The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #173856   Message #4216517
Posted By: and e
02-Feb-25 - 10:19 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Hey Loddy Loddy /Hey Lally Lally (bawdy)
Subject: Origins: Hey Loddy Loddy / Hey Lally Lally (bawdy)
I searched mudcat and couldn't find a discussion of
this song's origin and variants. If you know of
variant verses, please post them below along with
where & when you learned & sang the song.

The song goes by several titles:
Loddy Lo
Hey Liley, Liley Lo
Hey Li-Lee, Li-Lee-Lo
Hey Li Lee Li Lee Li
Hey Liley Liley Lo



A version of the song:
HEY LODDY, LODDY, LOW

Hey loddy, loddy, loddy,
Hey loddy, loddy, low
Hey loddy, loddy, loddy,
Hey loddy, loddy, low


[Aside: "It always started 'I know a guy / gal'."]

I know a gal all dressed in black
Hey loddy, loddy, low
Makes her living living on her back
Hey loddy, loddy, low

Chorus

I know a gal all dressed in green
Hey loddy, loddy, low
Walking talking sex machine
Hey loddy, loddy, low

c1965. Transcribed from the singing of Sarah Curry who
was at the University of Arizona. She goes on to say
that many verses were impromptu but generally the
verses were about sex in one way or another.


Download here: https://ia903402.us.archive.org/0/items/jack_horntip_collection_field_recordings/0167%20Hey%2C%20Lahdee%20Lee%2C%20Hey%2C%20Lahdee%20Low.mp3


The it's a lady in red and the Down in the Valley (All Dressed in White) reminded me
of this song which can share some the color / "dirty" rhyme schemes.


Note: I did find the Lyr Req: Hey Lolly Lolly (Woody Guthrie) thread
and will copy over some relevant posts from that thread.