Gypsy Davy- Rittenhouse (WV) pre1957 Musick
[From: Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia by Ruth Ann Musick; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 277 (Jul. - Sep., 1957), pp. 247-261.
R. Matteson 2012]
11. "Gypsy Davy" (The Gypsy Laddie, Child 200) [15, see bottom of page]
11.1 Contributed by Mr. Rittenhouse. This version is the only one I know in which the lady goes back to her husband; in all others she stays with the gypsy. (See Ex. 17.)
(1) Gypsy Davy crossed the plains
He sang so loud and sweetly
Sang till he made the greenwoods ring,
And charmed the heart of a lady;
Charmed the heart of a lady.
(2) "Harness up the milk-white steed,
For the brown is not so steady,
Ride and I'll ride and I'll ride all night
Till I overtake my lady,
Overtake my lady.
Chorus: Raddle, daddle, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding;
Raddle, daddle, ding, oh daisy;
Get up, get up, my pretty little miss,
Come along with the Gypsy Davy.
(3) He rode, he rode, he rode all night,
He rode where the crick was shady;
There he found his own true-love
In the arms of Gypsy Davy,
The arms of Gypsy Davy.
[Rittenhouse here interpolates", Now he was wanting to take her back, you know, and she said":]
(4) "Last night I slept in the mud and the rain
In the arms of Gypsy Davy,
But tonight I'll sleep in a feather bed,
With my arms around my baby,
My arms around my baby."
Footnote:
15. In Belden, pp. 73-76; Brewster, p. 134; Chappell, p. 37; Cox, pp. 130-133; Leach, pp. 539- 544; McGill, pp. 14-17; Morris, pp. 304-307; Randolph, I, 152-160; Scarborough, pp. 215-225; Sharp, I, pp. 233-239; Wells, pp. 116-117.