealth that is best,
And her beauty was more than the king could possess.
2 There was a poor boy who came to court her,
His wages was only one thousand a year.
This lady being wealthy, so noble and high,
And on this poor boy she scarce cast an eye.
3 O Molly, O Molly, O Molly, says he,
I'm sorry that your love and mine don't agree.
Unless all your hatred should turn into love,
Your beauty is my ruin, I'm sure it will prove.
4 . . . . . [1]
But as for to love you is more than I can,
So you may retire in your discourse,
For I never will have you until I am forced.
5 No forcement, dear madam, and this you may know,
There's plenty of others all living alone.
I'll go court some other and hope you may rue.
So fare you well, Molly, I bid you adieu.
6 Six weeks had scarce come, six weeks had scarce passed,
This beautiful damsel lay sick at the last.
In anger, in love, she knew not why,
She sent for the young man she once did deny.
7 O am I the doctor you sent for me here?
Or am I the boy once courted you, dear?
You are the doctor can kill or can cure,
Without your assistance I'm ruined, I'm sure.
8 O Molly, O Molly, O Molly, says he,
It's don't you remember when I once courted thee?
I courted you lovely, was slighted and scorned;
And it's I'll reward you for what's passed and gone.
9 For what's passed and gone, love, forget and forgive,
And grant me assistance some longer to live.
No, that I won't, Molly, while you do draw breath,
And I'll dance on your tomb when you're laid in the earth.
10 Then off of her fingers gold rings she pulled three,
Saying: Take these and wear them while you're dancing on me. [2]
11 This beautiful damsel was laid in the tomb,
Sweet William was taken on hearing her doom.
His heart broke with sorrow, his soul it did weep,
He called for his Molly, but she was asleep.
12 O Molly, O Molly, O Molly, says he,
You're dead, but in death I am crying for thee.
I, too, shall die and be laid at your side,
I'll wed you in death and will make you my bride.
1. I don't scorn for to hate you or any other man (Davis A)
2. There are several options for completing this quatrain- from Barry (JAFL 1914) from a Kansas MS circa 1908:
While dancing o'er Sally, o'er Sally your queen,
And her colors are there, now no more to be seen!"
Similar lines are found in Sharp A and B.