Lyr Add: When I Was a Skivvy

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN I WAS A SKIVVY
From: JudeL
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 07:53 AM

^^
WHEN I WAS A SKIVVY

When I was a skivvy at the Wellington Hotel,
the master and the missus they treated me right well,
'till along came a sailor, a sailor from the sea,
and that was the start of my misery,

He asked me for a candle to light him to his bed,
He asked me for a pillow to rest his weary head,
and then he said jump in and keep me warm,
an' I jumped in, thinkin' he meant no harm,

Early the next mornin' he gave me a 5 pound note,
take that me darlin' for the damage I have wrought,
take that me darlin' for the damage I have done,
if it be a daughter or if it be a son,

If it be a daughter then bounce her on your knee,
if it be a son send the bugger off to sea,
dress him in a suit of white and navy blue,
teach him to climb the riggin' as I have done with you,

Down came the piss pot upon the sailor's head,
take that you bastard for doin me in bed,
take that you bastard for doin what you done,
y'r if it be a daughter or if it be a son,

now all fair maidens let this a warning be,
never let a sailor get an inch above your knee,
cos if you do he'll never, never rest ,
till he's ruffled all the feathers in your old crows nest

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: radriano
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 11:06 AM

Hi, JudeL:

This is an interesting variation on an old theme. What melody do you use for it?

Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 11:19 AM

Like a breath of fresh air! Where did you find this ditty?

Is there a word missing from this line?

"y'r (?) if it be a dausghter or if it be a son,"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: GUEST,Curious
Date: 31 Mar 01 - 09:34 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 31 Mar 01 - 09:46 AM

We sang a song very much like this in Minnesota fifty years ago, under the name of "Bell bottom trousers".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 31 Mar 01 - 09:49 AM

If you search the DT for "bell bottom trousers" you'll find not one, not two, but THREE versions!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 31 Mar 01 - 11:06 AM

Dave, I'm still interested in where Jude's version came from and whether it is correctly typed which I doubt; hope she's still around to answer.

The other versions in the DT are more familiar to me but maybe someone else will be interested.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: alanabit
Date: 04 Jul 07 - 03:25 AM

That is obviously a version of the old folk ballad "Rosemary Lane". There is a version of it in the Reverend Sabine Baring Gould collection. There is probably a version of it somewhere in the Child collection, although we had better get one of our Mudcat folk academics to confirm or debunk that claim. Under the title I have given above, the song was recorded by Bert Jansch, who I believe may have got it from Anne Briggs. There are many versions of it - and yours is an interesting variant. Thanks Jude L.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When I was a skivvy
From: Susan of DT
Date: 04 Jul 07 - 08:56 AM

search for DT #319 or K43 to find more versions. The DT # includes the more extended family and the Laws K43 just the closer relatives.