A
traditional song, best known* in the version by
Steeleye Span on their album
All Around My Hat. It was described by lead singer
Maddy Prior as an "old song of the power of
lust".
Late last night when the squire came home
Enquiring for his lady
Some denied and some replied
She's gone with the Black Jack Davy
Go saddle to me the bonny brown steed
For the grey was never so speedy
I'll ride all day and I'll ride all night
Till I catch that Black Jack Davy
Chorus:
Oh he rode up hills and he rode down dales
Over many a wild high mountain
And they did say that saw him go
Black Jack Davy he is hunting
He rode east and he rode west
All in the morning early
Until he spied his lady fair
Cold and wet and weary
Why did you leave your house and land
Why did you leave your baby
Why did you leave your own wedded lord
To go with the Black Jack Davy
Chorus
What care I for your goose feather bed
With the sheets turned down so bravely
Well I may sleep on the cold hard ground
Along with the Black Jack Davy
Then I'll kick off my high-heeled shoes
Made of the Spanish leather
And I'll put on my lowland brogues
And skip it o'er the heather
Chorus
Another version found around America and sometimes called
Gypsy Davy is much the same sentiments and many of the same words, but it begins:
O Black Jack Davy came riding by
A whistling so merrily
He made the woods all around him ring
And he charmed the heart of a lady
O come with me my pretty little one
O come with me my honey
I swear by the beard upon my chin
That you'll never want for money
* It's been pointed out to me that there's a version called Blackjack Davey by some man called Bob Bylan, Bob Dylan? I don't know him very well so I stick to my 'best known'.