ADD: When You Comin' to Court Me? / Buffalo Boy

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN YOU COMIN' TO COURT ME?
From: Brad Sondahl
Date: 01 Jan 99 - 08:30 PM

Learned this from the McLain Family, and didn't find it in the Database.
I guess it's a play party song- I'd be interested if anyone knows its roots.

WHEN YOU COMIN' TO COURT ME?

When you comin' to court me, court me, court me,
When you comin' to court me, my pretty little reckless boy?

I guess I'll come on Saturday, on Saturday, on Saturday,
I guess I'll come on Saturday, if the weather's all right.

How long you going to court me, court me, court me,
How long you going to court me, my pretty little reckless boy,

I guess I'll court you all night, all night, all night,
I guess I'll court you all night, if the weather's all right.

When we going to get married, (3x) etc.

I guess we'll get married on Sunday etc.

Who you gonna bring to the wedding? etc.

I guess I'll bring my children, etc.

I didn't know you had no children, etc.

Oh yes, I have 5 children, (3x)
6 if the weather's all right

Together:
There ain't going to be no wedding, (3x)
Even if the weather's all right.

Brad Sondahl
http://www.camasnet.com/bradindex.html

Subject: RE: When you comin' to court me?
From: Bruce O.
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 12:56 PM

"Nichol o Cod" (Buffalo Boy/ Mountainer's Courtship) in the Scarce Songs file on my website. Click

---

Nicol O'Cod

"Whan'll we be marry'd,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"We'll be marry'd o' Monday,
An' is na the reason gude?"
"Will we be marry'd nae sooner,
My own sweet Nicol o' Cod?"
"Wad ye be marry'd o' Sunday?
I think the auld runt be gane mad."

"Whae'll we hae at the wadding,
My own dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"We'll hae father and mother,
An' is na the reason gude?"
"Will we na hae nae mae,
My ain dear Nico o' Cod?"
"Wad ye hae a' the hail warld?
I think the auld runt be gane mad."

"What'll we hae to the wadding,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"We'll hae cheese and bread,
An' is na the reason gude?"
"Will we na hae na mae,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"Wad ye hae nae sack and canary?
I think the auld runt be gane mad."
"Whan'll we gang to our bed,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"We'll gang whan other folk gang,
An' is na the reason gude?"
"Will we na gang nae sooner,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"Wad ye gang at the sunsetting?
I think the auld runt be gane mad."

"What will we do i' our bed,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"We will kiss and clap,
An' is na the reason gude?"
"Will we nae do nae mae,
My ain dear Nicol o' Cod?"
"Wad ye do't a' the night over?
I think the auld runt be gane mad."

The text above is from Hans Hecht's Songs from David Herd's Manuscripts, 1904. The actual manuscripts date about 1776. This version of the song appears to be the earliest extant text of a ballad entered in the Stationers' Register as "Nicoll a Cod" on June 1, 1629. The burden line, "My own sweet Nicol a Cod" was quoted a few times in the 17th century. Martin Parker in The Legend of Leonard Lackwit, 1633, listed "Nichole-a-Cod" among those ballads of which he knew not the author. The tune "Nichol o Cod" was called for an a late 17th century broadside ballad, "Joan's Victory Over Her Fellow Servants".

American versions of this song include "The Mountaineer's Courtship" and "Buffalo Boy". It is said to have been sung by the Hutchinson Family of singers in the 19th century]

J. O. Halliwell-Phillips in The Nursery Rhymes of England, 1846, gives another version, untitled:

When shall we be married,
My dear Nicholas Wood?
We will be married on Monday,
And will not that be very good?
What, shall we be married no sooner?
Why sure the man's gone wood!

What shall we have for our dinner,
My dear Nicholas Wood?
We will have bacon and pudding,
And will not that be very good?
What, shall we have nothing more?
Why sure the man's gone wood!

Who shall we have at our wedding,
My dear Nicholas Wood?
We will have mammy and daddy,
And will that not be very good?
What, whall we have nobody else?
Why sure the man's gone wood!

Nicol o Cod is here confused with Nicholas Wood, the Great Glutton of Kent. For a ballad on Wood by Richard Climsell, 1630, see The Pepys Ballads, I, p.72, 1987, or with notes, H. E. Rollins' A Pepysian Garland, p. 342, 1922.

Additional texts:
My Old Sweet Nicol: Journal of the Folksong Society #35, p. 257, 1931.
When shall We get Married: A. Williams, Folksongs of the Upper Thames, p. 168, 1923.
John and Mary: Roy Palmer, Songs of the Midlands, p. 41, 1972. (see recording below)
The Country Courtship: P. Kennedy's Folksongs of Britain and Ireland, #127, 1975(GB), 1984(US)
When shall we get Married: J. Reeves, The Idiom of the People, #110, 1958. (Nickety Nod or Nickledy Cod) with note of other versions in Cecil Sharp's MSS)

Recordings:
Mountaineer's Courtship: Mr. and Mrs. Ernest V. Stoneman, Folkways FA 2953.
When shall we get married, John: Julie West and Roy Palmer, Topic 12TS210.

Subject: RE: When you comin' to court me?
From: Bruce O.
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 01:39 PM

I've given a bit of history of the song on my website, starting in the late 1620's, and going to some modern publications and recordings. I'd welcome any further information anyone has.

Specifically, I heard it sung once by an entertainer at a crafts fair in Maryland, by a schoolteacher who accompanied herself on a lap dulcimer. She said she had learned it from schoolchildren where she taught. I think it was Betty Smith, but I've not found it on any of the few phono records by her that I've seen. Does anyone know of a recording of the song by Betty Smith? Does anyone have a copy of the version sung by the Hutchinson Family of singers in the 19th century?

Subject: RE: When you comin' to court me?
From: Mary Ann
Date: 02 Jan 99 - 07:56 PM

I once learn it at Fla. Folklife Fest. from a banjo player and we did it as a call and response. He did ti as Dear old mountain boy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When You Comin' to Court Me?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 12 - 02:53 PM

My children did it as Poor Old Buffalo Boy and his answer, "That is if the weather be good."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When You Comin' to Court Me?
From: Arkie
Date: 03 Jun 12 - 11:41 AM

Here in the Ozarks, the song is also sung as Buffalo Boy. When I was scheduling music concerts, there was a request to ban the song because it was too risque.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When You Comin' to Court Me?
From: GUEST,Don
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 01:31 PM

I performed it as a call-and-response while in college in the 1980s. We used a different last line:

There ain't gonna be no wedding (3x) my pretty little reckless boy

I didn't want to marry you anyhow (3x) even when the weather's allright!

There were a few other variations we learned: "iffen" for "if", "Reckon" for "I guess", "weddn'in," for "wedding"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: When You Comin' to Court Me?
From: GUEST,Don
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 01:33 PM

I should mention, I learned the song by rote in SouthEast Kentucky, Madison County.

Subject: RE: ADD: When You Comin' to Court Me? / Buffalo Boy
From: GUEST,threelegsoman
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 08:20 PM

My friend Beastie Dovey introduced this song to me about three years ago and we sing it together from time to time, but she is somewhat shy about appearing on the internet, so won't allow me to upload a version on YouTube which is a shame as when we do it along with the other members of our group The Cronk Illiam Scratchers, with the other members adding comedic devices it is always received very well.

When you comin' to see me, to see me, to see me,
When you comin' to see me, - Buffalo Boy?

I reckon I'll see you next week, next week, next week,
I reckon I'll see you next week, - if'n the weather be good!

How long do you think you'll court me, court me, court me,
How long do you think you'll court me, - Buffalo Boy?

I reckon I'll court you all night, all night, all night,
I reckon I'll court you all night, - if'n the weather be good!

And when do you think we'll marry.......
I reckon we'll marry next week......

How'll you get to the wedding.....
I reckon I'll come by ox cart......

Why don't you come in the buggy.....
(Laughing) The ox won't fit in the buggy, the buggy, the buggy,
The ox won't fit in the buddy, - not even if the weather be good!

Who'll you bring to the wedding.....
(Aside)I reckon I'll have to ponder that one for a while
I know, I reckon I'll bring my children.......

I didn't know you had any children.....
Why yes, I've got 5 children, 5 children, 5 children,
Yes I've got 5 children. - 6 if'n the weather be good!

(Sung together)
There ain't gonna be no wedding, no wedding, no wedding
There ain't gonna be no wedding, - not even if the weather be good!

Subject: RE: ADD: When You Comin' to Court Me? / Buffalo Boy
From: Don Firth
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 09:15 PM

I learned it from a Theodore Bikel record way back. Done it a lot, and it always gets a good response from audiences.

Judy Flenniken (now Halas) and I did it as a dialog song in our concert at the Seattle Center Playhouse in 1963, culminating a couple of courting dialog songs, e.g., "Jennie Jenkins." Judy's response to my "I guess I'll bring my children" verse was,

"I didn't know you had no children,
My dear old Buffalo Chip!!"

Sent the audience into gales of laughter.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: ADD: When You Comin' to Court Me? / Buffalo Boy
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 09:41 PM

We had this on a record by somebody - it started with the get married verse, added a "how we gonna get to the wedd'n'in, the wedd'n'in, the weddn'in, how we gonna get to the weddn'in my dear old buffalo boy
I guess I'll go in my oxcart... that is if the weather be good
Why don't you go in your buggy
Cause an ox won't fit in my buggy... not even if the weather be good"
and then goes into the I didn't know you had no childurn, no childurn, no childurn (maybe 6 if the weather be GOOD!)
Wish I could remember who we had this by, I think it was Theo Bikel?

Subject: RE: ADD: When You Comin' to Court Me? / Buffalo Boy
From: Don Firth
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 09:50 PM

Yeah, sounds like it.

Don Firth