Ballads & Songs of Southern Michigan-songbook

A Collection of 200+ traditional songs & variations with commentaries including Lyrics & Sheet music

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Crimes
333
136 JACK WILLIAMS
This song is fairly common in English broadsides and in many American songsters. With the exception of stanzas 6 and 7, the Michigan version is almost identical with that in Pound, No. 67. For other texts and references see Eddy, No. 57; Mackenzie, pp. 291-292; and Tolman and Eddy, JAFL, XXXV, 378-
379-The present version was sung in 1935 by Mr. Otis Evilsizer, Alger.
lud - ed girl I was brought to          grief          and shame
i OI am a boatman by my trade, Jack Williams is my name; And by a false, deluded girl I was brought to grief and shame.
2   I went to robbing by night and day To maintain her finery;
And all I got, I valued not, But gave it to her straightway.
3   Till at last for Newport I was bound, Bound down in iron strong;
O the rattling chains, they held me fast, And she longed for to see them on.
4   OI wrote a letter to my love Some comfort for to find,
But instead of proving a friend to me, She proved to me unkind.