Sally- Cox (IN) 1892 Brewster
[From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana 1936; Brewster's notes follow.
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]
26. THE BROWN GIRL (Child, No. 295)
This is an English song known usually by one of the following titles: "Sally and Billy," "Sally and Her True-love Billy," "The Sailor from Dover," and "The Bold Sailor." As Barry has pointed out, it is related to "The Brown Girl" of Child (No. 295). Davis includes it among the Child ballads of Virginia, and Hudson classifies it with the Child ballads in his collection of folksongs from Mississippi.
For other American texts and references, see Belden's Missouri collection; Campbell and Sharp, No. 36; Cox, p. 366; Journal, XXIX, 178 (contains an Indiana text); XXVII, 73; XXXII, 502; XLV, 54; Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 98 (fragment); Hudson, Folksongs, p. 128; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology, p. 67; Cambiaire, East Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads, p. 119.
"Sally." From a MS collection in the possession of Mrs. T. M. Bryant, of Evansville, Indiana. Written in 1892 by Miss Lina Cox, of Scaksville, Warrick County, Indiana. August 4, 1936.
1. "O Sally, O Sally, O Sally!" said he,
"I'm afraid that your fond love and mine won't agree.
Unless that your hatred should turn to be love."
2. "I have no hatred of you nor of no other man,
But to have you, dear sir, is more than I can."
Six weeks had rolled on, had passed and gone by,
When she sent for this young man she once did deny.
3. "Am I the doctor that you sent for me here,
Or am I the young man you do love so dear?"
"You are the young man I do love so dear,
And without your assistance I'm ruined, Fm sure."
4. "O Sally, O Sally, O Sally!" said he,
And don't you remember when you slighted of me?
You laughed at my courtship; you denied me with scorn,
And now I'll reward you for what's past and gone."
5. "For what's past and gone by, forget and forgive,
And grant me some longer on earth for to live."
"For what's past and gone by I ne'er can forgive,
But I'll dance on your grave, love, when you're cold in the earth."
6. She pulled off her gold and diamond rings three,
Saying, "Take these and wear them when you're dancing on me."
Now Sally is dead, as you all may suppose,
Some other fair lady for to wear her gay clothes.