GRAY GOOSE AND GANDER: J. Andrews, No. 38 Chatham Street, N. Y. [no date given, ca. 1840-1860] American Songs and Ballads, Series 1, Volume 1

When I war a single feller,
I lived in peace and pleasure,
But now I am a married man,
I'm troubled out of measure.

CHORUS: Den look here, den look dare,
And look ober yander,
Don't you see dat old gray goose,
A smiling at de gander.

Ebery night when I go home,
She scolds or its a wonder,
And den she takes dat pewter mug
And beats my head asunder.

My old wife was taken sick,
De pain ob death came on her,
Some did cry, but I did laugh,
To see de breff go from her,

Saturday night my old wife died,
Sunday she was buried,
Monday was my courting day,
On Tuesday I got married.

My old wife has gone abroad,
Some evil spirit guide her,
I know she has not gone to church,
For de debil can't abide her.

I heard a rumblin' in de sky,
It imitated thunder,
If my old wife ain't back again,
It really is a wonder.

Sister Sally dream't a dream,
Dream't she went a gunning,
Dream't she eat a mushroom,
As big as any punkin.

Sister Sal she climbs right well,
Can't climb as she uster,
Dare she sets a pitching corn,
At our old bob tail rooster.

Notes: Version of Old Gray Goose/My Wife Died from American Memory.

-Richie