MARCHIONESS OF DOUGLAS, WALY WALY"The Water Is Wide" (also called "O Waly, Waly") is a folk song of English origin? Scottish more likely, based on lyrics that partly date to the 1600s. It remains popular in the 21st century. Cecil Sharp published the song in Folk Songs From Somerset (1906). It is related to Child Ballad 204 (Roud number 87), Jamie Douglas, which in turn refers to the ostensibly unhappy first marriage of James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas to Lady Barbara Erskine.