Young Irish Lady- Bennett (NC) 1918 Sharp I
[From English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, Vol 2 by Cecil J. Sharp (1859-1924) and Maud Karpeles; 1932 edition.
My title, Sharp used the generic title, The Brown Girl for all versions, no local titles supplied. Sharp called the ballad "Fine Sally" in his field notes.
This ballad is not to be confused with the popular ballad, Child No. 73 Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, which is commonly known in the US, and Canada as "The Brown Girl."
US and Canada versions are based on the hundreds of late 18th century English broadsides sometimes titled "The Sailor from Dover" or "Sally and her Truelove Billy."
Child's B version of 295, "The Brown, Brown Girl" collected by Rev. S. Baring-Gould, introduced stanzas from the "Sally and her Truelove Billy" songs. In his article "Folk Song Tradition, Revival and Re-Creation" Steve Gardham has shown that Baring-Gould's ballad is a re-creation of two ballads and not traditional.
To put it simply, the versions are not related to "The Brown Girl" but are part of the "The Sailor from Dover" and "Sally and her Truelove Billy" song group. In the US and Canada some common titles are "Pretty Sally," "Sally," and "A Rich Irish Lady." They have been put here following Bronson and others who have attached them to Child 295, not because they belong here.
R. Matteson 2014]
Notes from Cecil Sharp No. 44. The Brown Girl.
Texts without tunes:— Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads, No. 295. Gavin Greig's Folk-Song of the North-East, i, art. 79. Broadside by Such, 'Sally and her True Love Billy' Cox's Folk Songs of the South, p. 366 (see also further
references). Journal of American Folk-Lore, xxvii. 73 ; xxxii. 502 ; xxxix. 110.
Texts with tunes: — Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, ii. 241. Kidson's Garland of English Folk Songs, p. 20. Journal of American Folk-Lore, xviii. 295 (tune only). Journal of the Folk-Song Society, viii. 5. British Ballads from Maine, p. 418.
Davis's Traditional Ballads of Virginia, pp. 537 and 604.
'Colours' (Texts A and B) may be a corruption of 'country' as given in Folk Songs of the South.
Version J is reminiscent of The Death of Queen Jane (No. 32).
I. [Young Irish Lady]- Sung by Mrs. VIRGINIA BENNETT at Burnsville, N. C , Sept. 13, 1918; Hexatonic (no 3rd).
1. A young Irish lady from London she came,
A beautiful creature, fair Sally by name;
Her riches was more than the king did possess,
Her beauty was more than her wealth at the last.
2 There was a young squire who lived right near,
A-courting this lady to make her his dear.
But she was so wealthy, so lofty and high,
That on this young man she would scarce cast an eye.
3 O Sally, O Sally, O Sally, said he,
I fear that your beauty my ruin will be
Unless that your hatred is turned into love,
I fear that your beauty my ruin will prove.
4 No hatred for you, sir, nor any other man,
But to say that I love you is more than I can.
So quit your intentions and mend your discourse,
For I never will wed you unless I am forced.
5 He said no more to her, but quickly turned home,
Saying: You shall be sorry for what you have done.
For what's past and gone I'll never forgive,
But when you've been buried I will dance on your grave.
6 Before six weeks had scarce come and passed,
This beautiful creature lay sick at the last.
She sent for this young man she once did deny.
She was pierced to the heart and she knew not for why.
7 He came to her softly, walked to her bedside.
Have you a pain in your head or a pain in your side?
O no, sir, dear young man, the rights you've not guessed,
The pain is a-piercing all in my left breast.
8 O Sally, O Sally, O Sally, said he,
0 don't you remember that you once slighted me?
I courted for love, you slighted with scorn,
Now I'll reward you for what you have done.
9 For what's passed and done, sir, I hope you'll forgive,
And grant me some longer in this wide world to live.
That I'll ne'er do, Sally, while I do draw breath,
But I'll dance on your grave when you're laid in the earth.
10 Farewell father and mother, all foes and all friends,
Farewell dear young man, God make you amends.
I'd freely forgive you although you won't me.
Ten thousand times over my folly I see.