Seventeen Come Sunday- Walter Pardon (Nor) 1978 REC
[From: Walter Pardon, Put a Bit of Powder on it, Father; recorded about June, 1978. Song notes follow,
R. Matteson 2017]
A very popular song with 145 instances in Roud from all over the British Isles, USA, Canada and Australia (the wonderful Sally Sloane). It appears with numerous titles, among the most appealing of which is Flash Gals and Airy, Too - used by both Win Ryan and Caroline Hughes. Obviously it has remained a favourite with country singers, and particularly Travellers, into the present era, since there are over 30 sound recordings.
Walter William Pardon lived all his life in the redbrick farm workers' cottage where he was born on 4th March 1914, in the village of Knapton, Norfolk.
Seventeen Come Sunday- Walter Pardon of Knapton, Norfolk in 1978.
As I walked out one May morning,
one May morning early
'Twas then I spied a pretty maid,
so handsome and so clever.
Chorus:With my rue-rum-ray, fol-the-riddle-ay
Whack-fol-lura-li-do
Her shoes were black, her stockings white
and her buckles shone like silver
She had a dark and rolling eye
and her hair hung down her shoulders.
How old are you, my pretty fair maid,
how old are you, my honey?
She answered me, quite cheerfully,
I am seventeen come Sunday.
Will you marry me, my pretty fair maid,
will you marry me, my honey?
She answered me, quite cheerfully,
I dare not for my Mammy
If you come down to Mammy's house,
when the moon is shining brightly
Then I'll come down and let you in
and my Mammy will not hear me.
Oh Soldier, will you marry me,
for now's your time, or never
Oh Soldier, will you marry me,
or I'm undone for ever.
And now she is the soldier's wife
and sails across the brine-O
The drum and fife is my delight
and a married man is mine-O