[Sweet Soldier Boy] "Father, Father Go Build Me a Boat" Aldrich (AL) 1953 Browne A
[My title. From; "The Alabama Folk Lyric: A Study in Origins and Media of Dissemination" by Ray Broadus Browne - 1979.
R. Matteson 2017]
A. [Sweet Soldier Boy] "Father, Father Go Build Me a Boat," sung by Andrew Aldrich of Hubbertville, Fayette County, 1953. Sung since 1903.
Father, Father go build me a boat,
And on this ocean I will float.
And every ship that I pass,
I'll stop and inquire for my sweet soldier boy.
As 1 sailed out one morning in May,
I spied a ship a-coming from Spain.
I hailed my captain; he drew near.
I stopped and inquired for my sweet soldier boy.
"Oh, tell me quick, oh, tell me joy,
Oh, does sweet Billy sail with you?"
"Your sweet Billy he's not here.
He's drownded in the.[deed] that said my [dear]"