Black Jack Davy- Fox (AR) 1963 Wolf REC
[From: The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection; Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas.
Also see M.C.Parler's collected version that was sung by Fleecy Fox, accompanied by Benson Fox on the banjo. Leslie, Arkansas December 20, 1962:
http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/2271/rec/6
R. Matteson 2012]
BLACK JACK DAVY- Sung by: Fleecy Fox; Recorded in Pangburn, AR 7/29/63
Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr.
[Listen: Fleecy Fox]
Black Jack Davy went over the hills.
He sung, and he sung so bold.
He sung so loud, he made the hills ring,
And he charmed the heart of a lady,
And he charmed the heart of a lady.
“Come go with me, my pretty little miss;
Come go with me, my honey.
I’ll swear to the pistol hung by my side,
You never shall want for money.
You never shall want for money.”
She pulled off her high-heeled shoes,
All made of Spanish leather.
She put on her low-heeled shoes,
And down the road together,
And down the road together.
When this young man came home that night,
Inquiring of his lady,
Servant maid just replied,
“She’s gone with a Black Jack Davy;
She’s gone with a Black Jack Davy.”
“Go saddle up my coal black horse;
The roads are not so speedy.
I’ll ride all day, and I’ll ride all night;
I’ll overtake my lady.
I’ll overtake my lady.”
He rode all day, and he rode all night;
The moon was shining brightly.
The tears came trickling down his cheeks,
And there he spied his lady,
And there he spied his lady.
“How can you forsaken your house and home?
How can you forsaken your baby?
How can you forsaken your own dear one
And go with a Black Jack Davy,
And go with a Black Jack Davy?”
“Very well can forsaken my house and home,
Very well can forsaken my baby.
Much better can forsaken my own dear one,
And go with a Black Jack Davy,
And go with a Black Jack Davy.”
She took off her sky-blue gloves,
All made of Spanish leather.
She gave to him her little white hand,
“So fare you well forever;
So fare you well forever.”
“Last night you slept on a warm feather bed
Beside of me and the baby.
Tonight you’ll sleep on the cold, cold ground
In the arms of a Black Jack Davy,
In the arms of a Black Jack Davy.”