Today we have a Traditional Mountain Song, one I have heard for years that always made me giggle. It’s about Billy Boy who has obstacles in getting to the altar. He has found the girl of his dreams, yet there are a few snafus he needs to overcome first. I keep referring back to these tunes and somehow my 4th grade teacher seems to have been a consistent source. Mrs Gott. I remember her as nice, the kind of woman who wore a sweater and her glasses hung by a chain. And I give thanks for her, as she introduced me to such interesting music. Here I am more than fifty years later writing about what happened in her classroom.
I created the pink letters of the background by utilizing the chorus of the song. I wanted to somehow make sure all the letters touched each other, then filled in the counter spaces with a grey ink pen. I was going for something less structured and a bit silly…and of course pink!
So let’s check in on Billy Boy’s adventures….it’s time to sing!
Oh! Where have You Gone?
– Traditional Mountain Song
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Oh! Where Have you gone Charming Billy?
I have gone to seek a wife.
She’s the joy of my young life.
Chorus:
She’s a young thing and cannot leave her Mother.
Are her eyes blue and bright?
Billy Boy, Billy boy?
Are her eyes blue and bright Charming Billy?
Her eyes are blue and bright
But they’re also minus sight.
Chorus…
“She’s a young thing and cannot leave her mother.” What a phrase to repeat after each verse, along his arduous journey to the altar. I have always had hope the Billy did indeed wed and live happily ever after…even if his new wife couldn’t really see his face!
I think this one makes me laugh, and yet, if you talk to anyone who has found love, in whatever form or fashion it may come, the path is never clear, straight, and boring. The obstacles make us stronger, more ardent and more resolved to find love. We cherish the stories, the obstacles and funny circumstances and all that then becomes “our story.” And what fun it is to hear other peoples’ love stories. Be it a pet, the perfect house, the perfect person, a wonderful job – loving something doesn’t always mean the path was swift. Real love – the kind you cheer for – usually overcomes hardships and endures until the end.
So let’s cheer for the Billy Boys of the world who persevere and find what they were looking for – LOVE! And let me encourage you to appreciate the love you have in your own life – friends, family, a pet, a home, a job, a hobby, a talent – whatever it is you love…give thanks. For a life without love is a life half lived.
We’re coming to the end of the month…so stay tuned!
