Lyr Req: Before the Daylight in the Morning

Subject: Before the Daylight in the Morning
From: GUEST,John Walker
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:28 AM

Anyone know lyrics to the song Before the Daylight in the Morning ? [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Before the Daylight in the Morning
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:38 AM

Are we talking about the Sara Cleveland one that's on her Folk-Legacy album? I don't have them myself, but I'll check. Since Sandy Paton is a member here, we ought to be able to get them.

Spaw

Subject: Lyr Add: MY WONDERFUL WIFE
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 11:43 AM

Or this one?

MY WONDERFUL WIFE

Eighty pounds of a pension I have every year
Which makes my old ducky drink whiskey and beer,
The sound of her voice rings out in my ear
Before the daylight in the morning.

Then it's out for the water the kettle to boil,
And when I come back I must nurse the young child,
I wish I was shot on the Banks of the Nile
Before every I met my old plaster.

When the kettle is boiled she then makes the tea,
And I'm stuck in the corner with nothing to say,
Or out in the garden there, working away
Before the daylight in the morning.

To wash up the dishes I'm bound for to hop
While Nell and her gossips are out in the shop
Backbiting the neighbours and tippling a drop
Before the daylight in the morning.

I've travelled through England, through France and through Spain
All through the West Indies and back home again,
At Waterloo wounded I suffered great pain,
But ne'er met the likes of my plaster.

She's a mouth and a lip like a wandering jew,
Not a tooth in her head that is sound, except two,
She's no rag to her back, either black white or blue
That was ever once wet with the water.

I haven't a shoe for to put on my feet,
My trousers are ragged right down from the knees,
I'm ashamed of the neighbours to walk down the street,
Now what do you think of my plaster?

SOURCE: HERE.

~Masato

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BANKS OF THE NILE
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 12:03 PM

Another version with that line:

The Banks Of The Nile

Ye neighbors all listen, a story I'll tell
It's of a misfortune that has me befell;
I married a wife and her name it was Nell
She is always a-scolding and bawling.

Eighteen pounds pension I've got in a year,
Which causes my wife to drink whiskey and beer,
Her tongue like a cannon doth sound in my ear,
Before the daylight in the morning.

To kindle the fire it is my first job,
If I don't do it right I've a slap on the gob;
A kick or a clout or a slap on the nob,
I surely will get from my darling.

Then out for the water the kettle to boil,
And when I comes in I must nurse the young child;
I wish I had been kill'd on the banks of the Nile,
Before I had met with my darling.

Then Nell and her gossips sit down to their tea, (tay)
While I in the corner have nothing to say,
Or out in the garden a-digging away,
While Nelly the cups she is tossing.

Then in for their leavings I chance for to hop
While Nell and her gossips are gone to the shop,
Backbiting their neighbors and swallowing their drops
Hard fortune attend on my darling!

My shirt without washing doth stick to my back
While she is a-sporting with Billy or Jack
And running up scores for every nick-knack,
Whilst I must pay up the last farthing.

Without shoe or stocking to cover my feet,
My bed is without either blanket or sheet,
I'm a show to the world when I go in the street,
Oray! what do you think of my bargain?

Her beauty and praise I mean to disclose,
She's dirty and lazy with a short stuffy nose,
A disgrace to the women wherever she goes,
And her clothes all in tatters are hanging,

With a beard on her lip, like a wandering jew,
Not a tooth in her head that is sound, only two,
And the shift on her back neither black, white or blue,
That never was wet with the washing.

I've travell'd all nations, through France and through Spain,
Through Egypt and India and home back again,
At Waterloo wounded where I felt great pain,
And I ne'er met the match of my darling.

To finish my ditty, I formally pray,
Before she drinks any more whiskey or tea,
That something or other may whip her away
Before the daylight in the morning.

SOURCE: HERE

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Before the Daylight in the Morning
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 06:56 PM

The Traditional Ballad Index has an entry:

Before the Daylight in the Morning (Dirty Nell)
DESCRIPTION: The singer complains of his wife, who lives off his money and refuses to do any work. He gives graphic details of how dirty she is and how filthy she leaves their home. He prays "that God or the devil may whip her away Before the daylight in the morning."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1960
KEYWORDS: husband wife home hardtimes
FOUND IN: Canada(Mar) US(MW)
RECORDINGS:
Sara Cleveland, "Before the Daylight in the Morning" (on SCleveland01)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Darby O'Leary" (tune)
File: RcBTDITM

The Ballad Index Copyright 2000 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

~Masato