BUTCHER BOY, THE
(Traditional - 19th Century USA)


Kelly Harrell - 1925
Henry Whitter - 1925
Vernon Dalhart - 1927
Carson Robison - 1928
Bradley Kincaid - 1928
Beull Kazee - 1928
Ephraim Woodie & The Henpecked Husbands - 1929
The Blue Sky Boys - 1940
Peggy Seeger - 1955
Joan Baez - 1961
Tommy Makem - 1961

Also recorded by:
Maureen Hegarty; Sinead O'Connor; Sons Of Erin; Ryan's Fancy; 
Kirsty MacColl; Brigitte O'Halloran; Clare Maguire; Elvis Costello; 
Howling Larsons; The Ludlows; Caroline Hughes; Sarah Makem;
........ and many others.



In Jersey City, where I did dwell
A butcher boy I loved so well
He courted me my heart away
And now with me he will not stay

There is an inn in the same town
Where my love goes and sits him down
He takes a strange girl on his knee
And tells to her what he don't tell me

It's a grief for me, I'll tell you why
Because she has more gold than I
But her gold will melt, and her silver fly
In time of need, she'll be poor as I

I go upstairs to make my bed
But nothing to my mother said
My mother comes upstairs to me
Saying, "What's the matter, my darling dear?"

"Oh, mother, mother, you do not know
What grief and pain and sorrow, woe
Go get a chair to sit me down
And a pen and ink to write it down"

On every line she dropped a tear
While calling home her Willie dear
And when her father he came home
He said, "Where is my daughter gone?"

He went upstairs, the door he broke
He found her hanging upon a rope
He took his knife and he cut her down
And in her breast these lines were found

"Oh, what a silly maid am I
To hang myself for a butcher boy
Go dig my grave, both long and deep
Place a marble stone at my head and feet
And on my breast a turtle dove
To show the world I died for love"


********************


As recorded by KELLY HARRELL:


In London City, where I did dwell
A butcher's boy I loved so well
He courted me my lifet away
And with me then he would not stay

There is a strange house in this town
Where he goes up and sits right down
He takes a another girl on his knee
He tells her things that he won't tell me

I have to grieve, I'll tell you why
Because she has more gold than I
Her gold will melt and silver fly
In time of need, she'll be as poor as I

I went upstairs to go to bed
And nothing to my mother said
Oh, mother, she did seem to say
"What is the trouble, my daughter dear?"

"Oh, mother, dear, you need not know
The pain and sorrow, grief that flows
Get me a chair and sit me down
With pen and ink to write words down"

"Go dig my grave, both wide and deep
Place a marble stone at my head and feet
Upon my breast a snow white dove
To show the world I died for love"

And when her father first came home
"Where is my daughter, where has she gone?"
He went upstairs and the door he broke
And found her hanging to a rope

He took his knife and cut her down
And in her bosom these lines he found
"A a silly girl I am, you know
To hang myself for the butcher's boy"


********************


As recorded by SINEAD O'CONNOR:


In Dublin Town where I did dwell
A butcher boy I loved so well
He courted me my life away
And now with me he will not stay

I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain
I wish I was a maid again
But a maid again I never can be
Till apples grow on an ivy tree

She went upstairs to go to bed
And calling to her mother said
Bring me a chair till I sit down
And a pen and ink till I write down

I wish, I wish, but I wish in vain
I wish I was a maid again
But a maid again I never can be
Till apples grow on an ivy tree

He went upstairs and the door he broke
And found her hanging from a rope
He took his knife and cut her down
And in her pocket these words he found

Oh, make my grave large, wide and deep
Put a marble stone at my head and feet
And in the middle a turtle dove
So the world may know I died of love



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - July 2018)