The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #17334   Message #928343
Posted By: Jim Dixon
07-Apr-03 - 10:45 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Awake Ye Drowsy Sleepers (Ian & Sylvia)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE DROWSY SLEEPER (from Bodleian)
There's an impressive list of recorded variants of this song at a site belonging to the band The Bluegrass Messengers. Here's the oldest version on that list, from the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, Harding B 28(233). Here's my transcription, with the punctuation modernized somewhat:

THE DROWSY SLEEPER
(c. 1817)

"Awake, awake, ye drowsy sleeper.
Awake, awake! 'Tis almost day.
How can you sleep, my charming creature,
Since you have stole my heart away?"

"Begone, begone! You will awake my mother.
My father he will quickly hear.
Begone, begone, and court some other,
But whisper softly in my ear."

Her father hearing the lovers talking,
Nimbly jumped out of bed.
He put his head out of the window,
But this young man quickly fled.

"Turn back, turn back! Don't be called a rover.
Jemmy, turn back, and sit you by my side.
You may stay while his passion's over.
Jemmy, I will be your lovely bride."

"O daughter, daughter, I will confine you.
Jemmy he shall go to sea,
And you may write your truelove a letter,
As he may read it when far away."

"O father, pay me down my portion,
Which is five thousand pounds, you know,
And I'll cross the wide watery ocean,
Where all the hills are covered with snow."

"No, I will not pay down your portion,
Which is five thousand pounds, I know;
Nor you shan't cross the wide watery ocean,
Where the hills are covered with snow.

"O daughter, daughter, I will confine you,
And all within your private room;
And you shall live upon bread and water
Once a day, and that at noon."

"No, I will have none of your bread and water,
Nor nothing else that you have.
If I can't have my heart's desire,
Single I will go to my grave."