Billy Boy

[MrNajjoula]

In this song,Billy's mother questions him about the girl he plans to marry. Like a mother in any country, she wants her son to find a wife who is polite (did she ask u 2 come in?), attractive (how tall is she), skillful at housekeeping ( can she make an apple pie) and young (how old is she). In answering his mother, Billy exagerates all the qualities of the girl he wants to marr; he is joking in a good natured way.

[tneill1996]

i though this was a rangers song u can take my view of

[MsSSnow]

Thank you! A song from my childhood. I had forgotten the part about the dimple on her chin line. So it was a wonderful refresher.

[MrRajew]

I can just imagine this song on a Tarantino movie :D

[MrRajew]

Beautifully sung, with soul. Keep it up. :)

[TheBomiheko]

Isn't this an American folk song, not from England?

[lockonlps]

i learned that song in 4th grade. we just learned a different version

[viaranchcare]

I was 15 years old before I realized my name was really William. Thanks for all the words. Pappy

[taxiride1]

It's a geordie song :)

[readingrox19]

this makes me smile. thank you Mr. Dite for posting this wonderful piece of music :D

do u take requests?

[peter1for1hegemon]

Hey...don't take any garbage from these people! It was awesome!

[CanadianFolkBlues]

josh white and pete seeger do a very nice political version of this tune.

[mbyamukama]

The variant of the song my mother taught me (She learnt from her elder sister who was taught my English missionaries back in the 60s in Uganda).

"Can she cook or can she brew Billy boy billy boy"...."She can cook, she can brew, she can bake a wedding cake"...!!

[TexLady7050]

No child preditor here...

How old is she,

Charming Billy?

Three times six and four times seven,

Twenty-eight and eleven

[emb1st]

hmmm today he would be charged as a child molester or preditor of kids....

[GeorgeVreelandHill]

I remember singing this song in school when I was little.

Thank you for the memories.

George Vreeland Hill

[TheSaxonViolins]

thanks. my mother used to sing this to me.

[darhorn]

I feel sorry for Imjin57. She just doesn't understand folk music and how it changes and morphs. That's part of its charm along with "authentic" voices.

[confused327]

Why can't people just be nice..i think you did an awesome job and i enjoyed listening to it. You made me smile today :)

[Blinkymyt]

Funny how many versions of this youthful classic have been promulgated by legacy performers, Lew. Yours is one of the fine ones. Five B.B. stars. Cordially, John

[emusicman13]

my parents used to sing this song to me when i was little hints my name it billy

[dcrapunzel]

Great song and sung so welllllllllll...Thank you for sharing and posting for all to enjoy...:)

[vidaolivia]

fad 09

my recently deceased mother sang this to my newborn son billy for the 1st 3 mths of his life, i'm heartbroken since she passed so finding this means more than anyone will ever realise

[lewdite]

Thanks for passing that along...

[vanillapie]

love it!

[Kupo231]

you forgot the part where it tells her age

[LILEVILONE96]

hehehe i listened to this song when i was young lol im sooo glad i found it

[nihal02]

you definitely must have sung it with a lot of heart for so many people to get nostalgic :) thanks from me too! its great

[LDsongscreen]

Thanks for your comment...

[manano2]

This is adorable!

[Joypontious]

This is so cute!

[caveman861]

My Grandfather used to sing me this song.. thanx for uploading this wonderful song.. you've brought me back some of my pleasant memories from my childhood and of my grand old man! Cheerio!!

[Imjin57]

well, since I can't sing a lick myself, so who am I to criticize your singing, so I apologize to you for saying that,

I was going to send this song, with you and the little kids, to a friend that teaches kindergarten in Thailand . Then I saw that the key word in the song was wrong and couldn't send it..

It is a very beautiful song and it brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. My mother used to sing it to me when I was a child and I know every word by heart.

Thanks

[Imjin57]

I feel sorry for this Lew Dite that puts all these songs on, because he is not only a lousy singer he gets the words wrong.

In this case the whole point of the song is lost when he says Billy Boy went to SEE his wife, when actually Billy went ot SEEK a wife. That is the point that he seems to have missed., and It ruins the whole song.

[LDsongscreen]

I stand corrected... thank you.

However I cannot change my voice.

[howtoplanaparty]

Thank you for the son, Here are some tips to make it better. Practice singin separately without the instrument, before combinin. Also practice the instrument separately. Listen to your actual voice while practicin.

[MrCFCarePOO]

@LDsongscreen Imjin57 is far too harsh,purist and pedantic.Here in England I've heard many a folk-song delivered with all sorts of different lyrics and sometimes sung by indifferent voices.That is the very nature of folk-song.LD, I enjoyed your version & the barking dog very much.

[ripthefranks]

@LDsongscreen I think your voice is decent :)

[Wallabytrack]

@LDsongscreen There is nothing wrong with your voice mate! Nothing at all!

[Fukkdiss]

@Imjin57 lmijn i look forward to seeing ur versions online soon no? if not then i suggest you go fkk right off wit yo leakin asscrack.

I love these man your great Lew Dite great job!

[beanboy6]

weeee i love this song

[swisskerl]

woooow that's a long long time

we had learned and sang this song in the school in Algeria in the 4th class

but the song was bit longer:

how old is she billy boy billy boy?

how old is she charming billy?

she's three times six plus seven,

five times eight and twice eleven

she's a young thing

and cannot leave her mother

XD

[caveman861]

Hehe..

[TheDZ6]

I know a different version. One verse is saying multiply 8x5+?= ?

I forgot it. It was funny. It turned out the girl was 100 and her mother was 1??

[bloom614]

i can play it on my clerinet

[reliablebow]

Loverly

[MissPickletoes]

My dad too, was a Bill....and boy could he sing! An Irish tenor.

[SirCoughsalot]

My grandma used to sing it to me! Still does on occasion...

[stewballmax2]

Hello

LDsongscreen...

Delightfully playful,this latest installment in your much-loved singalong series was very much appreciated and enjoyed. by Yours Truly.

Peace,

Stewball

[kaburto1966]

Did she offer you a chair?

Yes, she offered me a chair, but there was no bottom there...

[lewdite]

I like it.

This is a funny coincidence...

Besides being a songster I am a visual artist. Back in the 1990s I did a series of chair paintings and none of them had seats.