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O when I was young and boyish and me mind was full of glee,
I roved about through several parts when every care was free;
When I became a sporting youth my trouble it began —
And I fell head 'n' heels in love with charming Sally Ann.
O the first time that I met her it being to a good ol' spree —
Sometimes I looked at Sally Ann, each time she winked at me;
And when I looked at Sally I was crazy as a span!
I was crazy as a bed-bug for my charming Sally Ann.
O the next time that I met her it was to her father's door —
I conversed with her mother for a full long hour or more;
When up speaks Sally's mother saying: 'I'll do what I can
For to bring you on condolence with my daughter Sally Ann.'
O I went up next evening the old folks were not in —
I saw so many forms that it almost made me grin;
Sally Ann was frying sausingers for Bob, the butcher's man,
So I asked the inclination of my charming Sally Ann.
O Sally in a passion flew saying: 'Boy, what do you mean?'
I said: 'My handsome Sally, I'm not altogether green!'
She says: 'You made a promise and you're in this trap, young man —
So come leave my house, you savage!' cried my charming Sally Ann.
O I asked her for my jewelry that I had given her.
Quite angry she looked at me, like a wildcat she did purr;
When Sally in a passion flew and whipped the frying pan,
And she knocked me hipsy tipsy! She's my charming Sally Ann.
O I met a policeman on the road, my story I did tell —
I gave him a silver dollar and it seemed to please him well;
I took him back to Sally's house and o'er the place he ran —
But the devil a fragment could he find of charming Sally Ann.
O the old man he came home from work and my story I did tell,
That Sally Ann was runned away with Bob the butcher's man;
The old man he swore he'd have the life out of the butcher's man,
The old woman she swore vengeance on her daughter Sally Ann.
O the old man in a passion whipped his good ol' span of grey,
He whipped his horse and swore an oath in a good old-fashioned way;
And right ahead he spied them driving a splendid span —
'Twas very soon he overtook his daughter Sally Ann.
O the old man in a passion he drove in a foreign swathe,
And with a shot they all swung out, they went head over heels;
Their heads was in the ashes and their heels was in the sand,
And three somersaults we got of them before they reached the land.
O the policeman in the scrummage he got a broken thigh —
The old man with the cudgeler hooked out the butcher's eye;
'Twas Sally and her mother tore their hair from hand to hand,
But she couldn't hold a candle to her daughter Sally Ann.
We took them up as prisoners and marched them back to town,
Where I got my gold watch again and also fifty pound;
Where I got all my jewelry, wasn't I a smart young man?
So here's good-bye without a sigh to charming Sally Ann!
Collected in 1977 from Pius Power, Sr. of Southeast Bight, NL, by Genevieve Lehr and Anita Best and published as #20 in Come And I Will Sing You: A Newfoundland Songbook, pp.33-34, edited by Genevieve Lehr (University of Toronto Press © 1985/2003).
Genevieve Lehr noted that it was really entertaining to watch Mr. Power sing this song. His performance was punctuated with grins, winks, and nods at the women present and much knee-slapping and gesticulating. His grandchildren loved to request 'Sally Ann' and squeals of delight were sure to accompany his singing.
A ten-verse variant was published as #37 in Songs Of The North Woods: As Sung By O.J. Abbott [1872-1962] And Collected By Edith Fowke [1913-1996], edited by László Vikár and Jeanette Panagapka (University of Calgary Press, 2004).
