The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #106986 Message #2218278
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
18-Dec-07 - 02:04 PM
Thread Name: Mary, Marry, Merry
Subject: RE: Mary, Marry, Merry
Bruce O noted the name of the tune to "The Gosport Tragedy" in thread 16745: Polly
With the name "The Ship's Carpenter," several versions have been collected in Newfoundland.
The broadside version noted by Masato is more complete than most 'folk' versions.
Lyr. Add: MARY HAD A WILLIAM GOAT
(Newfoundland, Joshua Osborne)
Mary had a William goat, William goat, William goat,
Mary had a William goat, his stomach was lined with zinc.
One day he ate an oyster can, oyster can, oyster can,
One day he ate an oyster can and a kitchen sink.
The can was filled with dynamite, dynamite, dynamite,
The can was filled with dynamite which Billy thought was cheese.
He rubbed against poor Mary's side, Mary's side, Mary's side,
He rubbed against poor Mary's side the awful pain to ease.
A sudden flash of goat and girl, goat and girl, goat and girl,
A sudden flash of goat and girl and little else to tell.
Mary's soul to heaven went, heaven went, heaven went,
Mary's soul to heaven went and Billy's went to
Hoop dee doodle doodle doo, doodle doo, doodle doo,
Hoop deee doodle doodle doo, hoop dee doodle doo.
Kenneth Peacock, "Songs of the Newfoundland Outports," vol. 1, p. 19 with score.
Variants of this all over North America.