Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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Dandoo / The Wee Cooper o' Fife / The Scolding Wife / Gentle Fair Jenny / Jennifer Gentle / As the Dew Flies over the Green Vallee / Robin-a-Thrush / Rissolty Rossolty / Hobblety Bobblety / Nickety Nackety / The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin (Child No. 277) - Sung by Clay Walters of Salyersville, Magoffin, Kentucky. Recorded by Alan Lomax on 1937-10-27.

Song transcription:

I married me a wife, I taken her home
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
Ofttimes I'd wish I'd let her alone ----
As the dew flies over the green valley.

Into the kitchen she would not go
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
She's afraid of soiling her new cloth shoes
As the dew flies over the green valley.

The very next day come in from my plow
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
And I said, kind wife, is my dinner ready now
As the dew flies over the green valley.

Go away from here, you stinking wretch
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
If you want any dinner, go cook it yourself
As the dew flies over the green valley.

I opened my knife, went down to the barn
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
And I cut me a hick'ry as big as my arm
As the dew flies over the green valley.

I shut up my knife, went back to the house
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
And around her old back went whickety whack
As the dew flies over the green valley.

I'll tell my brothers and my kin,
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
That you whupped me with a hickory limb
As the dew flies over the green valley.

I don't care what you tell to your brothers or kin
Sing Jennafore, Jennafore, Rosamarie
It was just loosen up your old yellow skin
As the dew flies over the green valley.