Digital Tradition Mirror

Billy Taylor

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Billy Taylor

Billy Taylor was a sailor
Full of joy and beauty gay,
'Stead of Billy gettin' married
He was pressed and forced away.              A*

cho: Fol rol lol, de rol lo lie do
     Fol rol lol, de rol lol lay.

But the bride soon followed after            B*
Under the name of Richard Carr;
Snow white fingers long and slender
A' covered over wi' pitch and tar.

cho:

She's buttoned on the sailor's clothing,     B*
Dressed herself up like a man;
Awa' she sailed like a tarry sailor
All aboard the Mary Anne.

cho:

A storm arose upon the ocean,                A*
She bein' there amang the rest;
The wind blew off her silver buttons,
There appeared her snow-white breast.

cho:

"Now," said the captain, "My fair lady,      B*
What misfortune brought you here?"
"I'm in search o' my true lover
Whom ye pressed the other year."

cho:

"Now," said the captain, "My fair lady,      B*
Come pray tell me what's his name?"
"Some folks ca' him Billy Taylor
but Willie Taylor is his name."

cho:

"If Billy Taylor's your true lover,
A*
He has proved to you untrue;
He got married tae another
Left ye here alone to rue."

cho:

"Rise ye early in the mornin',               B*
Early by the break o' day.
There ye'll see young Billy Taylor
Walkin' oot wi' his lady gay."

cho:
She rose early the next mornin'              B*
Early by the break o' day;
There she saw young Billy Taylor
Walkin' oot wi' his lady gay.

cho:

Gun and pistol she's commanded,              A*
Gun and pistol by her side;
She has shot young Billy Taylor
Walkin' oot wi' his new-made bride.

cho:

"Now," says the captain, "My fair lady       B*
Come pray tell me what you've done."
I have shot young Billy Taylor
Wi' a double-barreled gun."

cho:
When the captain did behold her              B:
And the deed that she has done,
He has made her a chief commander
Over a ship and a hundred men (or gun).

cho:

(Note: Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise recorded this for Folk
Legacy; they use two variant melodies, Identified here as A* and
B*)
DT #443
Laws N11
SOF

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!