Old Billy Kirk

DESCRIPTION: "Now old Billy Kirk was a twenty-minute egg, With his flowing white beard and his one wooden leg." He is tiny. He travels New Zealand on horseback -- a great racer. He plays for dances. He lives to 105. The singer looks forward to seeing him after death
AUTHOR: "Cazna Gyp" (collective name of Bob Edwards and Mr. ad Mrs. Lew Williams, according to Bailey/Roth-ShantiesByTheWay-NZ)
EARLIEST DATE: 1967 (Bailey/Roth-ShantiesByTheWay-NZ)
KEYWORDS: talltale horse travel New Zealand
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Bailey/Roth-ShantiesByTheWay-NZ, pp. 138-139, "Old Billy Kirk" (1 text, 1 tune)
NOTES [40 words]: The New Zealand Folk Songs site claims, "This song is based on the life of a wagoner and jockey who became a legend in the days of the Otago gold rushes [1860s]." If there is any actual historical information about him, I haven't seen it. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.3
File: BaRo138

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