“William and Nancy (I) (Lisbon; Men's Clothing I'll Put On I)”

Description

(William) has been ordered to war. His sweetheart (Nancy) offers to dress in men's clothes and accompany him. William says that Nancy is not strong enough; she assures him she will be. At last he agrees; they are married and go off together

Notes

The Sacred Harp has a tune "Lisbon" which, like many versions of this song, is in triple time. But based on the versions I've checked, they do not appear to be the same melody. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "Jack Monroe" [Laws N7]
• cf. "The Banks of the Nile (Men's Clothing I'll Put On II)" [Laws N9]
• cf. "High Germany"
• cf. "The Girl Volunteer (The Cruel War Is Raging)" [Laws O33]

Broadsides

• Murray, Mu23-y1:039, "William and Margaret," James Lindsay Jr. (Glasgow), 19C

Recordings

• Jim Molloy, "Lovely Nancy" (on NFMLeach)
• Lee Monroe Presnell, "I Went to See My Molly" (on USWarnerColl01 -- a short text, probably this although it has an American Civil War setting)

References

1. Laws N8, "William and Nancy (I) (Lisbon; Men's Clothing I'll Put On I)"
2. Belden, pp. 177-180, "Lisbon" (3 texts, but the third is "The Girl Volunteer")
3. Randolph 42, "Men's Clothing I'll Put On" (Of Randolph's six texts, Laws puts only "B," "D," and "E" -- the last with melody -- with this song. In fact any of these versions -- especially "B" and "E" -- might be part of "The Banks of the Nile." "A" definitely goes with that piece, and "C" and "F" go with "Jack Monroe")
4. Chappell-FSRA 67, "Johnnie and Nancy" (1 text)
5. FSCatskills 29, "It Was Early One Monday Morning" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. Gardner/Chickering 61, "Williams and Nancy" (1 text plus mention of 1 more, though the second text has the title "The Banks of the Nile")
7. Creighton/Senior, pp. 156-158, "William and Nancy" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
8. Creighton-Maritime, p. 66, "It Was On One Monday Morning" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Peacock, pp. 202-205, "Jimmy and Nancy on the Sea" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
10. Fowke/MacMillan 72, "Banks of the Nile" (1 text, 1 tune, considered by Fowke to be an abbreviated, localized version of "William and Nancy (I)" [Laws N8], but it could just as easily be a version of "The Banks of the Nile" [Laws N9])
11. Mackenzie 35A, "William and Nancy" (1 text)
12. SharpAp 121, "William and Polly" (3 texts, 3 tunes)
13. Sharp/Karpeles-80E 34, "William and Polly (Lisbon)" (1 text, 1 tune, "slightly shortened")
14. Fuson, pp. 67-68, "Sweet William" (1 text, a compound of the cross-dressing lover songs but more like this than any of the others)
15. Vaughan Williams/Lloyd, pp. 58-59, "Lisbon" (1 text, 1 tune)
16. SHenry H561, p. 458, "Lovely Annie (I)" (1 text, 1 tune)
17. BBI, ZN1749, "Margaret my sweetest, Margaret I must go" (listed as Laws N4 though the description sounds more like this piece)
18. DT 442, BANKNIL4 (BANKNIL2*?) BANKNIL3*
19. Roud #551
20. BI, LN08