Uploaded August 2020 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago

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Day 139 of the American Songbag Stay-at-Home Series

Sandburg writes: "There are sailor and lumberjack, railroad and cowboy versions of this. New York, Atlanta,  and Seattle have local variants. It is sung in jails and outside. The tune is from Albert Richard  Wetjen, of Salem, Oregon, able seaman and story teller."

When I was young and foolish,
I used to take delight,
To go to balls and dances,
And stay out late at night.

His shoes were neatly polished,
His hair was neatly combed,
And when the dance was over,
He asked to see me home.

As we walked home together,
I heard the people say,
"There goes another girlie,
That's being led astray."