The wandering ballad singer; Bad women

And I'll walk the road again my boy is on the road again. If the weather be fair I'll call my hair and I'll walk the road again. Washington State University presents the wandering balancing her Barry took in with songs that vividly describe the history and folklore of a pioneering country. And you know. One of the all time favorite ballad subjects is that of mean or crazy women. They usually mistreat their men but somehow the men manage to come from behind to win the moral victory by the end of the ballot. Even if it's only to give some moral which might save other poor men from the sad fate of matrimony one of the best of these songs is this one from Scotland called devilishly Marian. I went up to London to cart off a young lady.

I inquired about her name and they called Rev. Mary Terry Her eyes were blue and her hair was brown and devilishly. Well me and Mary Gunda card she got in her. She winked her eye at a mother and said she'd marry me next Thursday. Her eyes were blue and her hair was brown and devilishly. Well we hadn't been married but when I thought we'd be parted she jobbed a knife into my side. Divorce proceedings started to ring her eyes were blue and her hair was brown and revolutionary. Well she tore my heart when she tore my shirt of it as she jumped and kicked and snapped her

teeth and said she'd wear my bridges Terry. Her eyes were blue and her hair was brown and devilishly by her get married again a little before. Not riches. I'll get me a girl about two feet tall so she can wear my bridges. Mary. Her eyes were blue and her hair was brown and devilish miry. A more recent ballad is this one which keeps coming up all over the United States from the slums of Harlem to the back hills of North Carolina. It's the version of Frankie and Johnny called Josie and was first picked up by Carl Sandburg I think back in the 30s. This ballad doesn't mention the name of Joseph lover. Probably doesn't really matter since he does nothing in the story but die in the end Josee isn't grieving for her lost lover but she's gotten her just deserts.

Well Josie went to the bar room. Ordered a glass of beer. And then here he was my man. Well I ain't gonna tell you no secrets ain't gonna tell you no lie. But I saw a man about an hour ago and I couldn't believe my eyes. He may be your man all right but he ain't headed home. Well Josie drank her beer ordered up a glass of gin. To shame bartender again. He was my.

Buddy would come home. Well Joe's walk down the street revolving in her. Look. Jensen Let them a look again for my man. He was my. Buddy who'd come home. Well those Joes saw her and her revolver Drew. Joe say they told the trader and she shot hand through and through. He was her and I. He wouldn't come. Well the one thing her Miss Josey and one thing made her cry. Standing there in the jailhouse door when the hearse come Rowan by he was her and my buddy wouldn't come home.

The Cowboys had a lot to say about women which sounds odd at first considering that there weren't many women in the West for many years but that's probably just the reason why women were up most in the Cowboys mine and the women who did move about in the same social level with the Cowboys were inclined to be pretty mean and money grabbing so many cowboy songs contracted the loud dance hall girls with the nostalgic memory of the pure sweet thing who had been left behind in the east still other songs obviously made up by the more dedicated foes of togetherness told of how women were all alike no matter who they were. One of these is an old song called I've Got no use for the women. Now I got news for the women. True. They owe you. And for his money when it's gone turn him down there

oh I get the bottom. Selfish and grasping for awe. They all stand by a man while his women and they'll laugh in his face. His. Was an honest young puncher honest and upright and true and he turned hard shouldn gunman on a cop out of a girl named Lou. He fell in with the banyan and are better off dead. When I gambler insulted her picture he fill him full of lead. All through the long night they trail him

through mesquite and thank chaper and I couldn't help think of that woman as I saw him and if she'd been Lachish should have he might have been or are. Not there on the Prairie. By the ring Gers gun death sharp sting did not trouble his chances for life were too slim. But where there were. But his body. Was on him here. Did his head on his own blood from him as wounds flowed red that is grouped around him as it was to

them and he said. Bury me on the prairie where the coyotes may howl or migrate me out on the Prairie. But from them my bones please wrap me up in my blanket and bury me deep in the ground. And Cover me over with both of the ground and around. So we bury him on the prairie where the coyotes can howl or his and his sonas no rest and from the unkind cut. She and many other young punter as hear IEDs past that pile of

stone recall some some older woman. And things of his MO. The theme of the woman who goes to the underworld is a very old one and it's been used often to show just how bad womankind really is because when men go to the underworld like disuse or Herrick please they bring back some favor for their people usually fertility. But when women go there they're usually tossed out and sorry I'm honestly even in the more serious damage for 70 and 80 cycle ladies can't stand his wife for more than a half year at a time. Fortunately for those of us who like nice weather and when he sends her back to Dema things begin to grow again on earth. Well this ballad is a modern application of the same old story I learned in Utah from a woman wanna Nebeker who had learned it in the area around Roosevelt. One thing this version has which seems to be left out of the others is the verse in which the farmer conjures up the devil by plowing his field.

The devil knows how. As in many old ballads writing is not one of the important issues here. There was a farmer who bought him Apollo said Oh if I didn't buy. There was a farmer bought him a plow didn't have any oxen to hitch it to come in twice Fido find it. Hitched his BEGUN to the plow by and oh if identified. He hitched his big gun to the plow and pull out of the field the devil knows how much I don't fight it. One day the farmer was plowing his head off. The farmer was plowing his field and the devil Lee happened to pass that way twice. Oh lord said the farmer I'm sure.

My head oh if identified. Oh lord said the farmer I'm surely the devil has come from my oldest son. Come on twice I did a find of. Is not your eldest son I crave by and oh if I don't. Is not your eldest son I crave but your scolding wife and it's her I shall take twice to divide to fight. And so the old devil put her on his back. Oh if I didn't buy it. And so the old devil better on his back and like an old fool he went like in his back come in twice Fido if I did a fine job I don't. Do a little devil's big over the wallow by and oh if identified two little devils beat over the walls I'd take a back Master Schill murderous all of them and twice by Jove I did a fine of. One little devil come rattling his chain.

And fight it off by. One little devil come rattling his chain she took off her slipper and beat out his brains going twice by Ovide it of Fido. And so the old devil put her on his back. Oh if I don't buy it and so they all devil put her on his back and like an old fool he went to live on her back twice Fido. But if I don't buy. This proves that women are worse than the man said Oh I bought it off. This proves that women are worse than the men because if they go to hell they get sent back again. I'm a twice by Ovide it will find I don't. Know the answer to the problem might lie in this verse from one of Pete Seeger's favorite songs. I had no wife and got no good ever. Here is how easy got rid of earth took her out and chopped the head of our ally in the morning.

See and as there was no evidence for the bishop or his reverence they had to call it an act of Providence R.I. in the morning. So if you have a wife and God no good over here is how to easy get rid of or take her out and chop the head of her alive in the morning. Well that's about it for this time. I'll walk the road again my boy as I walk the road again. If the weather be fair I'll calm my hair and I'll walk again. Listen again next week when Barry jocund a wandering ballad singer returns with more songs in balance the preceding was transcribed and was produced by the Radio TV services of Washington State University. This is ne ne E.B. Radio Network.