Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Fellow that Looks Like Me

The Fellow that Looks Like Me

The Fellow that Looks Like Me

In sad despair I wandered, my heart was filled with woe,
While on my grief I pondered; what to do I did not know,
Since cruel Fate has on me frowned, and trouble seems to be
That there is a fellow in this here town the very image of me.

cho: O wouldn't I like to catch him, whomever he may be!
     Wouldn't I give him particular fits, the fellow that looks like me!

One evening as I started up Central Park to go,
I was met by a man upon the road, saying, "Pay me the bills you owe,
In vain I said, "I owe you naught," but he would not let me free
Till a crowd came round and the bills I paid for the fellow that
     looked like me.

One night as I went walking through a narrow street uptown,
I was met by a man upon the road, saying, "I've caught you, Mister Brown.
You know my daughter you have wronged" -- though his girl I never did see
But he beat me till I was black and blue, for the fellow that looked like me.

And to a ball I went one night. When just enjoying the sport,
A policeman caught me by the arm, saying, "You're wanted down to court.
You've escaped us thrice, but this here time I'm sure you shan't get free;"
So I was arrested and dragged to jail for the fellow that looked like me.

I was tried next day, found guilty too, Just to be taken down,
When another policeman just stepped in with the right criminal, Mister Brown.
They locked him up and set me free. O wasn't he a sight to see!
The ugliest wretch that ever I saw was the fellow that looked like me.

O wasn't I glad they caught him, for he was a sight to see!
The ugliest wretch that ever was on earth was the fellow that looked like me!

From Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia, Mackenzie
From the singing and recitation of Alexander Murphy, Pictou County.

DT #707
Laws H21
RG
oct96