Greig-Duncan 1362 A

TO ROW ME FRAE THE WA
To Roll Me From the Wall

My parents treated me cruelly as you may understand
They made me marry an old man for his riches and his land
But I’d rather marry a young man without a penny at all
For he could take me in his arms and he’d roll me from the wall.

At night when my old man comes to bed he’s as cold as any stone
His pipes are out of order and his gent is never in tune
I wish that death would seize him and take him at his call
And I’d easily get a young man to roll me from the wall.

Now my old man he’s dead and gone and his riches to me he’s left them all
Five thousand guineas bright and glittering without his houses and his lan
And it’s now I’ve got a young man for to roll me from the wall.

After the honeymoon was over he began to loose his charms
He’s killed my little dog that followed my jaunting car
And he’s broken all my china ware he’s broken and smashed it all
So I think I’m paying dear for a young man to roll me from the wall.

Come all ye young fair maids a warning take from me
To never marry a young man except he has the fee
Far better to be an auld man’s pet with servants at my call
For you can easily hire a young man to roll you from the wall.


Singer Miss ANNIE SHIRER — collected by Greig

#1362, page 156 in Volume 7 of the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection