“The Deserted Husband”

Description

On the day of their wedding, the singer's young wife went on a spree and flirted with the man next door. Three months later, his wife and the other man went off in the train. He is tired of life; he has land and stock, but no one to take care of them.

Long description

The singer has married a young woman, but she has left him. On the day of their wedding, she went on a spree and flirted with the young man next door. Three months later, the singer took her to town, but while he was having a drink his wife and the other man went off in the train, to his distraction. Now he is tired of life; he has an acre of land, and various livestock, but no one to take care of them. He advises men to keep an eye on their wives

Notes

Kennedy also refers, cryptically, to a song called "The Deserted Wife," also collected from Ennis, but gives no further details. - PJS

Kennedy also claims that songs of wives deserting husbands are rare. I won't say they are common, but "Rocking the Cradle (and the Child Not His Own)," for instance, is very widespread; see also the songs in the cross-references. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Tramp's Story" (plot)
• cf. "The Lehigh Valley" (plot)
• cf. "Can I Sleep in Your Barn Tonight?" (theme)

References

1. Kennedy 198, "The Deserted Husband" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Roud #2130
3. BI, K198