“The Old Maid's Song (I)”

Description

An old maid laments her state, noting that her (two) sister(s were) popular, but she's been ignored all her life. She says she'd accept almost any man, and lists the good things she'd do for him

Notes

Also collected and sung by Ellen Mitchell, "An Old Maid in a Garret" (on Kevin and Ellen Mitchell, "Have a Drop Mair," Musical Tradition Records MTCD315-6 CD (2001))

Broadsides LOCSinging as102060 and Bodleian Harding B 11(2011) are duplicates. - BS

Cross references

• cf. "Betsy Bell" (theme)
• cf. "I'll Not Marry at All"
• cf. "Time to be Made a Wife"
• cf. "The Old Maid's Song" (II)
• cf. "A'body's Like to be Married but Me"
• cf. "No to be Married Ava" (theme)
• cf. "I Wonder When I Shall Be Married" (theme)
• cf. "O Gin That I Were Mairrit" (theme)

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 11(2011), "Chimney Sweep's Wedding," J.O. Bebbington (Manchester), 1858-1861; also Firth c.20(31), "Chimney Sweeper's Wedding"; 2806 c.7(10), "Chimney Sweepers Weding"[sic]
• LOCSinging, as102060, "The Chimney Sweepers Weding"[sic], P. Brereton (Dublin), n.d.

References

1. Wyman-Brockway I, p. 65, "The Old Maid's Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. SHenry H138, p. 256, "The Black Chimney Sweeper" (1 text, 1 tune, in which a "black chimney sweeper" finally marries her)
3. Hayward-Ulster, pp. 87-88, "The Black Chimney Sweeper" (1 text)
4. Flanders/Brown, p. 102, "Sisters Susan" (1 text)
5. Logan, pp. 353-355, "The Old Maid's Lament for a Husband" (1 text, which is not lyrically similar to the usual versions of this song but has all the same plot elements)
6. Kennedy 210, "The Poor Auld Maid" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. Peacock, p. 461, "I Long to be Wedding" (1 text, 1 tune)
8. Creighton-SNewBrunswick 21, "Black Chimney Sweeper" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Silber-FSWB, p. 186, "Old Maid's Song" (1 text)
10. DT, OLDMAID1 (OLDMAID2) OLDMAID6*
11. Roud #802
12. BI, R364