Come all you pretty girls. Will you listen to my noise?

voiceCollected by Mebane Harrison and Tom Wilson For M. C. Parler Transcribed by Mebane Harrison and Tom Wilson Sung by Mrs. T. M. Davis Fayetteville, Arkansas January 17, 1960 Reel 338, Item 14 Arkansas Boys Come all you pretty girls. Will you listen to my noise? Be careful how you spark those Arkansas boys, For all that they have for to eat Is cornbread an"lasses an' 'sassafrass The boys they used to be hearty and gay, For they could work both night and day. Now they look so pale and thin, They rattle like a cornshuck 'shakin' in the wind. The boys they used to wear pantaloons short, For they could do work of every sort; Now they wear them buckled up so tight, The strap was to break It'd throw 'em outa sight. Come all you young men; We'll now begin. I'll tell you what to do When the girls are sixteen. They first begin to comb And then begin to lace And artificial flowers, They put about their face. They fix up and to Sunday School they go. And all 'tis done for is just to catch a beau. The boys they'll say, "Can I see you home, tonight?" The girl's they'll say, "No." When they're mighty sure they might. The boys they'll all around the girl's lean Just about the time they are sixteen.Funding for digitization provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Happy Hollow Foundation