Black Jack Davy (Davey)- Chubb (NC) 1925 Lunsford 1935 REC
[From: Bascom Lamar Lunsford; Recorded for Library of Congress, Feb. 1935 NYC, NY. According to Bronson, Lunsford learned his version from Selma Clubb, Buncombe Co. c. 1925. One of Lunsford's typed MS dated 1929 can be found in the Southern Appalachian Archives, Liston B. Ramsey Center for Regional Studies, Mars Hill University; Bascom Lamar Lunsford Collection, Box 71, First Folder. There are differences in the MS text on which is written "Lunsford's Memory text," and his book version. He began collecting texts for Robert Gordon in Asheville in 1925 (see Bessie Littrell's version) and there is no mention of Selma Clubb's version in his MS collection available online at Digital Appalachia.
This text appears (with nearly identical text) in Lunsford's 1929 book, 30 and 1 Folksongs. According to Bronson, Selma Clubb of South Turkey Creek, Liecester, NC (see Scarborough B) was the source. Lunsford's text is so different that clearly Bronson is wrong- Lunsford's text was probably one the those collected later for Robert Gordon (after Gordon had moved to South Carolina).
R. Matteson 2012, 2015]
BLACK JACK DAVY- Bascom Lamar Lunsford; from an unknown source (according to Bronson it was learned from Selma Clubb, Buncombe Co. c. 1925). Listen: Bascom Lamar Lunsford; 1935 Black Jack Davy.
(banjo and vocal)
Black Jack Davy came a-ridin' through the woods
He sang so loud and merrily.
His voice rang out on the green grass lea.
And he charmed the heart of a lady,
He charmed the heart of a lady.
Oh will you come go with me
Come go with me my honey.
We'll go away to the deep blue sea,
You'll never want for money,
You'll never want for money.
And she put on her Sunday shoes
All made of Spanish leather.
And he put his old cork boots,
And they both rode off together
And they both rode off together.
The landlord come a-ridin' in,
Inquirin' for his lady.
Well one of his maids then said to him,
"She's gone with the Black Jack Davy,
"She's gone with the Black Jack Davy."
Then bridal and saddle my old gary mare,
And hand me down my derby.
And I'll ride east and I'll ride west,
Until I overtake my lady
Til I overtake my lady.
He rode east and he rode west,
He rode to the deep blue sea.
And there he found with tears in his eyes,
O there he found his lady,
O there he found his lady.
Will you forsake your house and home,
Your husband and your baby?
Will you forsake all else on earth
And go with Black Jack Davy
And go with Black Jack Davy?
Last night I slept in a warm feather bed,
Between my husband and baby.
I'll sleep tonight on the cold, cold ground,
Beside the Black Jack Davy
Beside the Black Jack Davy.