The Bonny Sailor Boy (two versions) /
Interview
I once had a boy, a bonny sailor boy,
A boy you could call your own.
He ran away and left me, I dinnie ken where,
[don't know]
But he left me to wander all alone.
One day, as I walked by the river side,
Somebody caught my eye.
It was that boy, the bonny sailor boy,
Wi another young girl by his side.
He gave me a look of his bonny blue eyes,
And a wave of his lily-white hand.
I passed right by, and I never cast an eye,
For I hate to be jilted by a boy, by a boy.
b. Peggy MacGillivray:
I once had a boy, a bonny sailor boy,
A boy you could call your own.
He ran away and left me, ah dinna ken where,
But he left me to wander all alone.
One day as I walked by the river-side
Somebody caught my eye.
It was that boy, that bonny sailor boy,
Wi another young girl by his side.
He gave me a look of his bonny blue eyes,
And a shake of his lily-white hand.
But I walked right by and I never cast an eye,
For I hate to be jilted by a boy, by a boy.
Alan Lomax (spoken): What's that for, Peggy? What
kind of a game? Is that for skipping ropes, too?
Peggy MacGillivray: I think that's for — I think
that
one's for skipping.
The first part of this tune is based on that employed for the childrens' song "Three Craws Sat Upon a Wa." The second part feels more "popular" or "music hall" than traditional Scots. Although in this version the lyric is trite, Greig-Duncan gives four versions that are richer in tune and text. (Greig-Duncan Vol 6, Song 1141.) Peggy MacGillivray uses more syncopated phrasing in her solo version. The last line has a fine example of avoiding the obvious and sensible rhyme, in this case "Man."
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Various Artists
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Singing in the Streets: Scottish Children's Songs
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- I Paula Tay Paula Taska / Interview Time: 0:41
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- My Father Bought The Little Coat Time: 0:15
- A Tisket A Tasket Time: 0:30
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- My Mother / My Little House Time: 0:51
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- One Two Three Four Five Time: 0:20
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- 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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- The Donkey / The Croft / The Policeman Time: 0:54
- Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be? Time: 0:11
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