Willie Boy (Heritage) with lyrics and video

#1382 YouTube video by oldirishladdie ©2010.
~ Used with permission ~

Oh, where have you been all the day, me Willie boy, Willie boy?
Oh, where have you been all the day, me Willie boy?
Well, I been to Fortune Bay where I been courtin' Nancy Mae,
And she be Nancy tickle me fancy, ya, me darling Willie boy.

How is the weather down in Fortune, Willie boy, Willie boy?
How's the weather down in Fortune, Willie boy?
Well, it was cloudy all the time until I got a drop of shine,
And it be Nancy tickle me fancy, ya, me darling Willie boy.

Can she make the fish and brewis, me Willie boy, Willie boy?
Can she make the fish and brewis, me Willie boy?
She can make the fish and brewis just like her sister Henri do,
And she be Nancy tickle me fancy, ya, me darling Willie boy.

And is she fit to be your wife, me Willy boy, Willie boy?
And is she fit to be your wife, me Willie boy?
Yes, she's fit to be me wife just like the parka through the night,
And she be Nancy tickle me fancy, ya, me darling Willie boy.

How's your mother and pa, me Willie boy, Willie, boy?
Are you going to get her on, me Willy boy?
Though her father's kind of odd, her dear old mother sleeps with cod,
And she be Nancy tickle me fancy, ya, me darling Willie boy.

And will you marry in St. John's, me Willie boy, Willie boy?
And will you marry in St. John's, me Willie boy?
Hell no! Well, I'll wither in the bay all in the good old Newfie way,
'Cause she be Nancy tickle me fancy, ya, me darling Willie boy.

####.... A Newfoundland parody written by Heritage of Billy Boy, an 18^th century ditty about courting and youth ....####

Recorded by Heritage (Rub-A-Dub-Dub's A Long Way From Toronto, trk#10, 1975, recorded by Jack Windsor at Echo Recording Studio, St. John's, NL, and published by Heritage).

Heritage was three medical students from Memorial University - Willie Arsenault from St. Jacques, Harold Crewe from Port aux Basques and Phil Simms from St. John's, who came together by accident in February 1974 in order to sing "Rub-A-Dub-Dub", Willie's entry in the Confederation Song Contest, held to celebrate Newfoundland's 25th anniversary of Confederation.

From the Dictionary Of Newfoundland English:
Fish and Brewis - cod-fish cooked with hard tack or sea biscuit.

In his notes to the song Fish And Brewis, Kenneth Peacock noted that brewis (pronounced 'brews' in Newfoundland) is hard-tack soaked overnight in water, boiled up high with cod-fish the following morning, and garnished with 'scruncheons' (bits of fried pork fat). Fish and brewis is supposed to be the traditional Sunday breakfast in some parts of Newfoundland. Peacock personally found it virtually indigestible at any time of the day. He said it is one of those national dishes like the Scottish haggis which mercifully has passed from popular usage so that its peculiar attributes may be more full appreciated at infrequent ceremonial meals.

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Willie Boy (Heritage) with lyrics and video

####.... A Newfoundland parody written by Heritage of Billy Boy, an 18th century ditty about courting and youth ....####

####.... A Newfoundland parody written by Heritage of Billy Boy, an 18^th century ditty about courting and youth ....####