{"id":9550,"date":"2021-03-08T10:14:37","date_gmt":"2021-03-08T10:14:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=9550"},"modified":"2021-03-08T10:14:39","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T10:14:39","slug":"i-fancy-i-can-see-her-now","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/i-fancy-i-can-see-her-now\/","title":{"rendered":"I fancy I can see her now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>I fancy I can see him now<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1869<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Arthur Lloyd<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN21274<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Arthur Lloyd<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
A fragment (the chorus)seems to have been collected by Alfred Williams from an unknown singer<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Taken from sheet music on ArthurLloyd.co.uk<\/strong>\n\nI'm all the way frae Lancashire \nIn search o' Betsy Gray; \nWho left her native country just \nA twelve month yesterday. \nSince she's been gone I've had no rest, \nEither night or day: \nAnd I feel so bewildered now \nI don't know what I say\n\nI fancy I can see her now, <\/em>\nDown at Farmer Fen's, <\/em>\nPickin' up the new laid eggs frae the cow, \nAnd milking the cocks and hens.<\/em>\n\nI've had one fight since I've been here, \nI knocked a fellow flat; \nBecause he roared right in my ear, \n\"I say, I'll have your hat\"\nThis hat my Betsy gave to me, \nAnd said in voice so sweet; \nYou wear this for my sake dear Joe, \nAs she placed it on my feet.\n\n[Spoken] My head I mean, I'm thinking so much of her I don't know what I say\u2026 Chorus<\/em>\n\nThe lovely bread she used to bake, \nThe scones and pancakes too; \nAnd Everton toffy she could make \nAs sticky and thick as glue. \nI'd back her too agin the world \nLiver and bacon to fry, \nWhen I think of the watery taters too\nThe steam comes from my eye.\n\n[Spoken] I mean when I think of the steaming taters the water comes from my eye! Darned if I know what I'm sayin', thinking o' that lass ...Chorus<\/em>\n\nI bought her once a splendid dress, \nThat cost me many a groat; \nTo show you that she loved me, now, \nI'll tell a nanny goat [anecdote<\/em>] \nShe saved a great lump of her dress, \nThis is a truth I vow: \nAnd made me this fine waistcoat \nThat you see me wearing now.\n\n[spoken] Look at that! \u2013 There's a fit! \u2013 the Prince of Wales' tailor couldn't make it better nor that \u2013 no fear o' it splittin' plenty of room to grow! Ah! She wor a good lass she'd anythin' I'd tell without me kickin' her. She wor daily maid wi' Farmer Fen, I used to work at plough - Then we used to romp when work wor done I used to pinch her arm as hard as I could until she cried. And then she used to hit me on the head with a spade \u2013 what fun we had\u2026 Chorus<\/em>\n\nIt's no use me a-standin' here, \nI'm wastin' all my time; \nBut to meet my Bet again, \nThe highest mountains I would climb, \nif I can't see nowt on her here, \nFrae Lunnon I'll retire; \nAnd weeping for my Betsy Gray, \nGo back tae Lancashire\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A song written, composed and sung by Arthur Lloyd<\/a> in the 1870s.  Lloyd is perhaps best remembered for his caricatures of upper class \u201cswells\u201d, but he also performed in blackface and  had a number of songs which mocked so-called country-bumpkins. He regularly performed dressed as  The Lancashire Booby<\/em>, and this was a song performed in that character. Passing references to violence against women are fairly common in Music Hall songs reflecting attitudes and reality at the time \u2026 <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The earliest reference to the song in 19th-century newspapers comes in 1869:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 Jan. 5, 1869 <\/strong>The Daily Telegraph (London, England)
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A fragment (the chorus) was published by folksong collector  Alfred Williams in his book Round About the Upper Thames<\/em> – he described it simply as “an old song”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n