“Cedar Swamp”

Description

"Way low down in the cedar swamp, Waters deep and muddy, There I met a pretty little miss...." The singer builds a home for the girl, who is "a honey"; "Makes me work all through the week, And get stove-wood on Sunday."

Supplemental text

Cedar Swamp
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

From Jean Ritchie, Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians (second
edition), p. 76. Apparently from family tradition.

Way low down in the cedar swamp,
Waters deep and muddy,
There I met a pretty little miss,
There I kissed my honey.

(Chorus) Swing a lady up and down,
Swing a lady home,
Swing a lady up and down,
Swing a lady home.

Build my love a big fine house,
Build it in the garden,
Put her in and she jumped out,
Fare you well, my darlin'.

(2 additional stanzas)

Notes

I rather suspect this is derived from "Fly Around, My Pretty Little Miss" or one of its myriad relatives, but the lyrics are different, and the tune, while it could be related, is a few notes shorter in the chorus, so I am splitting them without hesitation. - RBW

References

1. Ritchie-Southern, p. 76, "Cedar Swamp" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST RiSo076 (Partial)
3. Roud #7408
4. BI, RiSo076