Willie Came Over the Main Wide Ocean

Cat. #0317 (MFH #346) - As sung by Mr. Fred High, High, Arkansas on February 11, 1959

VERSE 1
Willie came over th main wide ocean
An', Willie came over th sea
An', Willie came to my Fathers house
Come a courting home with me, me, me
Come a courting home with me

VERSE 2
He follered me up, he follered me down
He follered me far an' near
I had no tongue to tell 'im to stay
No tongue to tell 'im to go nor stay

VERSE 3
Go get half of your Fathers state
An' part of your Mothers fee
An' two of your Fathers best horses
An' married we will be, be, be
An' married we will be

VERSE 4
They marched right out to th barn door
Took choice among thirty an' three, three, three
For they were thirty and eight

VERSE 5
She got part of 'er Fathers state
An' part of her Mothers fee
An' two of her Fathers best horses

VERSE 6
He mounted on th snow white beast
An', Willie th dapple-da gray
An', they rode till they come to th salty water sea
At th length of a long summer day, day, day
At th length of a long summer day

VERSE 7
Go light you down my pretty Polly
Go light you down, says he
For six kind daughters I've drowned here
An' th seventh you will be, be, be
An' th seventh you will be

VERSE 8
Go pull off that silken dress
That's made of silk so fine
For it is to costly to lie
An' rot in th salty water sea, sea, sea
To rot in th salty water sea

VERSE 9
Go turn your face all around an' about
Turn your back on t' me
An' think what a shame an' a scandal would be
For naked woman to see, see, see
For a naked woman to see

VERSE 10
He turned his face all around an' about
An' turned his back on t' me
I grabbed him by th slim long waist
An' I tossed 'im in th deep blue sea, sea, sea
An' I tossed 'im in th deep blue sea

VERSE 11
Reach down your hand, reach down your hands
Reach down your hands, for me
For six kind daughters you've drowned here
An', th seventh you won't be, be, be
An', th seventh you won't be

VERSE 12
Lie there, lie there, you cruel hearted feller
Lie there in th place of me
For six kind daughters you've drowned here
An' th seventh you will be, be, be
An' th seventh you will be

VERSE 13
She mounted on th snow white beast
An' leading th dapple-da gray
An', she rode back to her Fathers house
Two long hours before it was day, day, day
Two long hours before it was day

VERSE 14
Where have you been, my pretty Polly
Where have you been, says he
I've been with th richest man in th state
An' drowned 'im in th sea, sea, sea
An' drowned 'im in th sea

Variants