Soldier Boy (Father, oh, father) - Emma Dusenbury (AR) 1936 John Lomax
[Two titles: (Father O Father Build Me a Boat) in The Dusenbury songs: being the seventy traditional songs collected from the singing of Emma Dusenbury of Mena, Ark., at various dates between Aug. 27th, 1933 & Aug. 10th, 1936. (The Soldier Boy) Emma Dusenbury, sound recording August 1936 by John Lomax.
R. Matteson 2017]
The Soldier boy (Father, oh, father) - sung by Emma Dusenbery with John Powell in August, 1936 recorded by John Lomax.
Father O father go build me a boat
That I may over the ocean float
And ev'ry ship that I pass by
I'll inquire for my soldier boy.
She rode her boat upon the main
She saw three ships a-coming from Spain
She hailed each captain as they passed by
Inquiring for her soldier boy.
"O captain, O captain tell me true
Does my sweet William sail with you?
O tell me quick, It'll give me joy
I never will have any but my sweet Willy boy."
"No little lady, he's not here
We killed him in the battle my dear
At the head of Rockie Island as we passed by
There we left your soldier lie."
She rode her boat upon a rock,
I thought that lady's heart was broke
She wrung her hands, she tore her hair,
Just like a lady in despair.
She called for a chair to set upon,
A pen and ink to write a song;
At the end of ev'ry line, she dropped a tear,
At the end of ev'ry verse, cried "O my dear!"