Sweet Nellie- Olga Trail (Arkansas) 1938
[From Vance Radolph's Ozark Folksongs; Volume 1- Ballads; 1946 with music;
R. Matteson 2014]
C. SWEET NELLIE Sung by Mrs. Olga Trail- Farmington, Arkansas Nov. 21, 1938; Randolph, Ozark Folksongs- Ballads I
Pull off, pull off that fine silk dress,
And fold it on my knee.
For it's too fine and too costlee,
To rot in the bottom on the sea, sea, sea,
To rot in the bottom on the sea.
Oh turn your back on me, sweet William,
Oh turn your back on me,"
He turned his back and she pushed him in,
Away to the bottom of the sea, sea, sea,
Away to the bottom of the sea.
Sweet Nellie rode, the milk-white horse
And led the dapple gray,"
And she landed safe at her father's hall
Three hours before it came day, day, day,
Three hours before it came day.
Be still, be still my pretty polly parrot,
Don't you tell no news on me,
And I'll deck your cage with Californy gold,
With doors of ivoree, -ree, -ree,
With doors of ivoree.