{"id":2050,"date":"2020-04-09T17:27:22","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T17:27:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=2050"},"modified":"2025-12-11T07:20:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T07:20:55","slug":"the-gypsy-warned-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/the-gypsy-warned-me\/","title":{"rendered":"Gypsy warned me, The"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
First published<\/td>1920<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Weston <\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td> Lee<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN25548<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Violet Loraine 1920s<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Alice Kane 1983<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
I went to see a gypsy once to learn my future fate\nSaid she, 'Be very careful when you want to choose a mate.'\nSo when a young man winked at me, outside the garden gate\nI went to see the gypsy once again\nI told her how my heart would flutter 'neath his soulful gaze\nAnd when I said, 'This young man has such very taking ways'\n\nChorus:<\/strong> The gypsy warned me, the gypsy warned me\n'Oh' she said to me, 'my child\nHe's a bad lad, a very bad lad'\nBut I only blushed and smiled\nHe took me in the country once, it really was sublime,\nA dragonfly flew down my back, and what a pantomime\nFor he tried to find out where the flies go in the wintertime\n'Cause I didn't take the gypsy's warning.<\/em>\n\nAn actor stayed at Mother's once, so debonair and smart\nIn 'The girl who lost her character' he played the villain's part\nHe told me that he loved me and to him I lost my heart\nSo I went to see the gypsy once again\nI told her of the part he played and what he used to do\nShe scanned the lines upon my hand, and looking very blue\n\nChorus:<\/strong> The gypsy warned me, the gypsy warned me\n'Oh' she said to me 'my child\nHe's a bad lad, a very bad lad'\nBut I only blushed and smiled\nThough in 'The girl who lost her character' he made a hit\nI thought he'd buy a wedding ring for me, I must admit\nBut all the bounder gave me was two tickets for the pit\n'Cause I didn't take the gypsy's warning.\n<\/em>\nOf marrying a titled gent I'd always had a hope\nOne night I met Count Zog-it-off, he handed me the 'Dope'\nHe put the fluence on me then he asked me to elope\nSo I went to see the gypsy once again\nI told her of Count Zog-it-off and how he'd been so kind\nSaid she, 'You get some Zog, my dear, and Zog it off your mind'\n\nThe gipsy warned me, the gypsy warned me\n'Oh' she said to me 'my child\nHe's a bad lad, a very bad lad'\nBut I only blushed and smiled\nAt two o' clock next morning there I met Count Zog-it-off\nSaid he 'The carriage waits my dear' I heard a lady cough\n'Twas his wife and fourteen children all come round to see him off\n'Cause I didn't take the gypsy's warning.<\/em>\n\nI love the Airforce uniform; I like that shade of blue\nAnd young Lieutenant Reggie, oh, the stunts he used to do\nHe'd fly across our house and drop love-letters down the flue\nSo I went to see the gypsy once again\nSaid she, 'Be careful dearie, flying men are very slim\nHe'll surely drop in on you when you're not expecting him'\n\nChorus: <\/strong>The gypsy warned me, the gypsy warned me\n'Oh' she said to me 'my child\nHe's a bad lad, a very bad lad'\nBut I only blushed and smiled\nAnd that night in his aeroplane young Reginald Magrath\nFlew right across the garden wall and up the garden path\nCrashed through the bathroom window pane and I was in the bath\n'Cause I didn't take the gypsy's warning.<\/em>\n\nThe gypsy with her warnings grew so very, very strict\nI never got a young man, and I thought it time I kicked\nAnd getting rather anxious as to why I hadn't clicked\nI went to see the gypsy once again\nSaid she 'A brave young man will snatch you from your bed\nBut if you don't hang on to him, that man you'll never wed'\n\nThe gypsy warned me, the giypsy warned me\n'Oh' she said to me 'my child\nHe's a bad lad, a very bad lad'\nBut I only blushed and smiled\nThat night the house caught fire, and in his helmet shining bright\nA firemen snatched me from my bed, and got me down alright\nThen he jumped upon his engine, and he shouted out 'Good night'\n'Cause I didn't take the gypsy's warning.<\/em>\n <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The song was first performed by Violet Loraine (1886-1956) as part of a revue show called Whirligig<\/em>, at the Palace, London in 1920. Violet had previously starred  with Gorge Robey in the hit show Bing Boys are here!<\/em> and became famous for singing If you were the only girl in the world <\/em>with Robey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collected from the singing of Alice Kane (1908-2003), a song she learnt in her Ulster childhood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not to be confused with The Gypsies Warning Roud 1764.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n