Foolish Young Girl- Jeannie Hutchison (Shet) 1974
[From School of Scottish Studies SA1974.13.3
http://www.sssa.llc.ed.ac.uk/whalsay/2014/12/16/foolish-young-girl-the-2/ Traditional Music from the Shetland Isles. Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2017]
It was well known in Aberdeenshire with a variety of titles such as I wish, I wish, The Student Boy, Died for Love, etc. In the USA it appeared on Broadsheets with the title The Butcher Boy. Roud index no. 60.
The Foolish Young Girl- Sung by Jeannie Hutchison of the Shetland Isles on March 3, 1974. Jeannie learned this song from other girls at cairdings and at the gutting work on the fishing stations.
Oh what a foolish girl was I
To fall in love with a sailor boy;
A sailor lad although he may be,
He spak the braid Scots when he courted me.
He courted me through frost an’ snaw
At when my apron strings did blow;
But noo that they can scarcely tie
He looks at me and passes by.
But I wish, I wish my babe was born
An’ sat upon my nurse’s knee;
I wish that I were dead and gone
An’ the green, green grass growin’ over me.
I’ve wished, I’ve wished, I’ve wished in vain;
I’ve wished to become a fair maid again.
A maid again I never will be
Till an orange grows on an apple tree.