Quare Bungle Rye
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John Renfro Davis
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This is a variant of The Oyster Girl, which was in both Duncan and Sharp's Manuscripts (1904). Rev. S. Baring-Gould also collected several versions. Variants were found in Aberdeenshire, Somerset, Northern Ireland and North Carolina.

The Oyster Girl was printed on several broadsides (copies can be found at the Bodleian Library), including one by Catnach (who printed in London 1820–1830).

Variants and alternate titles include: The Basket of Oysters, Bungerye, Queer Bungle Rye, Quare Bungo Rye, Young Bung-'er'Eye, The Basket of Eggs and Eggs in Her Basket.

Now Jack was a sailor who roamed on the town.
And she was a damsel who walked up and down.
Said the damsel to Jack as she passed him by,
'Would ye like for to purchase some quare bungle rye raddy rye?'
Fol de diddle rye raddy rye raddy rye.

Thought Jack to himself, 'Now what can this be?'
'But the finest old whiskey from High Germany.
'Smuggled up in a basket and sold on the sly,
'And the name that it goes by is quare bungle rye raddy rye.'
Fol de diddle rye raddy rye raddy rye.

Jack hands her a shilling and he thought nothing strange.
Says she, 'Here hold the basket til I run for your change.'
Jack peeks in the basket and a babe he did spy.
'Why b'damn me,' says Jack, 'this is quare bungle rye raddy rye.'
Fol de diddle rye raddy rye raddy rye.

Now to get the child christened was Jack's first intent,
So to get the child christened to the parson he went.
Says the parson to Jack, 'What's the name he'll go by?'
'Ah b'damn me,' says Jack, 'call 'im quare bungle rye raddy rye.'
Fol de diddle rye raddy rye raddy rye.

Says the parson to Jack, 'That's a mighty quare name.'
'Ah b'damn me," says Jack, 'it's a quare way he came;
'Smuggled up in a basket and sold on the sly,
'And the name that he'll go by is Quare Bungle Rye raddy rye.'
Fol de diddle rye raddy rye raddy rye

Now all you young sailors who roam on the town,
Be wary of damsels that walk up and down.
Take a peek in their baskets as they pass you by,
Or else they may pawn on you Quare Bungle Rye raddy rye
Fol de diddle rye raddy rye raddy rye.
Related Links
From John Renfro Davis
Some Information from Songs of the People
See Bibliography for full information.