Brogan Boots & Leggins | Performance
Added 2019-03-23 19:18:55 +0000 UTCgDGBD (relative) AKA Standard or Cripple Creek tuning.
I learned this song from a recording of prolific folk singer and labor union activist Aunt Molly Jackson available here: https://lomaxky.omeka.net/items/show/1363
Jackson called the song "Old Shoe Boots and Leggins." Alan Lomax collected another version in Kentucky titled "Old Gum Boots and Leggins."
This is a somewhat dark, comical song about a young girl whose mother tries very hard to set her up with rich, older man. His age and rustic manners repel the girl so much that eventually 'old John Brown' is sent packing. If I had to guess, I'd say it dates to at least the early 1800s when cloth or leather leggings were falling out of style among younger men.
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Old John Brown wants to marry me
But I won't have him,
I hate him though he loves me
With his brogan boots and leggings!
Old John Brown his beard's too white,
I won't have him,
I could not sleep with him at night
With his brogan boots and leggings!
Old John Brown's got a lot of gold
But I won't have him,
For I'm too young and he's too old
With his brogan boots and leggings!
Mother made me take him home
But I won't have him,
I took him home and he gnawed on a bone
With his brogan boots and leggings!
Mother made me set him a chair
But I won't have him,
I set him a chair and he run like a bear*
With his brogan boots and leggings!
Mother made me take him to bed
But I won't have him,
I took him to bed and he laid like he's dead*
With his brogan boots and leggings!
Mother made me kiss him goodbye
But I won't have him,
I kissed him goodbye and I thought I'd die
With his brogan boots and leggings!
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(*I set him a chair and he run like deer)
(* I took him to bed and he stood on his head)
