All Round My Hat (Variants)

All around my waist I shall wear a green willow,
It's all around my waist a green willow I will wear;
If anyone should ask me why I wear a green willow
I'll tell them that my Jimmy is far, far away.

From Maritime Folk Songs, Creighton
Sung by Mr. Ned MacKay, Little Harbour, June, 1954

Note: The song is usually "All Round My Hat" although Mr. Sandy
Stoddard says "heart" and M:. McKay "waist". It is usually the
willow that denotes the girl has been forsaken, but Mr. McKay gives
it as the laurel. Mr. Stoddard's words follow as recorded in 1953: HC

cho: All around my heart I will wa a green willow,
All around my heart for a twelvemonth and a day,
And if anyone should ask you why I wear this willow,
Tell them my own true love, Johnny, is gone far away.
O if I had my own heart to keep it,
O if I had my own heart again,
I would fold it in my bosom, keep it ever keep it.
Never would it ramble so far, far again.

Johnny, dear Johnny, oh why did you leave me?
Why did you take my fond heart so far away?
If ever you come back you will find me still waiting,
Bring back my fond heart and bring it back to stay.

Added in 1954:

Many were the long hours that I've spent in courting,
Many were the long hours that I've spent in vain,
But since it's my misfortune my Johnny's gone and left me
Never will I ramble so far, far again.

Oh Johnny, lovely Johnny, oh why did your leave me?
Why did you ramble so far, far away?
If ever you return you will find me still waiting,
But bring my own fond heart back home to me.

Young men are false and they are so deceiving,
Young men are false and they seldom prove true,
For their rambling and their ranging, their minds are always changing,
Always a-hunting for some fair girl that's new.

(sung by Neil O'Brien)

Seven long years that I have spent in courting
Seven long years that I have spent in vain,
But since it is my fortune that I must marry an old man
Never will I ramble so far, far again.

O if I only had my own heart to keep it,
O if I only had my own heart again,
I would roll it in my bosom, and keep it there forever.
Never would I ramble so far, far again.

From Maritime Folk Songs, Creighton
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