The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #16280   Message #151010
Posted By: Stewie
17-Dec-99 - 07:00 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss
Subject: Lyr Add: FLY AROUND MY PRETTY LITTLE MISS
Here's one set of lyrics, but they're not bawdy:

FLY AROUND MY PRETTY LITTLE MISS

CHORUS: Fly around, my pretty little miss.
Fly around, my daisy.
Fly around, my pretty little miss.
You almost drive me crazy.

The higher up the cherry tree,
The riper grows the cherries.
The more you hug and kiss the girls,
The sooner they will marry. CHORUS

Coffee grows on white oak tree.
The river flows with brandy.
If I had my pretty little miss,
I'd feed her sugar candy. CHORUS

Going to get some weevily wheat.
I'm going to get some barley.
Going to get some weevily wheat
And take a cake to Charlie. CHORUS

Source: New Lost City Ramblers 'Volume 3' Folkways LP FA2398.

Like most fiddle tunes, the verses of the song consist mainly of floaters. There are several reissues that are readily available on CD at the moment, but none of them is bawdy:

The Skillet Lickers 'Old Time Fiddle Tunes and Songs from North Georgia' County CD-3509. Riley Puckett on lead vocals sings verses like:

Eighteen pound of meat a week
Whiskey in the still
How can a young man stay at home
When the girls all look so well

I will try to transcribe it later.

There is also a version by Frank Blevins and His Tar Heel Rattlers on a wonderful CD: Various Artists 'Music From the Lost Provinces' Old Hat CD 1001. The debut CD for the label.

There is a spirited version by the Hillbillies with Elvis Alderman on fiddle. They call it 'Blue Eyed Girl' and it is available on: The Hillbillies/Al Hopkins and His Buckle Busters 'Complete Recorded Works Volume 1 1925-1926 Document DOCD-8039.

Regards, Stewie.