On Board of a Man-of-War (Young Susan)

DESCRIPTION: The singer overhears "a maid complain for the losing of her dear," gone to sea aboard a man-of-war. She dresses as a sailor to follow him. After seven years they come home and live happily ever after
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1934 (Sam Henry collection)
KEYWORDS: sailor separation love cross-dressing disguise
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Gardham-EarliestVersions, "SUSAN'S ADVENTURES IN A MAN-OF-WAR"
Henry/Huntingdon/Herrmann-SamHenrysSongsOfThePeople H556, p. 326, "On Board of a Man-of-War" (1 text, 1 tune)
Ashton-RealSailorSongs, #60, "Susan's Adventures in a Man of War" (1 text)
Roud #1533
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The British Man-of-War" (theme, lyrics)
NOTES [54 words]: This is closely related to the songs of the "British Man-of-War" family, and almost certainly derives from the same sources. But the two songs don't share many actual words, and this is one of several versions in which the girl dresses herself as a sailor to follow her love. I decided this was reason enough to split them. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: HHH556

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