Willie Boy

Cat. #0107 (MFH #682) - As sung by Mrs. Lucy Quigley, Eureka Springs, Arkansas on June 3, 1958

VERSE 1
As I walked down by th river side
Where the water there so gently glide
I hear'd a fair young lady mourn
Saying, what shall I do
My true loves gone

VERSE 2
She built herself a little boat
And on the ocean, she did float
An' ever ship that she'd draw nigh
Whe'd inquire for her
Sweet Willie boy

VERSE 3
She hadd not sailed upon th deep
Till another boat she chanced to meet
Captain, captain, tell me true
Does my sweet Willie
Sail with you?

VERSE 4
O, no kind miss, he isn't here
He sleeps in yonder deep, I fear
On yon greens isles as we passed by
We chanced to lose
One sailor boy

VERSE 5
She wrang her hands and tore her hair
Just like a lady in despair
These words she stormed as th boat sailed on
If I don't get Willie
I won't have none

VERSE 6
Upon her knees, she wrote this song
She wrote it neat, she wrote it long
At the end of every line, she'd shed a tear
At the end of every verse
Cry, Willie my dear

VERSE 7
Go dig my grave and dig it deep
Upon it place some roses sweet
Upon my breast place th bird of blue
To test to th world
My love was true

Variants