My Boy Willie- Joe Heaney (Gal) c1938 REC
[From JoeHeaney.org online; a second version from a Joe Heaney Interview transcript is found at the bottom of this page. Notes from various sources follow,
R. Matteson 2017]
Joe Heaney (15 October 1919 – 1 May 1984), an Irish traditional singer from County Galway, Ireland, (known in Irish as Seosamh Ó hÉanaí and, in his native district, Joe Éinniú) was one of the twentieth century’s greatest proponents of the sean-nós (Carna) singing tradition, and was famed both nationally and internationally.
Listen: http://www.joeheaney.org/en/my-boy-willie/
Joe told Lucy that he learned this song at home; his father used to sing it. It became a standard item in Joe’s concert repertoire in the States, but he never recorded it commercially.
An American variant of this song turns up in the Joe Heaney Collection in a performance by Mike Seeger, who led a series of workshops with Joe at the University of Washington in February-March 1978.
My Boy Willie
Twas early, early in the spring
My love Willie went to serve the King
The raging sea and winds blew high
It parted me from my sailor boy.
The night is dark, I can find no rest
The thoughts of Willie lies in my breast
I’ll search the valleys and woodlands high
Hoping to find my sailor boy.
‘Oh father, father, build me a boat
On the ocean I may roam
I’ll watch the big ships as they sail by
Hoping my true love to find.’
She wasn’t long on the ocean blue
When a big ship sailed into view
‘Oh, captain, captain, come tell me true –
Is my love Willie on board with you?’
‘What sort of suit did your Willie wear?
What was the color of your true love’s hair?’
‘He wore a jacket of the royal blue
But you’d know my love for his heart is true.’
‘And your love Willie, I’m sad to say
Was drowned at sea the other day
On yon green island as we passed by
We buried three more and your sailor boy.’
She wrung her hands and tore her hair
Then she fell in deep despair
With every sob she shed a tear
And every tear was for Willie dear.
‘Oh father, dig my grave both long and deep
Place a tombstone at my head and feet
On my breast place a turtle dove
So the world will know that I died for love.’
___________
Joe Heaney
Interview transcript - part 8
JH: Well, I'll sing my version of it.
My Boy Willie
'Twas early, early all in the spring,
My love Willie went to serve the King.
The raging sea and the winds blew high.
They parted me from my sailor boy.
The night is dark, I can find no rest.
The thought of Willie lies in my breast.
I'll search the woods and moorlands wide,
Hoping my true love to find.
Oh father, father, build me a boat,
On the ocean that I may float.
I'll watch the ships as they sail by,
Hoping to find my sailor boy.
She wasn't long on the ocean blue,
When a big ship came into view.
Oh Captain, Captain, come tell me true.
Is my love Willie on board with you?
'What sort of suit did your Willie wear?
What sort of shoes did your Willie wear?'
'He wears a jacket of royal blue.
But you know my love for his heart is true.'
'Your love Willie, I'm sad to say,
Was drowned at sea the other day.
On yon green island as we passed by,
We buried three more and your sailor boy.'
She wrung her hands and tore her hair.
Then she fell in deep despair.
And with every sob she shed a tear.
And every tear was for Willie dear.
'Oh father dig my grave both long and deep.
Place a tombstone at my head and feet.
On my breast place a turtle dove,
So the world will know that I died of love.'