Digital Tradition Mirror

When I Was a Young Man

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

When I Was a Young Man

1. When I was a young man I lived easy,
    Oh the pleasure which I did see;
    I married me a wife, she prov'd to me unkindly
    Oh unkindly she prov'd to be.
    At length I became a Servant unto her,
    To milk her Cows and black her Shoes.
       Women's ways the world cannot please them
       A poor man's labour is never done.

2. The very first year that I was married
    I scarce could get one half nights sleep;
    With her heals (sic) she pealed my shins
    Till the blood ran trickling dowin my feet
    She rob'd me of my bed, she rob'd me of my blanket
    Away then I was oblig'd for to run; '
       Women's ways &c.

3. The second year that I was married,
     She bore me a lovely son;
     She sat me down to rock the cradle,
     And then to learn me for to sing.
     Sing loloby, loloby, loloby baby,
     Loloby loloby this I sing;
         Women's ways &c.

4.  Thus bespoke his good old mother,
      As she sat weeping all alone;
     Saying son their's (sic) women plenty.
     And why should you be ti'd to one?
     Take the second one and try her,
     If she no better be;
     Take the third, the fourth, & the fifth one
     Then your troubles will all be free.

5. Come all young men that's mind for to marry:
     Be sure that you get a loving wife;
     Do not marry my wive's (sic) sister,
     For she'll torment you all your life.
     Neither wed the old woman's daughter,
     For she'll torment you for ever more;
     Take from me my wife and welcome,
     And then my troubles will all be o'er

From Contentment, Douglas
See also Rockin' the Cradle
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!