Lyr Req: I went to Betsy

Subject: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: GUEST,Alan
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 06:42 AM

I'm working on the songs Ralph Vaughan Williams noted in King's Lynn, Norfolk, UK, in 1905 and cannot find lyrics for several titles despite extensive research. Can anyone help please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 01:01 PM

i didnot realise betsy was so old

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 03:41 PM

Hi Alan,
This sounds very unlikely to have been the first line of a full song, so is more likely the first line of a fragment. Betsy is not a really common name in folk song so the Roud Index might turn up your song if you search using just that name. The obvious one is 'Betsy the Servant Maid', but 'Blackberry Fold', 'Betsy Walton', 'Ballenden Braes' spring to mind. I have checked these and can't find that particular phrase. I'll check out 'Betsy Baker' which is male first person.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 03:44 PM

Check out the 4th stanza of 'Betsy and Mary' in Folk Songs of the Upper Thames.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Nov 12 - 10:39 PM

The Bodleian broadside collection includes these songs with "Betsy" or "Betsey" in the title or first line:

The Betsy of New York ("Our ship she sailed from Liverpool ...")
Answer to Betsy of Ballantown Bray/Ballindoun brae ("You young men and maidens pray lend an ear …")
Betsy/Betsey Baker ("From noise and bustle far away ...")
Betsy Bingo ("When first the charms I did behold ...")
Betsy Brown, or, Riding in a cart ("As I walked out one rainy day ...")
Betsy Lee/Lea ("When I lived in at Battersea ...")
Betsy of Drumore ("It was on a summer's morning I roved for recreation ...")
Betsy/Betsey of Dundee ("You lovers of this nation, I pray you give attention ...")
Betsy of the vale ("In yonder vale there doth reside ...")
Betsy Price ("When first I met sweet Betsy Price, I thought her without guile ...")
Betsy, the girl of my heart ("At eve when the sun's to the westward reclining ...")
Fair Betsy of Deptford ("Come all you pretty fair maids of every degree ...")
Fair Betsy of Plymouth, and her young sailor bold ("Come all you pretty fair maids of every degree ...")
From the footman to the housemaid ("Dear Betsy, oft you've known me stop ...")
Lamentation of Wm. Thompon [sic] for the murder of Betsy Ryan ("Draw near each tender Christian, and you shall quickly hear ...")
Murder of Betsy Smith ("Come all false hearted young men and listen to my song ...")
Sweet Betsy. A new song ("A pretty story you shall hear ...")
The loss of the Betsey ("Our ship she sail'd from Greenock as you shall understand ...")
The new sailor's farewell ("Adieu my dearest Betsy, ten thousand times adieu …")

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 29 Nov 12 - 08:37 AM

Steve

I'm not sure Betsy and Mary as a choice. Apart from Alfred Williams the only other entries in Roud are from a printer's catalogue, so it would be quite rare. Also the line starts If I went to Betsy, and I think wouldn't be shortened to just I went... (the verse is of the form: If I went to Mary....If I went to Betsy).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 29 Nov 12 - 09:33 AM

Having said that, I've also had a look at the following (at least one example of each) and nothing looked promising:


At The Bodleian

Betsy Brown
Betsy Price
Betsy of Dundee
The Betsy of New York
Answer to Betsy of Ballantown Brae
Betsy Bingo
Betsy Lee
Betsy The Girl of My Heart *
Betsy of the Vale
Betsy of Dromore
Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
Fair Betsy of Plymouth/Deptford
From the footman to the housemaid
Lamentation of Wm. Thompon [sic] for the murder of Betsy Ryan
Murder of Betsy Smith
Sweet Betsy. A new song
The Loss of the Betsey
The new sailor's farewell

* - image bad but preliminary enhanced look at part of it

At Levy

Betsy's the Belle of the Bathers x
The Parting, or Poor Betsy was a Sailor's Wife x
I Fell In Love With Polly x

At American Memory

The Lovesick Maid
Betsy From Pike
Banks of Claudy
My Boy With The Auburn Hair (version of Claudy Banks with chorus)
Who's Been Here Since I've Been Gone?
Bonny Hodge



Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 29 Nov 12 - 04:06 PM

B&M was printed by Pearson 480 but I haven't got a copy. Yes, I agree it's not an ideal match but it's the nearest we've got so far.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: GUEST,Alan
Date: 04 Dec 12 - 05:13 PM

Here is RVW's King's Lynn 1905 MS

X:1
T:I went to Betsy
C:Trad
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:D
D|FG A2 GF |DD D3 D|FA d2 cA|BB A3 D|
FA d2 cA|Bd A2 GE|DF A2 GE|DD D2||

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I went to Betsy
From: GUEST,Alan
Date: 07 Dec 12 - 11:56 AM

Thanks Jim and Mick. I've now found how to look at broadsides in the Bodleian. Unfortunately the only one that scans and fits the verse is 'Sweet Betsy' but the stupid boy dies instead of doing what any red-blooded male should have done - killed the mother, crossed the Atlantic and GONE TO BETSY!
I'm down to just two now, largely thanks to your help: 'Betsy' and 'Nancy'. Is it co-incidence they're both female?
Cheers ~ Alan