The Poor and Young Single Sailor 69th in 1947

Written by: [Traditional]
Copyright date: February 5, 1941
Language: English
Comments: aka "John Riley", "Broken Token". [Roud 264; Laws N42; G/D 5:1038, 6:1201; Henry H471, H818; Ballad Index LN42; VWML PG/5/25; Bodleian Roud 264; Wiltshire 375, 884 ; trad.]. Traditional song from the British Isles usually involving a young lady out in her father's garden who meets a young man (who can be known as John Riley) who asks her to marry and she responds that she's betrothed to a sailor who's been out on the sea for seven years. It turns out the young man is that sailor who has returned home and was testing her fealty. The song became very popular in Appalachian America and is typically known in the US as "Pretty Little Miss (or Fair Young Maid) out in the Garden. The original British Isles versions are typically known by different names. Cousin Emmy and her husband copyrighted her US variant in 1947, but her lyrics are just an arrangement of the traditional song.

NOTE: not to be confused with Fly Around, My Pretty Little Miss, as both versions can be called "My Pretty Little Miss" or "Pretty Little Miss"
Licensing: Request a synchronization license

Originals