One Thing or the Other, The

DESCRIPTION: Singer's mother tells him, at 21, to choose a wife; he's always thinking on "the one thing or the other." He courts a girl and marries her; she gets pregnant. It's twins; he complains of the squalling of the one thing and the other
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1903 (Sharp mss); 19C (Wolf)
LONG DESCRIPTION: Singer's mother tells him, at 21, to choose a wife; he's always thinking on "the one thing or the other." He courts a girl and marries her; they're happy in their daily occupation "at the one thing or the other." After a year, she gets pregnant. "It's a son", cries the sister; "It's a daughter" cries the mother; singer says it's the one thing or the other. It's twins; he complains of the squalling of the one thing and the other
KEYWORDS: courting marriage pregnancy baby mother wife humorous twins
FOUND IN: Ireland Britain(England(South)) Canada(Mar,Newf)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Kennedy-FolksongsOfBritainAndIreland 209, "The One Thing or the Other" (1 text, 1 tune)
Tunney-StoneFiddle, p. 94, "The Twins" (1 text)
Peacock, pp. 312-313, "The One Thing or the Other" (1 text, 1 tune)
Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, #1755, p. 118, "One Thing and the Other" (1 reference)
Roud #2131
RECORDINGS:
James Decker, "The One Thing or the Other" (on PeacockCDROM) [one verse only]
Michael Gallagher, "The One Thing Or the Other" (on FSBFTX19)
File: K209

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