Gypsy Davy- Gentry/comp (NC) 1924 Raine/Sharp D/ Bronson 26; Also reprinted in Kincaid's Favorite Mountain Ballads- 1928 and Sweet Rivers of Song- Jameson.
[No informant or date named. From Raine; Land of the Saddle Bags, 1924; Raine's extra text c.1916 (ref. Bronson below). Melody also published by Sharp (D) in EFFSA, 1917, 1932 from Jane Hicks Gentry, 1916. Raine kept only Gentry's first verse and refrain- apparently the rest is from another or other versions.
Bronson comments: "Sharp's text, taken the same year as Raine's, is quite different (see Sharp D for Gentry's fragmented text). . ." and after the music "The variant (a) is Sharp's reading of the same singer, as given in 1932. But the MS. 3448/2540 is in 4/4 and 2/4 barring."
Raine's text is stilted and has several lines not usually found in tradition (i.e. Till he overtook his doney). It seems to be a recreation, in my opinion. A similar opinion is given by Betty N. Smith on p. 82 of her book Jane Hicks Gentry: A Singer Among Singers. Smith believes the additional text is from Hester House (Sharp C) but recreated by Raine. Several of Raine's additional stanzas are similar-- and the date is 1916.
R. Matteson 2015]
[Gypsy Davy] The Gypsy Laddie Raine, 1924, p. 119. Also in Sharp MSS., 3448/2540, and Sharp and Karpeles, 1932, I, p. 235(D). Sung by Mrs. ane Gentry, Hot Springs, N.C., 1916.
1. Oh, when Lord Thomas he came home,
Enquiring for his lady,
The answer that they made to him,
She's gone with the gypsy Davy.
CHORUS: All a lipto tally doney,
Hair, hair,
All a lipto lady.
2. It's he caught up his old grey horse,
And he caught up his pony;
He rode all night and he rode all day
Till he overtook his doney.
3. It's come go back, my dearest dear,
It's come go back, my honey,
It's come go back, my dearest dear,
And you never shall lack for money.
4. I won't go back, my dearest dear,
Nor I won't go back, my honey;
I wouldn't give a kiss from my gypsy's lips
For you and all your money.
5. It's go pull off those snow-white gloves
A-made of Spanish leather,
And give to me your lily-white hand
And bid me farewell forever.
6. It's she pulled off those snow-white gloves
A-made of Spanish leather,
And gave to him her lily-white hand
And bade him farewell forever.
7. I once did have so many fine things,
Fine feather-beds and money;
But now my bed is made of hay
And the gypsies a-dancing around me.