The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #38306   Message #538931
Posted By: masato sakurai
31-Aug-01 - 10:56 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Barnacle Bill the Sailor
Subject: Lyr Add: ADAM BROWN
Varuous versions of "Bollochy Bill the Sailor" are found in Ed Cray's The Erotic Muse, 2nd ed. (U of Illinois Pr., pp. 81-86).

"Abram Brown" (two tunes) is in Colcord, Songs of American Sailormen (1938; Oak,1964, pp. 178-9). Colcord says, "Now that bowdlerized versions of the ditty have been sung over the radio, there seems no longer reason for reticence about a song which has, after all, a pretty tune and at least one or two printable verses." The "printable" (indeed!) versions are:

Who's that knocking at my door?
Who's that knocking at my door?
Who's that knocking at my door?
Cried the fair young maiden.

Won't you come down and let me in?
Cried Abram Brown the sailor.

I'll come down and let me in,
Cried the fair young maiden.

Have you got a place for me to sleep?
Cried Abram Brown the sailor.

(Additional verse given by Colcord):
It's me meself and nobody else,
Cried Abram Brown the sailor.
It's me meself and nobody else,
Cried Abram Brown the sailor.