I'm Seventeen Come Sunday
Music File
Lesley Nelson

Information
Lyrics
There are many variations of this song. One, rewritten by Burns and appeared in Scots Musical Museum in 1792. James Reeves has written "The original of this song, whatever it was, shocked all the editors, from the 18th century onward, into a frenzy of emendation..." As I walked out one May morning
One May morning so early
I overtook a handsome maid
Just as the sun was rising
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day


Her shoes were bright
Her stockings white
Her buckles shone like silver
She had a black and roving eye
And her hair hung down her shoulder
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day


How old are you? My fair pretty maid
How old are you my honey
She answered me right cheerfully
I'm seventeen come Sunday
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day


I went down to her mammy's house
The moon was shining clearly
I sang beneath her window pane
Your soldier loves you dearly
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day


Oh solider won't you marry me?
For now's your time or never
For if you do not marry me
My heart is broke forever
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day


And now she is the soldier's wife
And sails across the brine-o
The drum and fife is her delight
And a merry man in mine, Oh
With my rue dum day
Fol the diddle dol
Fol the dol th diddle dum the day


From
Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales
See Bibliography for full information.