Historical Folk Lyrics
"The Wild Rippling Water"

As I was out walking, a-rambling one day
I spied a fair couple a-coming my way.
One was a cowboy, a brave one was he,
The other a lady and a beauty was she,
The other a lady and a beauty was she.

Say, "Where are you going, my pretty fair maid?" "
Just down by the river, just down by the shade,
Just down by the river, just down by the spring,
To see the wild water and hear the nightingale sing,
See the wild rippling water and hear the nightingale sing."
They hadn't been gone but an hour or so
When he drew from his satchel a fiddle and bow.
He tuned up his fiddle all on a high string
And played a tune over and over again,
And played a tune over and over again.

"Now," says the cowboy, "I should have been gone."
"No, no," said the maid, "just play one more song.
I'd rather hear the fiddle played on one string
Than to see the wild water and hear the nightingale sing,
See the wild rippling water and hear the nightingale sing."
He tuned up his fiddle and rosined his bow
And played her a lecture, he played it all low.
He played her a lecture all on the high string.
"Hark, hark," said the maid, "hear the nightingale sing,
"Hark, hark," said the maid, "hear the nightingale sing."

She says, "Dear cowboy, will you marry me?"
"No, no, pretty maid, that never can be.
I've a wife in Arizona, a lady is she,
One wife and one ranch are plenty for me.
One wife and one ranch are plenty for me.

"I'll go to Mexico and I'll stay there one year,
I'll drink a lot of wine, I'll drink a lot of beer.
If I ever come back it will be in the spring
To see the wild water and hear the nightingale sing,
See the wild rippling water and hear the nightingale sing."
Come all you young ladies, take warning from me,
Never place your affections in a cowboy so free;
He'll go away and leave you as mine left me,
Leave you rocking the cradle, singing "Bye, oh baby."
Leave you rocking the cradle, singing "Bye, oh baby."