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Oh, Peggy Gordon you are my darling,
Come sit you down all on my knee,
And tell to me the very reason
Why I am slighted so by thee.
I'm deep in love but I dare not show it,
My heart lies smothered all in my breast,
It's not for you to let the whole world know it,
A troubled mind that has no rest.
I laid my head on a cask of brandy
Which was my fancy I do declare,
For while I'm drinking, I'm always thinking
How I'm to gain that lady fair.
I put my back against an oak tree,
Thinking it was a trusty tree,
But first it bent and then it broke,
And that's the way my love served me.
I wish my love was one red rosy
A-planted down on yonder wall,
And I myself could be a dewdrop
That in her bosom I might fall.
I wish I was in Cupid's castle
And my true love along with me,
Oh, Peggy Gordon, you are my darling,
Oh, Peggy Gordon, I'd die for thee.
The sea is deep, I cannot wade it,
Neither have I got wings to fly,
But I wish I had some jolly boatman
To ferry over my love and I.
I will go down to some lonesome valley,
Where no womankind is ever to be found,
Where the pretty little birds do change their voices,
And every moment a different sound.
I wish I was as far as Ingo
Way out across the briny sea,
A-sailing over the deep blue water
Where love nor care never trouble me.
I wish I was in Spencervania
Where the marble stones are black as ink,
Where the pretty little girls they do adore me,
I'll sing no more till I get a drink.
This variant was collected in 1937 from Dennis Smith of East Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia by Helen Creighton [1899-1989] and published in Maritime Folk Songs, pp.74-75 (Ryerson Press, Toronto, ON, 1962).
The YouTube video above features an excellent performance of a variant by Jesse Ferguson.
A variant was also recorded by Ryan's Fancy (Curragh's Minstrels, Rocks And Whiskey, ©1971, Gunn Records).
See more songs by Ryan's Fancy.
A shorter variant was recorded as Peggy Gordon by Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers.
