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William Taylor
(Bold) William Taylor / Willie Tailor
[
Roud 158
; Master title: William Tailor
; Laws N11
; G/D 1:169
; Henry H213, H757
; Ballad Index LN11
; VWML PG/6/16
, CJS2/9/21
, CJS2/10/3333
; GlosTrad
Roud 158
; Wiltshire
711
, 1027
; BillyTaylor at Old Songs
; DT BLLYTYLR
; Mudcat 7920
, 35281
; trad.]
Paul & Liz Davenport: Down Yorkshire Lanes Michael Downey: The Ploughboy’s Glory Kathy Henderson with Frankie Armstrong and Sandra Kerr: My Song Is My Own Gale Huntington, Lani Herrmann, John Moulden: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People Maud Karpeles: The Crystal Spring John Ord: Bothy Songs and Ballads Patrick O’Shaughnessy: Twenty-One Lincolnshire Folk Songs Vance Randolph: Ozark Folksongs James Reeves: The Idiom of the People Steve Roud, Julia Bishop: The New Penguin Book of English Folk Songs Cecil J. Sharp: One Hundred English Folksongs Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle: Greig Duncan Folk Song Collection Volume 1
Joseph Taylor sang Bold William Taylor on a cylinder recorded in 1908 for Percy Grainger. This was published in 1972 on Taylor’s Leader LP Unto Brigg Fair and in 1998 on the Topic anthology Tonight I’ll Make You My Bride (The Voice of the People Series, Vol. 6). The Leader album’s notes commented:
An extremely popular song in the English, Irish, Scottish and Anglo-American traditions, Bold William Taylor has appeared in a variety of forms, including the music hall parody Billy Taylor that was printed in sheet form by Laurie and Whittle in London, c. 1811 with a large coloured engraving by George Cruikshank. For American sources one should consult G. Malcolm Laws’ bibliographical index, American Ballads From British Broadsides, N11. Of English collections one might consult SFS, KP, AMS, GBF; Irish sources are JIFMS, PCI; Scottish versions in GNE, CTBA and broadsides by C, F, H, S, KY, FH, and MB. Sound recordings BBC 18483 (a) and (b), TC 1164, 12T196.
John Roberts & Tony Barrand’s 1998 album of English Folksongs collected by Percy Grainger, Heartoutbursts contains William Taylor too, of course. They noted:
Here we have a woman disguising herself as a man and enlisting in the army in order to search for her ‘true love’ who has abandoned her (in other variants he has been press-ganged, often on his wedding day). This story was very popular, and the song has been collected with several good tunes. This one comes from Joseph Taylor; Grainger had a very similar version from George Gouldthorpe.
Harold Covill of March, Cambridgeshire sang William Taylor in a recording made by Peter Kennedy on the anthology A Soldier’s Life for Me (The Folk Songs of Britain Vol. 8, Caedmon 1961, Topic 1970). The album’s booklet noted:
This is a vigorous form of the story about the girl who follows her soldier-lover to the wars. When she discovers that she has been betrayed, her gallant new friend, the captain, gives her a pistol with which she summarily executes her faithless lover. The song has been found commonly in all parts of Great Britain, in Canada and the U.S.A. It was a specially popular item for the broadside and song book press.
Rob Watt of Fetterangus, Aberdeen, sang Billy Taylor in 1967 to Bill Leader. This recording was included a year later on the Topic anthology of songs and ballads from the lowland east of Scotland, Back o’ Benachie. Peter Hall noted:
The broadside press was responsible for the widespread dissemination of this song and the relative lack of variation in the text. Dean Christie found a version in the mid-nineteenth century with a tune which seems unsuitably sombre, as are many of the English sets. Perhaps the modern attitude to the ballad has helped to change the tune for those found this century are of a rattling gay type. Sometimes there is an additional verse which rubs in the feminist moral:
When the Captain did behold it,
And the deed that she has done,
He has made her chief commander
O’er a ship and a hundred men.
Hedy West sang Willie Taylor in 1967 on her Fontana album Serves ’Em Fine. She noted:
Willie Taylor (sometimes called The Female Lieutenant) is also an Anglo-American ballad. It was once, said Cecil Sharp, “a favourite song with folksingers all over England.” It’s had its versions in Scotland, Newfoundland and all along the entire 1500-mile eastern coast of the USA. There was a comic Cockney version called Billy Taylor that was popular on the English stage from the last half of the 18th century through the first half of the 19th century.
I’ve learned Willie Taylor from Vance Randolph’s Ozark Folksongs [Vol. I, no.67].
John Faulkner and Sandra Kerr sang William Taylor on their 1969 Argo album John & Sandra. They noted:
It is not difficult to think of reasons why the theme of the Maiden Warrior has been a popular one in folk balladry for centuries. To seamen on a long voyage, the thought that underneath the working apparel of one of his comrades there might be a handsome young female, would have afforded him some comfort or at least provided a source of interest to while away the time!.
William Taylor, however, provides a contrast to the usual theme of the devoted girl dressing in soldiers’ or sailors’ clothing in order to follow her pressed or enlisted sweetheart into battle. Here the reason for her masquerade is to seek revenge on her unfaithful sailor.
Tony Rose sang Bold William Taylor on the 1970 BBC record Folk on Friday. The sleeve notes comment:
One of the songs collected and phonographed by Percy Grainger from Joseph Taylor of Saxby-All Saints, Lincolnshire. The story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to follow her lover to war or to sea is a fairly familiar one in traditional English music. However, the outcome of this particular ballad is perhaps more realistic than many of the other tales of womanly devotion which end in happy reunion.
Dave Burland sang William Taylor with somewhat different verses on his 1971 Trailer album A Dalesman’s Litany. He noted:
The Beggar and William Taylor are songs collected in Somerset by Sharp. […] In the song William Taylor the nameless heroine employs drastic measures to prevent her truelove from being unfaithful to her.
He also sang it in a 1991 Barnsley recording that was published on the 1992 Fellside anthology of English traditional songs, Voices. Paul Adams noted:
This song appears in a variety of forms and can be found in the English, Scottish, Irish and American traditions. The story is a fairly familiar one, but the rather drastic measure employed by the heroine to prevent her true love being unfaithful to her, is perhaps a little closer to reality than is usually encountered in folk songs! Dave’s version, sung in his characteristically relaxed style, was collected by Cecil Sharp in Somerset. Another version was collected by Percy Grainger, the first collector to use a recording machine, in 1908 from Joseph Taylor, of Saxby-All Saints, Lincolnshire.
Robin and Barry Dransfield sang Bold William Taylor in 1971 on their Trailer album Lord of All I Behold.
Martin Carthy recorded William Taylor for his 1972 album Shearwater. He noted:
Of all the traditional singers I have listened to, I think my favourite is still Joseph Taylor of Saxby-all-Saints, Lincolnshire. A few years ago, Patrick O’Shaughnessy of the Lincolnshire Association gave me a copy of a tape of his singing, and it has proved the steadiest source of inspiration. The song William Taylor comes originally from him, although with thinking about it and singing to myself, a few little variations in the melody have come in. Some sets of the song have the last verse
If all young men in Wells and London
Used young girls like he use she
Then all young girls would never marry
Very scare young men would be
Frankie Armstrong sang William Taylor in 1973 on her LP Out of Love, Hope and Suffering and again in 2008 on her CD Encouragement. She noted on the first album:
An Irish version of a song that was very popular both in the British Isles and in American tradition. It’s always seemed unfair to me that the ballad should take its title from the male protagonist, who does nothing noteworthy. All the action is initiated by valiant Sara Jane.
Muckram Wakes sang William Taylor in 1976 on their eponymous Trailer LP Muckram Wakes. Suzie Adams noted:
This ballad appears in some shape or form, wherever the English tongue is in evidence. A widespread popular song of Anglo-American origin, it appeared as a music hall parody under the name of Billy Taylor circa 1811. By present day standards, the ‘heroine’ was a murderer, and the question of why the Captain was ‘well pleased’ when she killed William is an intriguing one. One can only surmise that either he fancied Nancy Grey and admired the boldness of her action, or that he himself had a grudge against William Taylor. I first heard this song sung on record by Joseph Taylor of Brigg, Lincolnshire, and in his version, the heroine’s name is Sarah Grey.
Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise sang this song as Billy Taylor in 1978 on their Kettle/Folk-Legacy album For Foul Day and Fair. They noted:
Vic and Christine Smith from Brighton taught us this version of a very popular story in British Isles folklore. They learned it in turn from Jane and Cameron Turriff of Fetterangus. We’ve always enjoyed the twist in the last verse, an enjoyment that seems to be shared by U.S. audiences in particular.
Sophie Legg sang three verses of Young Billy Taylor in a recording made by Pete Coe in 1978 on the 2003 Veteran CD of songs from Cornish Travellers, Catch Me If You Can. Pete Coe sang William Taylor himself on his 1997 CD Long Company. Mike Yates noted on the first album:
In this well-known broadside ballad, William Taylor is engaged to be married, but is taken by the press gang and sent to sea. His bride-to-be dresses up as a sailor and follows after in search of William/Billy. Eventually finding him, she discovers that he has a new girlfriend—or new wife in some versions—and so she shoots him dead. The ballad, surprisingly, concludes with the girl being made an officer:
And then our Captain was well pleased,
He was well pleased with what she had done.
Soon she became a bold Commander,
Over the Captain and his men.Lucy Broadwood traced the ballad to a late 18th century stage song, “as sung by Mr.Bannister, Junr., at Several Theatres with great applause,” although Cecil Sharp (who collected a dozen versions in England) felt that the final verse was only added towards the end of the 19th century. Sophie’s version, as sometimes happens, is incomplete.
Hedgehog Pie sang William Taylor in 1978 on their Rubber album Just Act Normal.
Mabs Hall sang a fragment of William Taylor to Mike Yates in the 1980s. This recording was included in 2008 on her and Gordon Hall’s Veteran album As I Went Down to Horsham. John Howson and Mike Yates noted:
This fragment from Mabs is actually part of two songs. The first and last verse are from Bold William Taylor and the middle two are from I’ll Tell Mother (Roud 2649).
Bold William Taylor / Billy Taylor / Willy Taylor is a well known broadside ballad which usually tells the story of William who is engaged to be married and then press-ganged and sent to sea. His bride-to-be dresses up as a sailor and follows after him. When she finds him, he has a new girl friend (or often a wife) and she shoots him dead. Collector Lucy Broadwood traced the ballad to a late 18th century stage song. Joseph Taylor of Brigg, Lincolnshire, sang an almost complete version to Percy Grainger in 1908 (Tonight I’ll Make You My Bride) and Cornish traveller Sophie Legg sang a truncated version on Catch Me If You Can.
Iona & Peter Opie (The Singing Game, Oxford University Press, 1985) identified the second as a singing game which was ‘the rage’ in late Victorian times. In Ireland it became widespread under the title I’ll Tell Me Ma When I Go Home. It appears in Sam Henry’s Songs of the People as collected in Northern Ireland in 1924 but the source is not given. It was recorded in the 1960s by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and has been copied by many Irish folk groups since.
Heritage sang William Taylor in 1982 on their Plant Life album, Living by the Air. They noted:
A Somerset song on a very old and well-worn theme. A girl dresses as a man and enlists in the army to find her sweetheart.
June Tabor learned Hedy West’s version of Willie Taylor and sang it, accompanied by Martin Simpson on guitar, at Ormskirk Festival in March 1985. This live recording was included in 2005 on her Topic 4 CD anthology Always. She noted:
This is the tale of the young girl who, when her true love is taken away to go and fight in the navy, dresses up as a man and sets off to find him. As is compulsory in theses set-ups she has an unfortunate accident with her clothing in the middle of the battle. Which rather exposes the fact that she’s not a chap after all. After that everything goes to pieces.
The Voice Squad sang Willie Taylor on their 1987 album Many’s the Foolish Youth. Seán Corcoran noted:
Is this an early example of a woman’s liberation song? Of English origin, it owes its widespread distribution in the Irish tradition to the ballad-mongers. The source for this version was a remarkable singer called Pa Cassidy, from the village of Louth, in the county of Louth, whom I first recorded in 1971. He was 90 years young when this song was collected from him by Paddy Carolan and Liz McArdle, of Drogheda.
Patrick Street sang William Taylor in 1988 on their Green Linet album No. 2 Patrick Street.
Swan Arcade sang William Taylor on their 1990 CD Full Circle.
Whippersnapper sang William Taylor on their 1991 album Stories.
Jo Freya sang Bold William Taylor in 1992 on her Saydisc album Traditional Songs of England. The liner notes commented:
The composers Percy Grainger and George Butterworth numbered amongst several collectors who noted versions of this unlikely tale. The singer of the Butterworth version is unknown and that version forms the basis of the first eight verses. The last two verses are from a more infamous version as collected by Percy Grainger from Joseph Taylor in Ipswich in 1912.
Sue Brown and Lorraine Irwing sang William Taylor in 1997 on their WildGoose album Call & Cry. They noted:
One of many versions of this song on the well-known theme of a girl who dresses as a man to follow her true love to sea. As usual, he wishes she hadn’t. Based on the version collected by George Butterworth.
Bram Taylor sang William Taylor in 1997 on his CD Pick of the Grinner. He noted:
One of the finest traditional songs I have ever come across, with some pre-requisite ingredients of the tradition; the press gang, infidelity, murder and revenge. Was William ‘pressed to sea’? or perhaps, did he pre-arrange it? If the latter, then he certainly went to great lengths to avoid marriage to the first lady in the song.
Hen Party—Heather Bradford, Sarah Morgan, Alison Muir—sang William Taylor on their 2002 CD The Heart Gallery. They noted:
A traditional English folk song with traditional English folk song components: love, desertion, cross-dressing and so on.
Sarah Morgan returned to the song in 2009 on Craig Morgan Robson’s CD with the Askew Sisters of songs collected from five Hampshire women, The Axford Five. And she sang William Taylor accompanied by Jeff Gillett, live in front of an invited audience at The White Lion, Wherwell, Hampshire, in February 2012. The concert’s recording was released in the same year on their Forest Tracks album The Flowers and the Wine.
Bill Jones with Coope Boyes & Simpson singing harmony sang William Taylor on her 2001 album Panchpuran.
Magpie Lane sang Bold William Taylor on their 2002 CD Six for Gold. They noted:
“She shot her man, ’cause he was doin’ her wrong.”
Not in this case Frankie and Johnny, but Sarah Grey and William Taylor, in a song collected in Lincolnshire by the Australian composer Percy Grainger. The singer was a seventy-five year old Joseph Taylor, one of the finest English traditional singers ever recorded. Unusually for someone of his generation, we know just how good a singer Joseph Taylor was, as Grainger made cylinder recordings of him in 1908 which still survive today. His recording of this song is reproduced on Volume 6 of the Topic CD series Voice of the People.
Malinky sang Billy Taylor in 2002 on their second CD, 3 Ravens. They noted:
Adultery, cross-dressing and murder in only five verses! Karine [Polwart] first heard this sung by Alistair Brown from London, Ontario, who got it from the Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise album For Foul Day and Fair. Karine liked the lyrics so much that she started singing them to a tune of her own before she could chase up Cilla and Artie’s version. Thanks to Kris Drever for unwittingly helping with arrangement ideas.
Patterson Jordan Dipper sang Bold William Taylor on their 2002 CD Flat Earth. They noted:
[…] The woman comes out the winner again in William Taylor. There are so many versions of this song we are no longer sure where this one came from. Our suspicion is that it is an amalgamation of several learned over the years. What we can be sure of is that the surprisingly jaunty tune was learned by Ralph [Jordan] from the Fraser Sisters (with whom he has played for some years).
The Cecil Sharp Centenary Collective sang William Taylor in 2003 on their CD As I Cycled Out on a May Morning.
Isambarde sang William Taylor, in 2009 on their Live EP.
Jim Moray sang William Taylor, accompanied by Eliza Carthy on fiddle and Saul Rose on melodeon, on his 2009 CD In Modern History.
Jon Boden sang Dave Burland’s version of William Taylor as the 30 August 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.
Heidi Talbot sang Willie Taylor in 2010 on her Navigator album The Last Star.
Barbara Dymock sang Billy Taylor on her 2011 CD Hilbert’s Hotel. She noted:
This song appears in Bothy Songs and Ballads by John Ord in the “Soldiers, Sailors and Adventure” section. There are many versions of this song including at least 13 American versions. At one Irish singing festival I also heard four different Irish versions in one day. Seems like a popular story—hell hath no fury…
Gordon Jackson sang William Taylor on his 2011 album It’s Cold by the Door. He noted:
From Joseph Taylor (c.1833-c.1907) of Lincolnshire, via Martin Carthy.
Hannah James and Sam Sweeney recorded William Taylor it in 2012 for their second duo CD, State and Ancientry, noting:
This song was collected by Cecil Sharp in [September] 1903 from two sisters, Lucy White and Louie Hooper. The tune, although based on this version, is Hannah’s own interpretation. We also think it has one of the best last lines of any folk song!
This video shows Hannah James singing William Taylor in 2010 at an unknown venue:
Brian Peters sang William Taylor in 2013 on his and Jeff Davis’ CD Sharp’s Appalachian Harvest. He noted:
Sung by Rosie Hensley, Carmen, NC, 28 August 1916 [VWML CJS2/10/3333] .
Sharp and Karpeles met the Hensley family—Rosie, husband Reuben and daughter Emma—early in their first trip, and returned several times, dining with them and being made very welcome. All three sang, and Reuben played fiddle. Sharp, having provided some financial assistance for Emma’s education, was remarkably forgiving some weeks later when he met her running away from school, consoling himself with the thought that a Presbyterian education might have discouraged her from singing.William Taylor is a broadside ballad collected many time in England and less often in Scotland, often providing the titillating detail of an embarrassing ‘wardrobe malfunction’ in the young woman’s sailor uniform. Rosie Hensley sang a four-verse fragment from the latter part of the song; we’ve collated hers with two versions that Sharp found in Kentucky [Mrs. Talithah Powell, VWML CJS2/10/3751] [Mrs. Francis Carter, VWML CJS2/10/3991] .
This video shows Brian Peters at the National Folk Festival, Canberra, 2016:
Danny Spooner sang William Taylor on his 2013 CD Gorgeous, Game Girls.
The Rails sang William Taylor in 2014 on their Island album Fair Warning.
Iona Fyfe sang Billy Taylor on her 2015 EP The First Sangs. She noted:
A very popular song in Scots, English and Irish song Tradition. Otherwise known as Willie Taylor, the song theme is found in English and Irish variants. Billy Taylor is said to be the “music hall parody” of Bold William Taylor. Billy Taylor can otherwise be found in the Greig Duncan Folk Song Collection Volume 1.
Jim Malcolm sang Billy Taylor at Goodlyburn Theatre, Perth College, Perth, Scotland, in August 2015. This recording was included in the same year on his CD Live in Perth.
Alex Cumming and Nicola Beazley sang Billy Taylor on their 2016 CD Across the Water. They noted:
A popular song across UK and USA traditions, this song tells the tale of William Taylor and his love affair. His ‘onshore’ partner discovers Taylor with another, and she is not best pleased! This version was learnt from Scottish singer, Aaron Jones.
Fi Fraser recorded William Taylor with The Old Fashioned for their 2016 No Masters CD Strawberry Leaves. They noted:
One of Fi’s favourites although on this occasion she has left out the last verse where the female protagonist is made a bold commander over a ship and all its men.
Rosie Hodgson sang Willy Taylor on her 2016 CD Rise Aurora. She noted:
We’ve set the words of Willy Taylor to a traditional tune transcribed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, but managed to preserve the chorus from the original tune in the form of a fiddle fill. Since then, we have found the same melody on Fay Hield’s fantastic album Orfeo. Did someone say “living tradition” ?!
Martin Simpson and Nancy Kerr sang Willie Taylor in 2016 on the B-side of their Topic Record Store Day single Green Onions and on the 2017 Appalachian ballad tradition anthology Big Bend Killing.
Julie Claire sang William Taylor in 2017 on the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble’s album Painted.
Rosie Hood sang William’s Sweetheart on the BBC Folk Awards 2016 anthology and on her 2017 RootBeat CD The Beautiful & the Actual. She noted:
Based upon William Taylor collected from Henry ‘Wassail’ Harvey, Cricklade, by Alfred Williams. I rewrote this traditional song to be from the point of view of the girl who William Taylor leaves behind. Her name isn’t mentioned in the original song, hence the new title.
The tune comes from Joseph Taylor’s Bold William Taylor on The Voice of the People 6.
This video shows Rosie with her touring band of Emma Smith, Nicola Beazley and Ollie King at Shepley Spring Festival 2017:
The Alistair McCulloch Trio sang Billy Taylor on their 2018 album Off the Hook. They noted:
Aaron [Jones] first heard this song by Singing Kettle duo Artie Trezise and Cilia Fisher as Artie says “…pre-Kettle”. A classic tale, it includes the three main pre-requisites for all good trad songs… adultery, murder and cross dressing.
Sherburn Bartley Sanders sang William Taylor on their 2018 album Beguile. They noted:
A song often sung in the folk clubs of Staffordshire where Emily [Sanders] spent her formative years. As you know, there are many, many versions of this song; this is an amalgamation of lyrics she learnt growing up, but the tune is now the one she came across by Aaron Jones and Claire Mann. Emily loves a good song where the woman actually triumphs—although William Taylor may not agree!
James Findlay sang William Taylor on his 2019 CD The Where and the When. He noted:
Cross dressing and running off to sea are not uncommon themes in folk songs but rarely seems to work out for the best, In true traditional spirit, the female protagonist is led to shoot her false-hearted boyfriend and his lover when she catches up with them. I learnt this version from my mum who informs me that she pinched it from the Voice Squad.
Mossy Christian sang William Taylor on his 2020 CD Come Nobles and Heroes, giving Joseph Taylor as his source.
Folklincs sang William Taylor on their 2020 album Songs & Tunes From North Lincolnshire. They noted:
This was sung by Joseph Taylor of Saxby All Saints and phonographed by Percy Grainger in Brigg on 28 July 1906.
(Lead Singer: Lisa Oliver)
The Haar sang Willie Taylor in 2020 on their eponymous first album, The Haar.
Artie Trezise and Ian Bruce sang Willie Taylor in 2023 on Bruce’s album Together Forever. He noted:
What a huge space in my heart I have for Artie Trezise and his wife Cilia. I always loved their voices. They’re best known as “The Singing Kettle” although I think our friendship slightly predates that popular show. I do remember visiting them in Kingskettle in 1980. I was so chuffed. (Now that I live near there myself I wish they’d never moved to Glasgow!) I honestly cannot remember exactly how we met but I’m so glad we did. I was still living at home with Mum when they came for tea and had with them a first copy of one of their Singing Kettle videos which we watched together. I had been terribly unwell. Nervous breakdown, which stopped me singing. I was in a bad way. Cilia and Artie were going straight from our house to tour some English folk clubs. (They must have run both acts in parallel for a while before Singing Kettle really took off.) They insisted I pack a bag and go with them. I wanted to but resisted as my confidence had hit rock bottom. After their further insistence I stuffed my holdall and went with them for a couple of weeks. How can I ever thank them for lifting my spirit again?
After many years I asked if Cilia and Artie would record with me for this album. Sadly Cilia no longer sings which is such a loss. How to feel my major goosebumps again I will never know. Ugh! Artie still is in fine voice and he suggested Billy Taylor as a duet and sent me a rough that I might learn this song that I had never heard of. I took the mobile studio to their magnificent pad and we sang together. Artie takes full lead and I harmonise and play guitar, mandolin and other stuff I think. It’s a simple rendition greatly augmented by the superb accordion of Gregor Lowrey which was, again, recorded in his home studio. I hope you all enjoy this. I had a great time recording with Artie. Thank you so much Mr. Trezise.
Adrienne O’Shea sang Willie Taylor on her 2023 album Threads of Gold. She noted:
This is another song that I learned from Dáithí Sproule as a child and this version, unlike others, comes from Ireland in Co Louth. I loved the excitement and redemption for the woman in this song, and dreamed about one day having a version of my own to record and sing.
Andy Turner sang William Taylor, as an example of songs from Kent, as the 23 December 2024 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.
Please note that William Taylor the Poacher (Roud 851) as sung by George ‘Pop’ Maynard, and by Martin Carthy on Crown of Horn, is a completely different song that is also known as Keepers and Poachers.
Lyrics
Joseph Taylor sings Bold William Taylor
I’ll sing you a song about two lovers,
Who from Lichfield town they came.
The young man’s name was William Taylor,
The maiden’s name was Sarah Grey.
William Taylor he has ’listed,
For a soldier he has gone.
He has gone and left his own true lover
For to sigh and for to mourn.
Sally’s parents did despise her,
Filled her heart with grief and woe;
And then at last she vowed and told them
For a soldier she would go.
She dressed herself in man’s apparel,
Man’s apparel she put on;
Then for to seek her own true lover
For to seek him she has gone.
One day as she were exercising,
Exercising one, two, three,
A silver chain hung down her waistcoat
And exposed her lily-white breast.
The sergeant-major stepped up to her,
Asking her what brought her there,
“I’ve come to search out my true lover
Who has proved to me so dear.”
“If you’ve come to seek your own true lover,
I pray you tell to me his name.”
“His name it is bold William Taylor,
O, from Lichfield town he came.”
“If his name be William Taylor,
William Taylor is not here;
He’s lately married a rich young lady,
Worth ten thousand pound a year.”
“If you rise early in the morning,
Just before the break of day,
Why there you’ll find bold William Taylor,
A-walking out with his lady fair.”
Then she rose early in the morning,
Just before the break of day;
And there she spied bold William Taylor
A-walking out with his lady fair.
And then she called for a sword and a pistol,
Which was brought at her command;
She fired and shot bold William Taylor,
With his bride at his right hand.
And then the captain stepped up to her,
Was well pleased at what she’d done.
He took her and made her a bold commander
Over a ship and all his men.
Henry ‘Wassail’ Harvey sings William Taylor
William Taylor was a brisk young sailor,
Once he courted a lady gay.
But a little before they could get married
Pressed he was and sent away.
Five long years she waited for him,
She thought him either dead or drowned.
“If he’s alive I’ll love him dearly,
And if he’s dead for him I’ll mourn.”
She dressed herself in man’s apparel,
And oldly boarded a man of war;
With her lily-white hands and her long small fingers
Dabbling in the pitch and tar.
And when shee reached the field of battle
There she fought with all the rest;
But the wind being high, blew her waistcoat apparel
And there they spied her lily-white breast.
As soon as the captain he did see her,
Saying, “What wind has blown you here?”
“I’ve come to seek my dearest William Taylor—
You’ve pressed the man I love so dear.”
“Is William Taylor your true lover?
If he is, he’s a false young man;
For tomorrow morning he’s going to be married,
To some lady of this land.
“If you rise early tomorrow morning,
Early by the break of day;
Then you will see your dearest William Taylor,
Walking with some lady gay.”
Then she rose early in the morning,
Early by the break of day;
And there she saw her dearest William Taylor,
Walking with some lady gay.
She boldly called for a brace of pistols
Which were brought at her command;
And there she shot her dearest William Taylor,
With his bride at his right hand.
Then the captain being a brave-hearted fellow,
Well pleased was he to see the fun;
Saying, “If you’ll be the captain I’ll be the commander,
And over the seas we will roll on.”
Soon as the captain he beheld her,
For the deed she had done;
Then he made her his chief commander,
Over a ship of five hundred men.
She’s married and is the captain’s wife,
Was married in October;
They live a sweet and contented life,
There’s none in the world above.
Harold Covill sings William Taylor
Bold William Taylor, he’s enlisted
And for a soldier he has gone.
He’s gone and left his own dear Susan
All for to fret and all for to mourn.
Now Susan’s parents, they did prevent it,
Which filled her heart with grief and woe.
She dressed herself up in man-like uniform
And for a soldier she did go.
Now on the next day morning she was exercised,
Exercised among with the rest.
With her silver chains hanging down her waistcoat
Which did betray her lily-white breast.
Now the next day morning she was exercising,
The captain asked her how came she there.
“O sire, I’m searching for one of your soldiers
And one of them I love so dear.”
“But if you rise early on the next day morning,
A little before the break of day.
There you will see bold William Taylor
A-marching with his lady gay.”
Now she rose early on the next day morning.
Always after the break of day.
And there she saw her bold William Taylor
A-marching with his lady gay.
She quickly ordered a brace of pistols
And they were brought at her command.
And there she shot bold William Taylor,
Likewise his bride on his left arm.
Dave Burland sings William Taylor
William Taylor was a brisk young sailor
He who courted a lady gay.
Well, bells were ringing and sailors singing
As to church they did repair.
Now forty couple were at the wedding,
All were dressed in rich array.
Instead of William getting married
He was pressed and sent away.
So she dressed up in a man’s apparel,
Man’s apparel she put on,
And she has gone to find her true love,
Afore to find him she has gone.
And then the captain stepped up to her,
Saying, “Fair maid, what’s brought you here?”
“Oh, I am a-come to find my true love
Whom I lately loved so dear.”
“If you have come to find your true love,
Well, tell me what his name may be.”
“Oh, his name is William Taylor,
And from the Irish ranks came he.”
“If you rise early the very next morning,
If you rise up at the break of day,
Then you shall see your true love William
Walking with a lady gay.”
So she rose early the very next morning,
And she rose up at the break of day,
And there she saw her true love William
Walking with a lady gay.
So sword and pistol she did order
To be brought at her command,
And she has shot her true love William
With the bride on his right hand.
Robin and Barry Dransfield sing Bold William Taylor
I’ll tell you a story about two lovers,
O from Lichfield town they came.
The young man’s name was William Taylor,
Sally Grey was the maiden’s name.
William Taylor he is listed,
For a soldier he is gone.
He has left his own true lover
For to sigh and for to mourn.
Sally’s parents they did despise,
Filled her heart with grief and woe.
And then at last she vowed and promised
For a soldier she would go.
So she dressed herself in man’s apparel,
Man’s apparel she put on.
Then off to seek Bold William Taylor,
For to seek him she has gone.
One day as she was exercising,
Exercising, one, two, three,
A silver chain pulled down her waiscoat
And exposed her lilywhite breast.
So the sergeant-major he stepped up to her,
Asking what brought her here.
“I’ve come to seek my own true lover
Who has proved to me severe.”
“Well, if you’ve come to seek your own true lover,
I pray you tell to me his name.”
“His name it is Bold William Taylor
And from Lichfield town he came.”
“Well, if his name be William Taylor,
William Taylor he is not here.
He’s lately married a rich young lady,
Worth ten thousand pounds a year.
“If you rise early in the morning,
Just before the break of day,
It’s there you’ll spy Bold William Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.”
So she rose early in the morning,
Just before the break of day.
And there she spied Bold William Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.
So then she’s called for a sword and pistol,
That was brought at her command.
She fired and shot Bold William Taylor
With his bride at his right hand.
Well then the captain he stepped up to her,
Pleased well at what she had done.
He took her and made her a bold commander
Of a ship and all the men.
Martin Carthy sings William Taylor
I’ll sing you a song of two young lovers,
Oh from Lichfield town they came.
Oh the young man’s name was William Taylor,
Sarah Grey was the maiden’s name.
William Taylor he has enlisted,
For a soldier he has gone.
And he’s gone and he’s left his own true lover
For to sigh and for to moan.
Sally’s parents they abused her,
Filled her heart with much grief and woe;
And for to seek young William Taylor
For a soldier she would go.
She dressed herself in man’s apparel,
Man’s apparel she’s put on;
And for to seek young William Taylor
For a soldier she has gone.
One day as she was exercising,
Exercising one, two, three, all with the rest,
Oh a silver chain fell down from her waistcoat
And exposed her lily-white breast.
The sergeant he stepped up to her,
He asked her, “Young lady, what brings you here?”
“Oh I’ve come in search of William Taylor
Who was pressed from me last year.”
“Oh if you come in search of William Taylor,
William Taylor he’s not here;
For I do hear that he’s to be married
To some lovely lady fair.”
“And if you rise early in the morning,
Early at the break of day,
Oh it’s there you’ll see your William Taylor
Walking out with the ladies gay.”
So she rose early in the morning,
Early at the break of the very next day;
And it’s there she’s seen her William Taylor
Walking out with the ladies gay.
She has called for a brace of pistols,
A brace of pistols was brought all there to her hand;
And she’s shot William Taylor
With his bride at his right hand.
Frankie Armstrong sings William Taylor
I’ll sing you a song of two true lovers,
And from Linsfield town they came.
The young man’s name was William Taylor,
The young woman’s name was Sarah Jane.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Oh the vows, oh the breezes,
Vows and breezes fade away.
Thirty pairs were at their wedding;
They were dressed in rich array;
But ’stead of William being married,
He was pressed and sent to sea.
So she’s dressed herself in man’s apparel,
Gone to fight amongst the rest;
The wind did blow her jacket open,
There they saw her lily-white breast.
So the Captain he stepped up to Sarah,
Asked her what had brought her here.
She cries, “I’m seeking my own true lover,
Whom I lately loved so dear.”
“If you’re seeking for your own true lover then,
Tell me what his name may be.”
She cries, “His name is William Taylor,
From the Irish ranks came he.”
“If your love’s name be William Taylor then,
He has proved to you severe,
He was wed to a rich young lady,
He was wed this very same day.
“Rise up early tomorrow morning,
Early at the break of day;
And you’ll see your William Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.”
She rose early the very next morning,
Early at the break of day;
And she saw her William Taylor,
Walking out with his lady gay.
She called for a brace of pistols
A brace of pistols she did command,
And she shot her William Taylor
With his bride at his right hand.
Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise sing Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor was a sailor
Full of joy and beauty gay;
’Stead o’ Billy gettin’ married
He was pressed and forced away.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Fol rol lol, de rol lo lie do,
Fol rol lol, de rol lol lay
But the bride soon followed after
Under the name o’ Richard Carr:
Snow-white fingers long and slender,
A’ covered over wi’ pitch and tar.
She’s buttoned on the sailor’s clothing,
Dressed herself up like a man;
Awa’ she sailed like a tarry sailor
All aboard the Mary Anne.
A storm arose upon the ocean,
She being there among the rest.
The wind blew off her silver buttons;
Then appeared her snow-white breast.
“Now,” says the captain, “My fair lady,
Come pray tell me what’s his name?”
“Some folk ca’ him Billy Tailor,
But Willie Taylor is his name.”
“If Billy Taylor’s your true lover,
He has proved to you untrue;
He’s got married tae another,
Left ye here alone to rue.
“Rise ye early in the mornin’,
Early by the break o’ day,
There ye’ll see young Billy Taylor
Walkin’ oot wi’ his lady gay.”
She rose early the next mornin’,
Early by the break o’ day,
There she saw young Billy Taylor
Walkin’ oot wi’ his lady gay.
Gun and pistol she’s commanded,
Gun and pistol by her side;
She has shot young Billy Taylor
Walkin’ oot wi’ his new-made bride.
“Now,” says the captain, “My fair lady,
Come tell me what you’ve done.”
“I have shot young Billy Taylor
Wi’ a double-barred gun.”
When the captain did behold her
And the deed that she has done,
He has made her chief commander
Over a ship and a hundred men.
Sophie Legg sings Young Billy Taylor
Young Billy Taylor was a smart young fellow,
But he was a false and deceitful young man;
And tomorrow morning he’s going to be married,
To a girl in our town.
So if you get up tomorrow morning,
Just before the break of day;
Then you’ll see your young Billy Taylor,
Walking with his lady gay.
A brace of pistols she did call for,
A brace of pistols to her command;
And there she shot that young Billy Taylor,
With his bride on his right hand.
Mabs Hall sings William Taylor
If you rise up early in the morning.
Just before the break of day.
You will see young William Taylor.
Walking with his lady gay.
Oh she’s handsome and she’s pretty.
She’s a girl from London city.
She came courting one, two, three.
Pray will you tell, who it may be.
Billy Taylor says he loves her.
All the boys are fighting for her.
Let them say just what they will.
Old Billy Taylor loves her still.
William Taylor, bold young sailor.
Just come courting a lady gay.
William Taylor bold young sailor
William Taylor is his name.
June Tabor sings Willie Taylor
Willie Taylor, youthful lover,
Full of love and loyalty,
Just as he was about to get married
Pressed he was and sent to sea.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Ride the ring rattle-de-ho
Rattle-diddle-day-te
Rattle-diddle-day
She dressed herself in man’s apparel,
Went by the name of Richard Carr.
Pretty little fingers all red and rosy
All bedaubed with pitch and tar.
One day in the heat of battle,
Shot and shell were flying there.
Silver button flew off her waistcoat,
Left her lily-white breast quite bare.
Then up stepped her bold commander,
Says, “Fair maid what brought you here?”
“Come in search of Willie Taylor
Who was pressed from me last year.”
“You come in search of Willie Taylor,
Willie Taylor, he’s not here.
I do hear he lately got married
To some lovely lady fair.
“If you rise early in the morning
Just before the break of day,
There you’ll see your Willie Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.”
She rose early in the morning
Just before the break of day;
There she spied her Willie Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.
She’s called for a brace of pistols
That were brought at her command;
Fired and shot her false Willie
And the bride at his right hand.
Come all you young men, pay attention,
Don’t play tricks on your young wives.
Willie got shot and Polly got drownèd
And that was the end of both their lives.
The Voice Squad sings Willie Taylor
Willy Taylor and his youthful lover,
Full of mirth and loyalty.
They were going to the church to be married,
He was pressed and sent on sea.
Chorus (after each verse):
Dally dilly dum dilly dum dum dum dum,
Dally dilly dum dilly dum dum dey.
She dressed herself up like a sailor,
On her breast she wore a star,
Her beautiful fingers long and slender,
She gave them all just a smear of tar.
On this ship there being a skirmish,
She being one amongst the rest,
A silver button flew off her jacket,
There appeared her snow white breast.
Said the captain to his fair maid,
“What misfortune has took you here?”
“I’m in search of my true lover
Whom you pressed on the other year.”
“If you’re in search of your true lover,
Pray come tell to me his name,
Willy Taylor they do call him
But Fitzgerald is his name.”
“Let you get up tomorrow morning,
Early as the break of day,
There you’ll find your Willy Taylor,
Walking along with his lady gay.”
She got up the very next morning,
Early as the break of day,
There she spied her Willy Taylor
Walking along with his lady gay.
She drew out a brace of pistols
That she had at her command,
There she shot her Willy Taylor
With his bride at his right hand.
When the Captain came to hear it,
Of the deed that she had done,
He made her a ship’s commander,
Over a vessel for the Isle of Man.
Patrick Street sing Billy Taylor
William Taylor was a brisk young sailor
Full of heart and full of play
’Til his mind he did uncover
To a youthful lady gay
Four and twenty British sailors
Met him on the King’s highway
As he went for to be married
Pressed he was and sent away
Chorus (after every other verse):
Folleri-de-dom, de-daerai diddero
Folleri-de-dom, domme daerai dae
Folleri-de-dom, de-daerai diddero
Folleri-de-dom, domme daerai dae
Sailor’s clothing she put on
And she went onboard of a man-o-war.
Her pretty little fingers long and slender,
They were smeared with pitch and tar.
On that ship there was a battle,
She amongst the rest did fight.
The wind blew off her silver buttons,
Breasts were bared all snowy white.
When the captain did discover
He said, “Fair maid, what brought you here?”
“Sir, I’m seeking William Taylor.
Pressed he was by you last year!”
“If you rise up in the morning
Early at the break of day,
There you’ll spy young William Taylor
Walking with his lady gay.”
She rose early in the morning
Early at the break of day,
There she spied young William Taylor
Walking with his lady gay.
She procured a pair of pistols,
On the ground where she did stand.
There she shot poor William Taylor
And the lady at his right hand.
Jo Freya sings Bold William Taylor
William Taylor has enlisted,
For a sailor he has gone.
He’s gone and left his lovely Susan
For to weep and for to moan.
Now Susan’s parents they did despise her,
Which filled her heart with grief and woe.
She’s gone and dressed in men’s apparel,
And for a sailor she did go.
One morning as she was exercising,
Exercising with her bow,
Her bonny blue jacket it did fly open,
And her lily-white breast did show.
The captain he then stepped up to her.
Asking her as how she came.
“I’ve come in search of one of your soldiers,
One of whom I dearly love.”
“If you’ve come in search of one of my soldiers,
Pray tell me the young man’s name.”
“The young man’s name is bold William Taylor,
Straight from Dublin town he came.”
“If you rise early in the morning,
Early at the break of day,
It’s there you’ll see bold William Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.”
She rose early the next morning,
Early at the break of day.
It’s there she ‘spied bold William Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay.
A brace of pistols she has called for,
And they were brought at her command.
She fired and shot bold William Taylor,
And his bride on his right arm.
He rolled under, she rolled over,
He rolled onto his left side
That’s how she served bold William Taylor,
For she should have been his bride.
The captain he then stepped up to her,
Pleased well by what she’s done.
He took her and made her a bold commander
Over a ship and all its men.
John Roberts and Tony Barrand sing William Taylor
I’ll sing you a song about two lovers,
O from Lichfield town they came;
The young man’s name was William Taylor,
Sarah Grey was the lady’s name.
William Taylor he has ’listed,
For a soldier he has gone.
He’s gone and left his own true lover
For to weep and for to mourn.
Sarah’s parents did despise her,
Filled her heart with grief and woe,
So then at last she’s vowed and told them
For a soldier she would go.
She dressed herself in man’s apparel,
Man’s apparel she’s put on,
Then for to seek her own true lover,
For to seek him she has gone.
One day as she was exercising,
Exercising, one, two, three,
A silver chain pulled down her waistcoat,
And exposed her lily-white breast.
The sergeant-major stepped up to her,
Asking her what brought her here,
“I’ve come to seek for my true lover,
Who has proved to me severe.”
“If you’ve come to seek for your true lover,
I pray you, tell to me his name.”
“His name it is bold William Taylor,
O from Lichfield town he came.”
“Well, if his name be William Taylor,
William Taylor is not here,
He’s lately married a rich young lady,
Worth ten thousand pounds a year.
“But if you rise early in the morning,
Just before the break of day,
Right here you’ll find bold William Taylor,
Walking out with his lady gay.”
So she rose early in the morning,
Just before the break of day,
Right there she spied bold William Taylor,
Walking out with his lady gay.
So then she’s called for a sword and a pistol,
Which were brought at her command,
She fired and shot bold William Taylor,
With his lady at his right hand.
Then the captain stepped up to her,
Pleased well at what she’s done;
He’s gone and made her a bold commander
Over a ship and all its men.
So, come all young men from Wells and London,
If ’twere served the same as she,
It’s very sad would be young women:
Very scarce young men would be.
Bill Jones sings William Taylor
I’ll sing you a song about two true lovers,
From Southampton town they came.
The young man’s name was William Taylor,
The young lass’s name was Sarah Jane.
Chorus (after each verse):
Fol the diddle um, day oh a ride oh
Fol the diddle um, dum a dair rye day
Going to church for to get married,
Sarah was dressed in rich array.
William knew that he loved another,
So he fled and went to sea.
Sarah dressed in sailor’s clothing,
Sailor’s clothing she put on.
She’s gone to find her own true lover,
For to find him she has gone.
On the ship there was a battle,
She was one among the rest.
Her jacket quickly fell to pieces,
Sailors spied a lady dressed.
The captain asked what brought her here,
And to him well she did say:
“I’ve come to find my own cruel William,
He left on our wedding day.”
“If your lover’s William Taylor,
It happens that I know him well.
He’s living with a rich young lassie,
In the Isle of Man they dwell.
“Rise up early in the morning,
And walk down by the silvery strand.
There you’ll find your own cruel William,
Walking and holding his lover’s hand.”
Sarah rose in the morning early,
A brace of pistols she did command.
She fired and she shot her William Taylor,
With his bride at his right hand.
Then the captain was well pleased,
He was well pleased by what she done.
Soon she became a bold commander
Of the captain and his men.
Malinky sing Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor was a sailor,
He was courting a fair lady.
Instead of Billy getting married
He was forced untae the sea.
But his bride soon followed after
Under the name of Richard Carr,
Snow white fingers long and slender
Covered ower wi’ pitch and tar.
Chorus (after each verse):
Far-da-ral-da-rum-dum-daddy
Fal-da-ral-de-rum-dum-day
She’s dressed herself in sailor’s clothing,
Oh but she was a bonnie young man.
Away she sailed upon the ocean
All aboard the Mary Anne.
A storm arose upon the water,
She being there amang the rest,
The wind blew off her silver buttons and
There appeared her snow-white breast.
“Well now,” says the captain, “My dear lady,
What misfortune brought you here?”
“I’m in search of my true lover
Whom you have pressed the other year.”
“Well,” says the captain, “My dear lady,
Tell to me the young man’s name.”
“Some folk call him Billy Taylor,
William Taylor is his name..”
“Well if Billy Taylor’s your dear lover
Then he has proved to you untrue;
He’s got married tae another
And left you here alone to rue.”
“Rise ye early in the mornin’,
Early at the break of day,
And there you’ll spy young Billy Taylor
Walkin’ oot wi’ his lady gay.”
She rose early up next mornin’,
Early at the break of day,
And there she spied young Billy Taylor
Walkin’ oot wi’ his lady gay.
Gun and pistol she commanded,
Gun and pistol at her side;
And there she shot – young Billy Taylor,
Walkin’ oot wi’ his new-made bride.
Heidi Talbot sings Willie Taylor
Willie Taylor was a brisk young sailor
He who courted a lady fair.
Bells are ringing, sailors singing
As to church they did repair.
Now thirty couples were at the wedding,
All were dress’d in rich array.
But instead of William being married
He was press’d and sent away.
She dress’d herself in man’s apparel,
Man’s apparel she put on.
And then she follow’d her own true lover;
For to find him she is gone.
Then the Captain he stepp’d up to her
Asking her “What’s brought you here?”
“O I have come to seek my true love
Whom I’ve lately loved so dear.”
“Now if you’ve come to see your true love
Tell me what his name may be.”
“O his name its William Taylor
From the Irish ranks came he.”
“Then you rise early tomorrow morning,
You rise at the break of day.
There you’ll see your true love William
Walking with a lady gay.”
She rose early the very next morning,
She rose up at the break of day.
There she saw her true love William
Walking with a lady gay.
Sword and pistol she then ordered
To be brought at her command,
And she shot her true love William Taylor
With his bride on his right hand.
Now if all young folks in Kells or Dublin
Were served the same as she served he,
Then young girls would all be undone
How very scarce young men would be!
Hannah James sings William Taylor
William Taylor was a brisk young sailor
He who courted a lady fair.
Bells were ringing and sailors singing
As to church they did repair.
Thirty couples were at the wedding,
They were dressed in a rich array.
’Stead of William being married
He was pressed and sent to sea.
She’s dressed herself in a man’s apparel,
A man’s apparel she’s put on,
And she’s follow’d her true love William,
For to find him she has gone.
And then the captain he stepped up to her,
Asking her what she did here;
“Oh, I’ve come to seek my true love
Whom I lately loved so dear.”
“If you have come to seek your true love,
Tell me then what his name may be.”
“Oh, his name is William Taylor,
From the Irish ranks came he.”
“You rise up early in the morning,
You rise up by the break of day,
There you’ll see your true love William
Walking with some lady gay.”
She rose up early in the morning,
She rose up by the break of day,
There she saw her true love William
Walking with some lady gay.
She for a sword and a pistol ordered
To be brought to her command,
And she shot her true love William
With his bride on his right hand.
If all young men from Wells or London
Were served the same as she served he,
Young girls then would soon be undone,
How very scarce young men would be.
Brian Peters sings William Taylor
Young William was a bold true lover
Full of pride and such youthful ways.
But when his love it he discover
It was for a lady gay.
The day was set for them to marry,
Dressed they were and all ready.
But instead of William being married,
Pressed he was and sent to sea.
She dressed herself in a sailor’s jacket,
On the sea all for to sail.
“Now may I eat only bread and water
Till I see his face again.”
“Good lass, good lass, what is the matter?
What’s the fortune that’s brought you here?”
“I am in pursuit of my own true lover
Who sailed away the other year.”
“If you’re in pursuit of your own true lover,
Then, good lass, tell me his name.”
“His name it is young William Taylor
Who sailed away across the main.”
“If his name it is young William Taylor,
Very like I know the man.
If you’ll rise early in the morning
You will see him walking on the strand.”
So she rose early the very next morning,
Just before the break of day.
And there she spied young William Taylor
Walking with a lady gay.
“O is this you, young William Taylor?
And by your side is this your wife?
The one that’s got you never shall enjoy you,
For this wicked crime I’ll end your life.”
She called for a sword and a brace of pistols;
They were brought at her command.
And there she shot young William Taylor,
And he held his new bride by the hand.
So William’s shot by his own dear Polly,
These two lovers they had to part.
Now all young men, pray pay attention
How you treat your own sweethearts.
Jim Malcolm sings Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor was a sailor,
He was courtin’ his fair lady.
Instead of Billy gettin’ married
He was forced untae the sea.
But his bride soon followed after
Under the name of Richard Carr,
Snow-white fingers, long and slender,
Covered ower wi pitch and tar.
Chorus (after each verse):
Fal-da-ral-da-rum-dum-deddy,
Fal-da-ral-de-rum-dum-day.
She’s dressed herself in sailor’s clothing,
O but she was a bonny young man.
Away she sailed upon the ocean
All aboard the Mary Anne.
A storm blew up upon the water,
She bein’ there among the rest.
The wind blew off her silver buttons
And there appeared her snow-white breast.
“Well,” says the captain, “my dear lady,
What misfortune brought you here?”
“I am searching for another
Whom you have pressed the other year.”
“Well,” said the captain, “my dear lady,
Tell to me the young man’s name.”
“Some folk call him Billy Taylor, William
Taylor is his name.”
“Well if Billy Taylor’s your dear lover
Then he has proved to you untrue.
He’s got married tae another
And left you here alone to rue.
Rise ye early in the mornin
Early at the break of day,
And there you’ll see young Billy Taylor
Walkin’ oot wi’ his lady gay.”
She rose early up next mornin’,
Early at the break of day,
And there she spied young Billy Taylor
Walkin out wi his lady gay.
Gun and pistol she commanded,
Gun and pistol by her side,
And there she shot young Billy Taylor
Walking out wi his new-made bride.
Rosie Hood sings William’s Sweetheart
William Taylor was a brisk young sailor,
Once he courted me most every day.
But a little before we could get married
Pressed he was and sent away.
Five long years I waited for him,
I thought him either dead or drowned.
If he’s alive I’ll love him dearly,
And if he’s dead for him I’ll mourn.
I dressed myself in man’s apparel,
Boldly boarded a man of war;
With my lily-white hands and my long small fingers
Dabbling in the pitch and tar.
When we reached the field of battle
There I fought with all the rest;
But the wind being high, blew my waistcoat apparel
And there they spied my lily-white breast.
As soon as the captain he did see me,
Saying, “What wind has blown you here?”
“I’ve come to seek my dearest William Taylor—
You’ve pressed the man I love so dear.”
“If William Taylor is your true lover,
Well, a false-hearted man is he;
For tomorrow morning he’s going to be married,
To some lady of this land.
“If you rise early in the morning,
Early by the break of day;
Then you will find your dearest William Taylor,
Walking with some lady gay.”
So I rose early in the morning,
Early by the break of day;
And there I spied my dearest William Taylor,
Walking with some lady gay.
I boldly called for a brace of pistols
Which were brought at my command;
And there I shot my dearest William Taylor,
With his bride at his right hand.
The Mollag Band from the Isle of Man sings Willy Taylor
Willy was a stupid bastard,
Not a brain-cell in his head.
Left his true love for another,
She came back and shot him dead.