John Reilley, Lyric Variant 06

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Ballads, English

Ballads, Irish

Courtship--Songs and music

Homecoming--Songs and music

Sailors--Songs and music

Love--Songs and music

John Reilly, George Reilly, John Riley, John Riley's Courtship, George Riley, The Constant Damsel

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

John Reilly

As I walked out one morning early
All for to take the sweet Morning air,
'Twas there I spied a young Irish lady
Who seemed to me like diamonds fair.

I stepped up to her and kindly asked her
If she would be a young sailor's wife.
“Oh no,” said she, “ I will not marry,
I prefer to live a single life”.

Oh, what's the reason that youv won't marry ?
You differ from all female kind,
For you are young, both fair and handsome,
And sure to get married your mind's inclined.

“I could have been married to one John Reilly,
I could have been married three years ago,
But he has left me and crossed the ocean,
And he was the cause of my overthrow”.

“Do leave John Reilly and do disdain him,
And go with me to some foreign shore.
And we'll sail over to California,
And bid adieu to Reilly ever more.”

“I will not go with you to California,
I will not go with you to some foreign shore,
My heart's with Reilly, and ne'er can leave him,
Although I see him never more.”

And when he found that her love was loyal,
He gave her kisses, both one , two, and three,
Saying, “I'm the man you call John Reilly,
And I have come for to marry thee ! “

Brown, Older Ballads - Mostly British - 93 Randolph, 56 Cox, 95

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