Lyr Req: Short Jacket and white trousers variant

Subject: Origins: Maid in Sorrow / Short Jacket
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Sep 15 - 02:50 PM

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

Maid in Sorrow, The (Short Jacket) [Laws N12]

DESCRIPTION: A girl dresses as a sailor and goes to sea to seek her true love. The captain finds her attractive and wishes she were a girl. She puts him off, pointing out that there are handsome girls ashore. Only as she is leaving the ship does she reveal her sex
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1929 (Greenleaf/Mansfield)
KEYWORDS: cross-dressing ship sea
FOUND IN: US(MA,MW,NE) Canada(Mar,Newf) Ireland
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Laws N12, "The Maid in Sorrow (Short Jacket)"
OCroinin-Cronin 69, "I Am a Maid That Sleeps in Love" (1 text, 2 tunes)
Greenleaf/Mansfield 46, "Short Jacket" (1 text, 1 tune)
Peacock, pp. 327-328, "Blue Jacket and White Trousers" (1 text, 1 tune)
Creighton-Maritime, p. 78, "A Maid I Am In Love" (1 text, 1 tune)
Warner 1, "Cabin Boy"; 48, "Cabin Boy" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Gardner/Chickering 164, "The Maid in Sorrow" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT 444, SHORTJKT* SHORTJK2*
Roud #231
RECORDINGS:
Elizabeth Cronin, "I Am a Maid That Sleeps in Love" (on IRECronin01)
Charlotte Decker, "Blue Jacket and White Trousers" (on PeacockCDROM) [one verse only]
A. L. Lloyd, "Short Jacket and White Trousers" (on Lloyd2, Lloyd3)
Mrs. Stan Marshall, "Maid I Am in Love" (on MRHCreighton)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
A Maid That's Deep in Love
NOTES: Elizabeth Cronin sings her version to the tune of "The Lowlands of Holland." - BS
Last updated in version 3.2
File: LN12

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2016 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Short Jacket and white trousers variant
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 28 Dec 13 - 06:21 AM

Hi George
We did - it's a popular variant of the song both in Clare and among the Travellers.
Our collection of Clare songs, including Peggy's, will be going up on the Clare County Library website sometime in March we hope.
Happy New Year
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Short Jacket and white trousers variant
From: GUEST,George Henderson
Date: 28 Dec 13 - 05:08 AM

Hi Jim,

Peggy McMahon has this. A few years ago I sang Short Jacket in Knockroghery and, not realizing it was the same song, she sang the song you have posted above, with slight variations, immediately after me. Gave the audience a laugh. I am sure you must have got this from he when you did her CD some years ago.

Subject: Lyr Add: FEMALE SAILOR
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 28 Dec 13 - 03:51 AM

A couple from County Clare singers and a similar version from an Irish Traveller in London .
Jim Carroll



FEMALE SAILOR

Recorded from Pat MacNamara, Kilshanny, North Clare

I hadn't in the world but one true love sure and Jamie was his name
And if I don't chance for to find him sure I'll mourn right constantly
For It's all for the sake of Jamie love I'll cross the raging sea

And I'll cut off my yellow locks and a sailor's suit put on
Just like a gallant soldier brave on the road I'll march along
If I don't chance for to find him sure I'll mourn until I die
For It's all for the sake of Jamie love I'll cross the raging sea

It being a Sunday that we where going to bed
Meeting with the captain sure him we did know well
Meeting with the captain with him we did agree
To be his loyal comrade to the lands of liberty

Now it being a few days after as we reached near the shore
The captain smiled and shook his head, saying "I wish you where a maid for me
For your rosy cheeks and ruby lips they have enticed me
And I wish to god dear sailor boy you where a maid for me

Now hold your tongue dear captain your talk is all in vain
For if the sailors came to know they would laugh and make great game
For a sailor I was once on board but a maid I am now ashore
Adieu, adieu, dear captain, adieue for evermore

Well turned, well turned, my pretty little girl now sail once more with me
For I have a handsome portion I would give it all to thee
Now boys I have ten thousand pounds ????????? buy for thee
So turn, so turn my pretty little girl sure and sail once more with me

Saying I haven't in the world but one true love sure and Jamie was his name
And hardly had those words escaped my lips when my Jimmy appeared to me

---

FEMALE SAILOR

(LAWS N12)
Rec, from Mikey Kelleher; in Deptford, London (originally from Quilty, Co Clare Aug. 1977.

I am a girl that's deep in love and no-one feels my pain,
I'm searching for my lover and Johnny is his name,
If I don't find my Johnny I'll look so tenderly,
And it's after my own Johnny I'll sail across the sea.

I'll cut off my yellow locks and sailors clothes I'll put on,
I'll hire with this sea-bold captain and his decks I'll march a long,
I'll hire with this sea-bold captain and his cabin boy I'll be,
And I'll be his real comrade in the land of liberty.

It being on a Sunday evening as we were going to bed,
The captain laughed and shook his head saying, I wish you was a maid,
With your rosy cheeks and ruby lips they are enticing me,
And I wish to God and from my heart that you was a maid for me.

Hold your tongue dear captain, your talk is all in vain,
When the sailors come to hear of this they'll laugh and make great game,
When your ship shall reach those islands some handsome girl you'll find,
When our ship shall reach those islands it's then we will prove kind.

It being in a few days after his ship has reached the shore,
Goodbye, goodbye you captain, goodbye for ever more,
Goodbye, God bless you captain, good bye for evermore,
Once I been a sailor on hoard, but now I'm a maid on shore.

So return, return my pretty girl, return once more with me,
I've got in the world three thousand pounds and that I'll give to thee,
I've got in the world three thousand pounds and that I'll give to thee,
If you'll return, return, my pretty girl and sail once more with me.

---

FEMALE SAILOR

Recorded from Katie Dooley, (Mikeen McCarthy's sister), Kerry Traveller

I am a girl that's deep in love and no-one feels my pain,
I'm searching for my lover and Johnny is his name,
If I don't find my Johnny I'll look so tenderly
And it's after my own Johnny I'll sail across the sea.

I'll cut off my yellow locks and sailors clothes put on,
I'll hire with this sea bold captain and his decks I'll march along,
I'll hire with this sea bold captain and his cabin boy I'll be,
And I'll be his real comrade in the land of liberty.

It being on a Sunday evening as we were going to bed,
The captain laughed ahd shook his head saying, "I wish you was a maid,
With your rosy cheeks and ruby lips, they are enticing me,
And I wish to god and from my heart that you was a maid for me.

Hold your tongue dear captain, your talk is all in vain,
When the sailors come to hear they'll laugh and make great game,
When your ship shall reach those islands some handsome girl you'll find
When your ship shall reach those islands it's then we will prove kind.

It being in a few days after his ship has reached the shore,
"Goodbye, goodbye you captain, goodbye for evermore,
Goodbye, God bless you, captain, goodbye for evermore,
One I been a sailor on board but now I'm a maid on shore".

"So return, return my pretty girl, return once more with me, I
've got in the world three thousand pounds and that I'll give to thee,
I've got in the world three thousand pounds and that I'll give to thee,
If you'll return, return, my pretty girl and sail once more with me".

Subject: Lyr Add: SHORT JACKET AND WHITE TROUSERS
From: Reinhard
Date: 27 Dec 13 - 10:47 PM

A.L. Lloyd sang Short Jacket and White Trousers in 1962 on "A Sailor's Garland" and in 1966 on "First Person":

SHORT JACKET AND WHITE TROUSERS
As recorded by A. L. Lloyd on "First Person" (1966)

Short jacket and white trousers this young girl she put on
And like a gallant seaman bold went roarin' through the town.
She did sign on with our Captain Blair a sailor for to be
And it was to seek her own true love all on the raging sea.

One night as she sat drowsing, she was ready for her bed,
Our captain heaved a sigh and said, "Oh, I wish you was a maid.
Your cherry cheek and ruby lip they have beguiled me
And I've often wished with all me heart you could me sweetheart be."

"Oh hold your tongue, dear captain, you know such talk's in vain,
And if our shipmates come to know they would make sport and game.
But when that we do get ashore some pretty girls we'll find
For to ramble along with us bold lads, see and you're that way inclined."

It's about a few days after we reached the London shore,
This gal put on her petticoats which made the captain roar.
"Oh, a sailor I have been on board but a maid I'm going ashore,
And you've missed your chance, dear captain, so farewell for ever more."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Short Jacket and white trousers variant
From: Susan of DT
Date: 27 Dec 13 - 09:03 PM

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=5307

http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=5308

Subject: Lyr Req: Short Jacket and white trousers variant
From: GUEST,Jane S/W
Date: 27 Dec 13 - 07:10 PM

Apologies if I should have started this somewhere else: I'm looking for a particular variant of the Short Jacket and White Trousers (young girl runs away to sea disguised as matelot) in which the captain does not get off with the girl. It just so happens that this variant includes the line "If you're that way inclined".

Anyone? Thank you very much and again, apologies if I should have been able to find this.