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Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man

14 Feb 01 - 07:37 AM (#397761)
Subject: Woman dressed as a man
From: Kathryn

I am looking for a song I only sort-of heard about a woman who dressed as a man to be with her lover. Either he was in a war and she dressed as a soldier or was in a similar situation.

Thanks in advance for your help.


14 Feb 01 - 07:41 AM (#397764)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Wolfgang

Kathryn,

there are many songs of that kind. Start by looking in the DT for songs with 'female' in the title:

Female soldier, female drummer, female sailor, femal cabin boy are a few titles that come into mind.

Wolfgang


14 Feb 01 - 08:09 AM (#397778)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Mary in Kentucky

Karhryn, you may be thinking about The Cruel War. I think it was on the Mudcat Radio Program last night (but I'm not sure.) There are also many others which you can hear at Lesley's site. Also, follow the links there for more songs and some great reading. Then, if you enter some of those song titles in the SuperSearch box above, you'll probably find discussions about the various songs.

The Cruel War

Jackaroe

The Bonny Lighter Boy

The Valiant Lady


14 Feb 01 - 08:13 AM (#397782)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Mary in Kentucky

Jackaroe


14 Feb 01 - 08:17 AM (#397788)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Giac

Recently I was on a quest for these songs for a young friend. Try putting transvestite in the search block. You'll get a LOT of them, including men dressed as women to be with their lady loves, escaping some dire fate, etc.

Good luck.


14 Feb 01 - 08:18 AM (#397789)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: MartinRyan

Willy Taylor - in all its many versions. My current favourite is the modern precis:

Willy Taylor was a silly bugger
Not a braincell in his head
Left his true love for another
She came back and shot him dead!

... which, admittedly, leaves out the crossdressing!

Regards


14 Feb 01 - 09:32 AM (#397829)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Snuffy

Not forgetting:

Matty Groves was a silly bugger,
Shagged Lord Arnold's wife
Lord Arnold caught him on the job
And Matty lost his life

Any more mini-ballads?


14 Feb 01 - 10:57 AM (#397871)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Greenbeer

Hi You may also be thinking of The Banks of the Nile, which is a rackerjack song.... see Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention another all-time favourite tune to that theme is Canadee-I-O best performed by Nic Jones


14 Feb 01 - 11:06 AM (#397876)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Rev

One of my professors at the University of Oregon wrote an entire book on songs of this type. It's really quite interesting and a good read, and has lyrics to a number of songs with that motif. She traces it back to the 1600s and looks at how the image of the powerful ass-kicking woman of the earliest variants changed into a weak and helpless woman who is barely passable as a man in the later Victorian -era versions. Anyway, its a good book for any of you ballad cats out there. It's called "Warrior Women and Popular Balladry: 1650 - 1850" by Dianne Dugaw (1989 Cambridge U. Press, or 1996 U of Chicago Press. ISBN: 0-226-16916-2)


14 Feb 01 - 03:28 PM (#398057)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Pinetop Slim

"Maid That's Deep in Love" is one of a few telling story of Irish girl who signs onto a ship in drag to make her way to Amerikay.
"Maid on the Shore" has a slightly different take on the same, or very similar, tale.


14 Feb 01 - 05:00 PM (#398111)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Mark Cohen

Mini-ballads? My favorite, though it isn't really a precis, is what I've heard called the world's shortest cowboy song:

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso
One little kiss and, Florina, goodbye.

Which, of course, is not to be confused with:

Out in the West Irish county of Mayo
I fell in love with a Mayonnaise girl.

Aloha,
Mark


14 Feb 01 - 06:27 PM (#398161)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: MartinRyan

Mark

Brilliant- probably composed by the well known Vinny (Great")!

Regards


14 Feb 01 - 08:46 PM (#398226)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: Susan of DT

there are so many of these that we have a category for them. Search for @transvestite.


14 Feb 01 - 09:41 PM (#398253)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Woman dressed as a man
From: GUEST,Allan S`

Jackaroe True love is a sailor she dresses in mens aray goes on board finds true love wounded saves his life get married. There was a wealthy merchant in London he did dwell He had a lovely daughter the truth to you ill tell

ends with THis couple they got married so well they did agree this couple they got married so why not you and me

Done by THe New Lost City Ramblers Tom Paley