O Sally, My Dear
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Lesley Nelson-Burns

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Lyrics
This tune is a variant of Hares on the Mountain (Version 1) which was popular in the West of England. Printed versions appear in a songbook by Cecil Sharp (1903). Other variants include:

The tune Blackbirds and Thrushes is sometimes attributed to Irishman Samuel Lover (1797-1865) because it is included in his novel Rory O'More.

O Sally, my dear, but I wish I could woo you,
O Sally, my dear, but I wish I could woo you,
She laugh'd and replied: And would wooing undo you?
Sing fal the diddle i do,
Sing whack fal the diddle day.

O Sally, my dear, but your cheek I could kiss it,
O Sally, my dear, but your cheek I could kiss it,
She laughed and replied: If you did, would you miss it?
Sing fal the diddle i do
Sing whack fal the diddle day.

O Sally my dear, I would love you and wed you,
O Sally my dear, I would love you and wed you,
She laughed and replied: Then don't say I misled you.
Sing fal the diddle i do,
Sing whack fal the diddle day.

If lassies were blackbirds and lassies were thrushes,
If lassies were blackbirds and lassies were thrushes,
How soon the young men would go beating the bushes!
Sing fal the diddle i do
Sing whack fal the diddle day.

If the women were hares and raced round the mountain,
If the women were hares and raced round the mountain,
How soon the young men would be busy a hunting!
Sing fal the diddle i do,
Sing whack fal the diddle day.

If the women were ducks and swam round the water,
If the women were ducks and swam round the water,
The men would turn drakes and be soon swimming after.
Sing fal the diddle i do
Sing whack fal the diddle day.
From Folk-Songs, Chanteys and Singing Games
Information From Folksongs of Britain and Ireland
See Bibliography for full information.