"Step It Out, Mary" is a song that has popped up many times during the years I spent digging through Celtic folk songs. I first heard it in high school when a family friend gave my mother a CD which had the version by Hair of the Dog (a CD I quickly tried to claim for my own--keyword is "tried"). So given how familiar I was with the song, imagine how surprised I was to discover that Mary changed her name to Nancy, moved to America, and grew a backbone. I had no idea that "Step it Out, Nancy" even existed until earlier this month when I found the song while searching for murder ballads. How did I miss this until now?
The two songs are practically the same, having the same melody, tempo, and most of the same lyrics. However there are some key differences between the two songs. Most of them are flavor; the Nancy versions have more a country sound and instrumentation to them, which the Mary version are definitely more Celtic. They lyrical differences follow the same themes as well with Nancy's American Western setting and the imagery of the cattleman (as opposed to Mary's countryman) and the cowboy lover (instead of Mary's soldier). The biggest difference between the two songs, however, is the ending. Mild-Mannered-Mary and her soldier boy decide to recreate Romeo and Juliet, but Tough-As-Nails-Nancy would never take the easy way out. Oh no, Nancy takes an extra two verses and gets her revenge. Take a look at the two songs below:
"Step It Out, Mary" by Hair of the Dog (Youtube video is here)
"Step It Out, Nancy" by Holly Near (Youtube video is here)
In the village of Kilgory, there’s a maiden young and fair
Near Cheyenne in Wyoming there's a maiden fine and fair,
Her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Oh, her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Then a countryman came riding, he came to her daddy's gate
When the cattleman came riding he came to her father's door,
Mounted on a milk-white stallion, he came at the stroke of eight
Mounted on a milk white pony, he came at the stroke of four
Chorus:
Chorus:
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin'
Step it out, Mary, if you can
Step it out Nancy, if you can
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin',
Show your legs to the country man (x2)
Show your legs to the wealthy man.
"I have come to court your daughter, Mary of the golden hair"
" I have come to court your daughter, Nancy of the golden hair,"
"I have gold and I have silver, I have lands beyond compare"
"I have wealth and I have money, I have goods beyond compare."
"I will buy her silks and satin and a gold ring for her hand"
"And I will buy her silks and satins, and a gold ring for her hand."
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command"
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command."
Chorus
"Kind sir I love a soldier, I have pledged to him my hands"
"Can't you see I love a cowboy and I've promised him my hand,
"I don't want your house or money, I don't want your gold nor land"
"I don't want your house and money, I don't want your goods and land."
Mary’s father spoke up sharply, "You will do as you are told"
Nancy's father spoke up sharply, said, "You'll do as you are told."
"You will marry him on Sunday and you will wear the ring of gold"
"You'll be married on a Sunday, you will wear that ring of gold."
Chorus
Chorus
Near the village of Kilgory there's a deep stream running by
It was there that they found Mary, she had drowned with her soldier boy
In the cottage there is music, you can hear her daddy say
Step it out Mary, my fine daughter, Sunday is your wedding day.
Well, the cattleman spoke with fury, said, "You will not have that man,"
And he rode from town in anger with his rifle in his hand.
He came back from Colorado; on his pony was a sack,
Deep red with the blood of the cowboy slung across his back.
Pretty Nancy cried in anguish, she wept and tore her hair,
She slipped into her father's room and found a pistol lying there.
On the Sunday came the wedding, the town folks gathered at noon,
They saw Nancy pull the pistol and shoot down that wealthy groom.
Chorus
Nancy said, "I am not sorry," when the jury heard the tale,
Though he rots beneath the filthy ground and I shall rot in jail."
There in the crowded courtroom twelve good folks took their stand,
Said, "We will not hold you, Nancy, for killing that wealthy man."
Chorus
(Note: this next verse is not typically included in "Step it Out, Nancy," but I am including it here because Holly Near includes it in her version, which is the one I chose to use for comparison").
Well I hope you get my meaning, It's not that murder pays
But that women must not be bought or sold, either then or now-a-days
We will choose our lovers, we will live out our own lives
We'll love who we please with a passion and a sparkle in our eyes
Chorus
No comments:
Post a Comment