Solomon Jones’s Song Ballad- Jones (NC) 1853
[From I. G. Greer Folksong Collection; Brown Girl, Lyric Variant 04; taken from Solomon Jones, 1804-1882 of Grassy Creek, Ashe County, North Carolina; as written by John Bunyan Davis, 1825-1879 on March 2, 1853. The edited version with footnotes appears at bottom of page.
R. Matteson Jr. 2014]
Solomon Jones’s Song Ballad. (unedited)
1st
There was a rich Irish Lady
From London she came
And she was called
Pretty Sally by name
2nd
Her riches was more
Than the king could possess
Her wit and her honor
Was worth all the rest.
3rd
At length a young squire
From Scotland he came
For to court this fair Damsel
Pretty Sally by name
4th
Her riches so rare
And her portion so high
All own this poor young man
She would she cried cast an eye
5th
O Sally O Sally
O Sally said he
I am sorry that your love
And mine can't agree
6th
But if that be your aim sir
You may end your discourse
For I never will have you
Unless I am forced.
7th
Not more than six months
Was passed and gone by
Until she sent for the young man
That she once did deny
8th
When she sent for the man
That she had used with such scorn
She was pierced to the heart
And knew not in what form
9th
He came to her dare
And to her bed side
Where is your pain
In your head or in your side
10th
And William And William
Right you’ve not guest
For the pain that attends me
Lies all in my breast
11th
O Sally O Sally
O Sally said he
O don’t you remember
When I courted thee
12th
When I courted thee
I was slighted with scorn
And I will reward you
For what is past & gone
13th
For what is passed and gone
I hope you will forgive
And grant me some longer
Than this to live.
14th
I never will forgive you
Enduring my breath
For I will dance on your grave
When you are laid in cold earth
15th
Then off of her fingers
She pulled dimond rings three
Saying take them and wear them
In remembrance of me
16th
This young Lady died
As we may all suppose
And to her fair female sect
She willed all her clothes
17th
All ye fair maidens
Take warning by me
And be sure treat
All your sweet-hearts with courtesy.
Solomon Jones Es
Song Ballad.
Written by John Bunyan Davis
March 2nd. A. D. 1853.
-------------------
Solomon Jones’s Song Ballad. (edited)
1st
There was a rich Irish Lady
From London she came,
And she was called
Pretty Sally by name.
2nd
Her riches was more
Than the king could possess,
Her wit and her honor
Was worth all the rest.
3rd
At length a young squire
From Scotland he came,
For to court this fair Damsel
Pretty Sally by name.
4th
Her riches so rare
And her portion so high
All on this poor young man
She would not [1] cast an eye
5th
"O Sally O Sally
O Sally," said he.
"I am sorry that your love
And mine can't agree."
6th
But if that be your aim sir
You may end your discourse,
For I never will have you
Unless I am forced.
7th
Not more than six months
Was passed and gone by,
Until she sent for the young man
That she once did deny.
8th
When she sent for the man
That she had used with such scorn,
She was pierced to the heart
And knew not in what form.
9th
He came to her dare
And to her bedside,
Where is your pain
In your head or in your side?
10th
And William, and William
Right you’ve not guessed,
For the pain that attends me
Lies all in my breast
11th
"O Sally O Sally
O Sally," said he.
"O don’t you remember
When I courted thee."
12th
When I courted thee
I was slighted with scorn
And I will reward you
For what is past and gone
13th
For what is passed and gone
I hope you will forgive,
And grant me some [time] longer
Than this to live.
14th
I never will forgive you
Enduring my [last] breath,
For I will dance on your grave
When you are laid in cold earth.
15th
Then off of her fingers
She pulled diamond rings three,
Saying take them and wear them
In remembrance of me.
16th
This young Lady died
As we may all suppose,
And to her fair female sect
She willed all her clothes.
17th
All ye fair maidens
Take warning by me
And be sure treat
All your sweet-hearts with courtesy.
1. She would she cried [not] cast an eye. Adding "not" also works, just makes the line a bit long.