Ballads and Songs of Indiana - online book

A collection of 100 traditional folk songs with commentaries, historical info, lyrics & sheet music

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134 Indiana University Publications, Folklore Series
19
THE GYPSY LADDIE (Child, No. 200)
Only a four-stanza fragment of "The Gypsy Laddie" has been recovĀ­ered. It resembles most closely versions H, J, and J of Child.
For American texts, see Barry, No. 9; Belden, No. 10 (a fragment); Brown, p. 9; Campbell and Sharp, No. 27; Cox, No. 21; Davis, p. 423; Hudson, No. 18; Hudson, Folksongs, p. 117; Journal, XVIII, 191; XIX, 294; XXII, 80; XXIV, 346; XXV, 173; XXVI, 353; XXX, 323; XLVIII, 385; McGill, p. 15; Pound, p. 10 (fragment); Scarborough, Song Catcher, p. 215; Smith and Rufty, American Anthology, p. 44; Cambiaire, East Tennessee and Western Virginia Mountain Ballads, pp. 59-60; Cox, Traditional Ballads, pp. 31, 32, 35; Henry, Folk-Songs from the Southern Highlands, p. 110.
"The Gypsy Daisy." Contributed by Mrs. Thomas M. Bryant, of Evans-ville, Indiana. Vanderburg County. January 2, 1936.
1.   "Can you leave your house and land,
And can you leave your baby? Can you leave your own truelove And go with the Gypsy Daisy ?"
2.   "O yes, I can leave my house and land,
And very well can I leave my baby; Much better can I leave my own truelove And go with the Gypsy Daisy."
3.   "Go pull off those high-heel shoes
Bound in Spanish leather; Go put on those low-heel shoes, And away we'll ride together."
4.   "Last night I lay on a featherbed;
Last night I lay with my baby; Tonight I'll lay in a willow swamp In the arms of the Gypsy Daisy."