Traditional Folk Music - songs & tunes popular in the 60's folk revival

Songs and tunes with sheet music, lyrics, chords and midi music

Billy Boy

TML # 000947
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Asked where he has been, Billy says he has been courting, and has found a girl, "but she's a young thing and cannot leave her mother." In response to other questions, he describes her many virtues, always returning to his refrain A number of scholars have linked this simple little song with the classic ballad "Lord Randall." Since they only have two things in common, however (the courting theme and certain metrical traits), in the Ballad Index at least we keep them separate. - RBW
Where have you been all the day, my boy Willie?
Where have you been all the day, Willie won't you tell me now?
I have been all the day courting of a lady gay
But she's too young to be taken from her mother

Is she fit to be a wife, my boy Willie?
Is she fit to be a wife, Willie won't you tell me now?
She's as fit to be a wife as a fork fits to a knife
But she's too young to be taken from her mother

Can she cook and can she spin, my boy Willie?
Can she cook and can she spin, Willie won't you tell me now?
She can cook, she can spin, she can do most anything
But she's too young to be taken from her mother

Can she bake a cherry pie, my boy Willie?
Can she bake a cherry pie, Willie won't you tell me now?
She can bake a cherry pie quick's a cat can wink her eye
But she's too young to be taken from her mother

Does she often go to church, my boy Willie?
Does she often go to church, Willie won't you tell me now?
Yes, she often goes to church in a bonnet white as birch
But she's too young to be taken from her mother
Can she make a feather bed, my boy Willie?
Can she make a feather bed, Willie won't you tell me now?
She can make a feather bed and put pillows at the head
But she's too young to be taken from her mother

Did she ask you to come in, my boy Willie
Did she ask you to come in, Willie won't you tell me now
Yes, she asked me to come in, she's a dimple in her chin
But she's too young to be taken from her mother

Did she tell how old she is, my boy Willie?
Did she tell how old she is, Willie won't you tell me now?
She's three times six, seven times seven, twenty-eight and eleven
But she's too young to be taken form her mother

Child #12
This royalty free score was generated by the Traditional Music Library On Line Tunebook (Shareware Version). As-is copies of this score may be freely distributed. Further info from WWW.TRADITIONALMUSIC.CO.UK