Poor Mary Sat A-Weeping
(two versions)
a. Ewan MacColl (spoken): And the little girls had
numerous songs for accompanying their games, songs
like "Poor Mary Sat a- Weeping."
(Sings:)
Poor Mary sat a-weepin, a-weepin, a-weepin.
Poor Mary sat a-weepin
On a bright summer's day.
Oh, Mary, what you weepin for,
On a bright summers day?
I'm weepin for me lover,
On a bright summer's day.
b. Garrynamonie schoolchildren:
Mary lies a-weepin, a-weepin, a-weepin,
Mary lies a-weepin on [sighs]
summer day.
On the [grass go] she shall be,*
Till the grass grows on the field,
Stand up stand up, [polly veelly veep]
And show me the girl and the [next two asleep].¤
How do you marry? I'd marry for joy.
First [to / two] a girl, and the next [to / two] a boy.
This is a friendship game. Sometimes the circle cheers up the sad lover, sometimes there is a tragic series of deaths — husband, baby, and Mary herself. In the second version, sung by the Garrynamonie schoolchildren, two popular game songs are sandwiched together, as signaled by the change in tune and meter. The first tune is very close to Ewan MacColl's from 400 miles and 30 years away. "Poor Mary" is a friendship game (Opie's The Singing Game # 80), "On the Carpet" is a mating game (Opie's The Singing Game # 19, Brown Girl in the Ring).
* Usually "On the carpet she shall kneel."
¤ Often "Stand up, stand up, on your feet,
And show me
the girl you love, so sweet."
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Various Artists
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Singing in the Streets: Scottish Children's Songs
- London Bridge Time: 0:17
- My Girl's A Corker Time: 1:26
- I've A Sweetheart in America Time: 0:51
- There Are Hundreds Of These Time: 1:08
- The Night Was Dark Time: 0:23
- Harry Lauder and Mussolini Are Dead Time: 0:25
- As I Went Down To Windsor Time: 0:32
- Chinese Government / Interview Time: 1:21
- The Wind, The Wind Time: 1:59
- Poor Mary Sat A-Weeping Time: 0:59
- Here's A Poor Widow Time: 0:17
- Little Sally Walker Time: 0:28
- On The Mountain Time: 0:17
- All The Boys In London Time: 0:34
- The Big Ship Sails Time: 0:23
- In And Out The Windows Time: 1:12
- Up Against The Wall Time: 0:42
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- A Tisket A Tasket Time: 0:30
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- He's A Navvy Time: 1:24
- Mother, Mother, I Am Ill Time: 0:28
- PK Penny Packet / Mrs Mopp / Chicka Tony Time: 0:25
- One Two Three Alairy Time: 0:22
- Eevy Ivy Over / Interview Time: 0:34
- All The Way To London Town / Interview Time: 1:13
- Queen Elizabeth Lost Her Shoe Time: 0:23
- It Has To Come Out Quite Unconsciously Time: 0:38
- Down In The Valley Time: 0:49
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- My Mother / My Little House Time: 0:51
- Eetle Ottle, Black Bottle Time: 0:17
- Flip Flop Time: 0:36
- One Two Three Four Five Time: 0:20
- My Name Is Sweet Jenny Time: 0:51
- I'm A Little Orphan Girl Time: 0:58
- Broken Hearted, I Wander Time: 0:58
- The Bonny Sailor Boy / Interview Time: 1:21
- When I Was Single Time: 1:10
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- All That Shivers / Canaa's Shore / The Burning Deck Time: 0:45
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- Robert Burns Time: 0:12
- Put Him In The Bathtub Time: 0:28
- I'm Goin' Awa In The Train Time: 0:19
- Paddy Knight Time: 0:21
- When I Was Young Time: 0:31
- Chairlie / The Cotton Spinners / The 42nd Time: 2:02
- Goose, Ducks, Stones, Fires And Rain Time: 1:08
- Aunty Mary Had A Canary / Woe O'Hara Time: 0:46
- The Donkey / The Croft / The Policeman Time: 0:54
- Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be? Time: 0:11
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