Willie Down By the Pond

1/A. They tell me 'tis sinful to flirt;
They say my heart is of stone;
They tell me to speak to him kind,
Or else leave the poor boy alone.

2/A. They tell me he's only a boy,
But I'm sure he's much older than me,
And if they would leave us alone,
I'm sure more happy we'd be.

3/B. I remember one night when he said
That he loved me more dear than his life;
He called me his darling, his pet,
He asked me to be his wife.

4/A. "Oh, Willie," I said with a sigh,
"I'm sure I will have to say no!"
He took a white rose from my hair,
And said, "Good-bye, I must go."

5/B. The next young Willie was found,
He was drowned in the pond by the mill;
In the cool, placid water so fine
Just around near the brink of the hill.

6/A. "Oh, Willie, oh, Willie, come back,
I will ever be loving and true;
Oh, Willie, oh, Willie, come back,
I will love none other but you!"


This version is from the singing of Grant Rogers of Walton, NY, released in 1963 on the album, "Songmaker of the Catskills" by Folk-Legacy Records, recorded by Sandy Paton.  The pattern of the verses here is "A AB AB A".  It's a variation on the song, "Sinful to Flirt", with many versions of both tune and lyrics found throughout the South.