Child's Ballads

Week 12: England - Assignments - Reading - Resources - Images


Black Jack Davey (Child 200)

Listening time: (4 minutes)

CHILD 200 versions A-L. This is another story about a woman who loves a scoundrel, but the emotional narrative is much more complex. This time the woman already has a husband and a child. Her lover, called "Black Jack Davy" in the Ozark version, is based on a historical character named Johnny Faa. Lesley Nelson-Burns comments:

Johnny Faa was a prominent title among gypsies and his rights and title as "lord and earl of Egypt" were recognized by James V in 1540. Before that the king's officers were ordered to assist Johnny Faw in "execution of his justice" upon his people. However, the gypsies were expelled from Scotland in 1541 and then in 1609. In 1611 Johnny Faa and three others of the same name were sentenced to be hanged. In 1616 Johnny Faa and two others were sentenced to be hanged for returning to the country and "abiding therein". In 1624 Johnny Faa and seven other men were sentenced to hang and Helen Faa and ten women were sentenced to be drown, but the women's execution was stayed. Circa 1788 the ballad became associated with John, the sixth earl of Cassilis and his first wife, Lady Jean Hamilton. Before her marriage Lady Jean was in love with "Johnny Faa, of Dunbar". Years later, after she had borne two children, Johnny Faa returned and persuaded her to elope. Johnny Faa and seven other gypsies (which correlates to the 1624 sentence) were hanged and Lady Jean was banished and confined for life in a tower built for her imprisonment. Eight heads, effigies of the gypsies, were said to be carved in the stone tower.


AUDIO RECORDING

VERSE 1
Black Jack Davy came over the hills
An' he sang, an' he sang so boldly
Sang so loud he made th hills ring
An' he charmed th heart of a lady
An' he charmed th heart of a lady

VERSE 2
Come go with me my pretty little miss
Come go with me my honey
I'll swear by th pistol hang'in by my side
You never shall want for money
You never shall want for money

VERSE 3
She put on her sky blue gloves
All made of Spanish leather
She gave to him her little white hand
And down th road together
And down th road together

VERSE 4
When this young man came home that night
Inquir'in of his lady
Servant maid just replied,
She's gone with Black Jack Davy
She's gone with Black Jack Davy

VERSE 5
Go saddle up my coal black horse
Th roans are not so speedy
I'll ride all day an' I'll ride all night
An' I'll overtake my lady
An' I'll overtake my lady

VERSE 6
Well, he rode all day and he rode all night
Th moon was shinin brightly
Th tears came trinkl'n down his cheeks
An' there he spied his lady
An' there he spied his lady

VERSE 7
How can you forsaken your house an' home
How can you forsaken your baby
How can you forsaken your own dear one
An' go with th Black Jack Davy
An' go with th Black Jack Davy

VERSE 8
Very well can I forsaken my house an' home
Very well can I forsaken my baby
Very well can I forsaken my own true one
An' go with th Black Jack Davy
An' go with th Black Jack Davy

VERSE 9
She put on her sky blue gloves
All made of Spanish leather
She waved to him her little white hand
So fare-the-well forever
So fare-the-well forever

VERSE 10
Last night you slept on a warm feather bed
Beside of me an' th baby
Tonight you'll sleep on a cold, cold ground
In th arms of th Black Jack Davy
In th arms of th Black Jack Davy


Questions. Make sure you can answer these questions about what you just read:

  • what does Black Jack Davey promise to the woman if she leaves her husband?
  • what does the woman say when the husband asks her to come back?
  • what is the husband's final response?

Source: From The Max Hunter Folksong Archive (weblink) and Lesley Nelson's Child Ballad website (weblink). See also Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (1882-1898). Weblink.


Modern Languages / Anthropology 3043: Folklore & Mythology. Laura Gibbs, Ph.D. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. You must give the original author credit. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to this one.
Page last updated: October 9, 2004 12:52 PM