Dear All,

was collecting songs today in York, UK and was sung "Bobby Shafto(e)" by a lady. I immediately was reminded of Almeda Riddle's "La La Chick-A-La-Li-O"; does anyone have any evidence that the two might be related?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f31GP3bkmM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMx4GStygEs

particularly the lines

"    Bobby Shafto's gone to sea,
    Silver buckles at his knee;
    He'll come back and marry me,
    Bonny Bobby Shafto!"


"He'll come a-sailing across the sea,
La la la chicka la leo,
Then come a-riding home to me,
La la la chicka la leo."

a bonus: there's only one other variant of Riddle's tune documented by a different singer: https://home.lyon.edu/wolfcollection/songs/dillonla1240.html