My Darling Ploughman Boy
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Lesley Nelson
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Lyrics
This is a variant of The Bonny Lighter Boy, which differs only slightly from this melody, but the lyrics concern a sailor rather than ploughman.

Kennedy states this version was popular in the bothies of north-east Scotland. "Bothy" is a term for unlocked enclosures, usually in the mountains - see below for bothy information.

Come all ye lonely lovers,
Come listen unto me
It's about a prentice ploughman boy
I mean to let you hear
Concerning of a prentice boy
And a ploughman he is bound
And my love he is the heir
Of nearly twenty thousand pound.

Down in my father's garden
When first my love met me
He threw his arms around my neck
And embraced me tenderly
We both sat down upon the ground
For to complete our joy
Go where ye will,
And I love him still,
He's my darling ploughman boy.

The sticks and leaves are well pulled down,
On them I'll make my bed
The greenwood piles are well pulled down
Below my weary head
The reaper bush will be my guide
And for once my heart decoy
Go where ye will,
And I love him still,
He's my darling ploughman boy.

Now since I'm not inclin-ed
To tell you his name
He's the laddie and the man,
That lad that I lo'e well
But when he sings, the valley rings,
And he makes my heart full o 'joy
Go where ye will,
And I love him still,
He's my darling ploughman boy.
Related Links
From Folksongs of Britain and Ireland
See Bibliography for full information.