“Devilish Mary”
Description
The singer meets a "pretty little girl" named Mary; they get married within days. She then starts taking over his life, wearing his pants, and abuses and torments him. At last he leaves. He vows to court only tall/short girls who can't wear his breeches
Notes
Cohen notes that "Laws... lists this as a ballad, but just as often it is performed as a fiddle or banjo tune with occasional lyrics." Cohen also notes that Laws's claim of a British Isles origin is unsubstantiated. The collection data confirm this, and the style is, in my opinion, very un-British. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Yankee Doodle" (tune)
- cf. "The Wearing of the Britches" (subject, lyrics)
- cf. "Old Carathee" (theme)
- cf. "There's Bound to be a Row" (theme)
- cf. "I'll Rise When the Rooster Crows" (floating lyrics)
Recordings
- Bob Atcher, "Devilish Mary" (Columbia 20483, 1948)
- Horton Barker, "Devilish Mary" (on Barker01)
- Bill Boyd & his Cowboy Ramblers, "Devilish Mary" (Bluebird B-7299, 1937; Montgomery Ward M-8417, 1940)
- Glenn Neaves & band, "Devilish Mary" (on GraysonCarroll1)
- Lee O'Daniel Hillbilly Boys, "Devlish Mary" (Vocalion 04102, 1938; rec. 1937)
- Paul Rogers, "Devilish Mary" (AFS; on LC14)
- Pete Seeger, "Devilish Mary" (on PeteSeeger02, PeteSeegerCD01)
- Roba Stanley, "Develish Mary" (OKeh 40213, 1924)
- Arthur Tanner, "Devlish Mary" (Silvertone 3514, 1926)
- Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, "Develish Mary" (Columbia 15589-D [as "Devlish Mary"], 1930; Columbia 15709-D, c. 1932; rec. 1928; on CrowTold02, GTanner01)
References
- Laws Q4, "Devilish Mary"
- Randolph 437, "Devilish Mary" (4 texts, 3 tunes)
- Randolph/Cohen, pp. 331-333, "Devilish Mary" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 331)
- Lomax-FSNA 93, "Devilish Mary" (1 text, 1 tune)
- JHCoxIIA, #13A-C, pp. 57-60, "The Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin," "Dandoo" (3 texts, 1 tune, but the "B" text omits the beating typical of Child #277 and has the husband run away; it appears to have mixed with this song or something like it)
- SharpAp 149, "Devilish Mary" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
- Chase, pp. 154-155, "Devilish Mary" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Botkin-SoFolklr, p. 721, "Devilish Mary" (1 text, 1 tune)
- PSeeger-AFB, p. 70, "Devilish Mary" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Darling-NAS, pp. 145-149, "Devilish Mary" (1 text)
- Silber-FSWB, p. 191, "Devilish Mary" (1 text)
- DT 518, DEVLMARY*
- Roud #1017
- BI, LQ04