“I Wish My Love Was In a Ditch”

Description

"I wish my love was in a ditch, Without no clothing to her, With nettles up and down her back Because she was not truer." She had been involved with the singer and another; he claims her child was fathered by the other, and will not sleep with her

Supplemental text

I Wish My Love Was In a Ditch
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

From the Frank C. Brown collection, Volume II, #126, pp. 361-362.
Collected from "Mr. Sanders" of Forsyth county, North Carolina.
Date of collection not listed.

1 I wish my love was in a ditch,
  Without no clothing to her,
  With nettles up and down her back
  Because she was not truer.

2 She kissed me with her red, red lips,
  She swore she would be mine O;
  But she swore the same to Alan O'Chree,
  Who lives way down the line O.

3 Her belly grew big, her face grew pale,
  But it was no fault of mine O;
  It must have been that Alan O'Chree
  Who lives way down the line O.

4 She swore the brat was mine alone,
  And soon enough we were wed.
  But I swear by the light of Kincastle Hill
  She shall not share my bed.

Notes

The editors of Brown suspect this is Scottish, but can cite no other texts (Jamieson has a piece "I Wish My Love Was In a Mire," found also as #41 in _The Scot Musical Museum_, but the parallels are thematic rather than verbal). - RBW

References

1. BrownII 126, "I Wish My Love Was In a Ditch" (1 text)
2. ST BrII126 (Full)
3. Roud #6572
4. BI, BrII126