As Broad as I was Walking

DESCRIPTION: The singer sees a pretty maid "lamenting for her love." He courts her "in a rude and rakish way." She bids him stop, "crying out, Young man, for shame." Her lover is gone; she vows that if she can't enjoy him, "I will rejoice in a sweet and single life."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1820 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 17(196a))
KEYWORDS: courting loneliness separation oldmaid
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Copper-SongsAndSouthernBreezes, pp. 230-231, "As Broad as I was Walking" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #23793
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 17(196a), "Modest Maid," J. Pitts (London), 1802-1819; also Johnson Ballads 915[last verse illegible], "Modest Maid"; Harding B 25(1310), "Nancy's Love for her Sailor"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "John (George) Riley (I)" [Laws N36] and references there
NOTES [47 words]: This really, REALLY reminds me of a Riley/Broken Token ballad. But since the stanza form does not match the more common Riley ballads, and since there is no reunion at the end, I have to classify it on its own.
The title, I imagine, is a corruption of "Abroad as I was Walking." - RBW
Last updated in version 5.2
File: CoSB230

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography