Gypsy Davy- Dusenbury (AR) 1930 Randolph A
[From Ozark Folksongs; Randolph, I, 1946, p. 160 (A). His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2015]
Ozark Folksongs Notes: 27. THE GYPSY DAVY
Many texts of the "Gypsy Davy" ballad are found in British collections (Child, English and Scottish Popular Ballads, 1882-1898, No. 200). For American versions see JAFL 30,
19t7, p. 323. Also the Bulletin of the Virginia Folk-Lore Society (No. 8, p. 7; No. 9, p. 7; No. 11, p. 8). Compare Campbell and Sharp (English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, 1917, No. 27), Raine (Land of the Saddle-Bags, 1924, p. 119), Cox (Folk-Songs of the South, 1925, p. 130), Kincaid (My Favorite Mountain Ballads,1928, p. 33), Davis (Traditional Ballads of Virginia, 1929, pp. 423-431), Lunsford and Stringfield (30 and. 1 Folk-Songs, 1929,
p. 4), Greenleaf (Ballads and, Sea Songs from Newfoundland, 1933, pp. 38-39), Chappell (Folk-Songs of Roanoke and the Albemarle, 1939, p. 37), Eddy (Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939,
pp.67-69), Linscott (Folk Songs of Old. New England, 1939, p.207), Neely (JAFL 52, 1939,
p. 79), Belden (Ballad; and Songs, 1940, pp.73-76), Brewster (Ballads and Songs of Indiana,
1940, p. 13a), Rayburn (Ozark Country, 1941,pp.200-201), Morris (Southern Folklore Quarterly
8, 1944, p. 156), and the Brown (North Carolina Folk-Lore Society) collection.
A. [Gypsy Davy.] Sung by Mrs. Emma L. Dusenbury, Mena, Ark., June 1, 1930.
1. There was a young man, a very young man,
His name was Gypsy Davy;
He sung so loud he made the green woods ring,
An' charmed the heart of a lady,
Ant charmed the heart of a lady.
2. Oh won't you forsake your house an' home,
An' won't you forsake your baby?
Oh won't you forsake your own dear one
An' go with the Gypsy Davy?
An' go with the Gypsy Davy?
3. Oh yes, I'll forsake my house an' home,
Oh yes, I'll forsake my baby,
Oh yes, I'll forsake my own dear one
An' go with the Gypsy Davy,
An' go with the Gypsy Davy.
4. An' when the old man come home that night,
Enquirin' for his lady,
The Injun took him up to the chamber room,
She's gone with the Gypsy Davy,
She's gone with the Gypsy Davy.
5. Go saddle me up my milk white steed,
The young-un is too gaily,
I'll ride all day, an' I'll ride all night,
Or I'll overtake my Mary,
Or I'll overtake my Mary.
6. He rode all day an' he rode all night
Until he come to the river,
The water mark was up very high,
An' it was very muddy,
An' it was very muddy.
7. How can you forsake your house an' home?
How can you forsake your baby?
How can you forsake your own dear one
An' go with the Gypsy Davy,
An' go with the Gypsy Davy?
8. Very well I can forsake my house an' home,
Very well I can forsake my baby,
Very well I can forsake my own dear one
An' go with the Gypsy Davy,
An' go with the Gypsy Davy.
9. Oh, send to me your little white hand,
All wrapped in Spanish leather,
Oh send to me your little white hand,
We'll bid farewell forever,
We'll bid farewell forever.
10. Oh once I had a house an' home,
Oh once I had some money,
But now I lay on an old hay bed
An' the Gypsies dance around me,
An' the Gypsies dance around me.