Marie Hare - Rosy Nell (Swinging in the Lane)

Recorded in 1959 at the Miramichi Folk Song Festival.

Mrs. Hare seems to sing Rosy Nell to the same tune that others sing "Peelhead", which appears elsewhere in the Manny collection as (024-03), (079-04), (092-02), and (111-02). A fragment of the lyrics can be found at the Traditional Ballad Index here: http://www.csufresno.edu/folklore/supptrad.html.

014-03

Lyrics
How oft we talked of childhood joys and tricks we used to play,

upon each other while at school to pass the time away,

and oft the memory comes to me I live the days again,

when little rosy Nell and I went swinging in the lane.

and oh I’d give this world to be with Rosy Nell again,

I never never will forget our swinging in the lane,

The boys and girls they used to go a-fishing in the brooks,

with spools of thread for fishing lines and bended pins for hooks,

they ofttimes wished me with them then but they always wished in vain,

I’d rather be with Rosy Nell a swinging in the lane.

but soon a cloud of sorrow came, a strange young man from town,

was introduced to Rosy Nell by Aunt Jemimah Brown,

she stayed away from school next day, the truth to me was plain,

she’d gone away with that city chap a swinging in the lane.

and oh id give this world to be with Rosy Nell again,

I never never will forget our swinging in the lane.

now all young men with tender hearts,

pray take advice by me, be not too quick to fall in love with every girl you see,

for if you do you’ll surely find, you’ve only loved in vain,

for shell go off with another chap a swinging in the lane.

and oh I’d give this world to be with Rosy Nell again,

I never never will forget a-swinging in the lane.