“Jack Monroe (Jackie Frazer; The Wars of Germany)”

Description

A rich girl loves a soldier/sailor; her father does not, and has the boy pressed to Germany. She disguises herself and enlists under the name (Jackie Monroe). When her lover is wounded, she nurses him. She reveals her identity; they are married

Notes

The Cohen/Seeger/Wood version, from Kentuckian Roscoe Holcomb, shares some words with "The Girl I Left Behind." - PJS

The version in Fife and Fife, "Roving Cowboy," at first glance bears no relationship with this piece, since it lacks the ending about the girl rescuing the young man. However, the earlier verses are clearly "Across the Rocky Mountains," which is evidently a version of this song. "Roving Cowboy" has simply lost the ending. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Jolly Plowboy (Little Plowing Boy; The Simple Plowboy)" [Laws M24]
• cf. "Disguised Sailor (The Sailor's Misfortune and Happy Marriage; The Old Miser)" [Laws N6]
• cf. "William and Nancy (I) (Lisbon; Men's Clothing I'll Put On I)" [Laws N8]
• 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]
• cf. "The London Heiress"

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 28(152), "Jack Munro," W. Armstrong (Liverpool), 1820-1824; also Harding B 25(934), Harding B 11(392), Johnson Ballads 2086, Harding B 11(1835), "Jack Munro"

Recordings

• George Davis, "Love of Polly and Jack Monroe" (on GeorgeDavis01)
• Sarah Hawkes, "Ho Lilly Ho" (on Persis1)
• Roscoe Holcomb, "Across the Rocky Mountain" (on MMOK, MMOKCD)
• Doug Wallin, "Jackaro" (on Wallins1)

References

1. Laws N7, "Jack Monroe (Jackie Frazer; The Wars of Germany)"
2. Belden, pp. 171-177, "Jack Munro" (5 texts)
3. Randolph 42, "Men's Clothes I Will Put On" (Of Randolph's six texts, only two -- "C", with melody, and "F" -- belong with this piece; "A" and probably "D" are variants of "The Banks of the Nile"; "B" and "E" may be "Banks of the Nile" or "William and Nancy I")
4. Eddy 35, "Jack Went A-Sailing" (2 texts plus fragments, 3 tunes)
5. Gardner/Chickering 59, "The Wealthy Merchant" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. Creighton-Maritime, p. 139, "Jack Munro" (1 text, 1 tune); p. 143, "Johnny's Gone A-Sailing" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. BrownII 99, "Jack Monro" (2 texts plus 1 fragment and 1 excerpt )
8. Chappell-FSRA 59, "Jacke Went A-Sailing" (1 text)
9. Hudson 34, pp. 147-148, "The Wars of Germany" (1 text)
10. Scarborough-SongCatcher, pp. "203-210, The Silk Merchant's Daughter" (4 texts, which despite Scarborough's title are all this song; local titles are "Jackaroe," "Jacky Freasher," "Jackie Frazier," "Jackie Frazier"; 1 tune on p. 410)
11. Brewster 37, "Jackie Fraisure" (2 texts, 1 tune)
12. Wyman-Brockway I, p. 38, "Jackaro" (1 text, 1 tune)
13. SharpAp 65, "Jack Went A-Sailing" (20 texts, 20 tunes)
14. Sharp/Karpeles-80E 32, "Jack Went a-Sailing" (1 text, 1 tune -- a composite version)
15. Lomax-FSNA 82, "Lily Munroe" (1 text, 1 tune)
16. JHCox 98, "Jackie Fraisure" (3 texts)
17. Cohen/Seeger/Wood, pp. 30-31, "Across the Rocky Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune -- a rewritten and expanded version by Roscoe Holcomb)
18. Abrahams/Foss, pp. 82-83, "Jackie's Gone A-Sailing" (1 text, 1 tune)
19. Darling-NAS, pp. 121-123, "Jack Monroe" (1 text)
20. DT 331, JACKROE* JACKROE2 JACKSAIL* JCKSAIL2* ACROSRCK*
21. Roud #268
22. BI, LN07