From the recording Sprig of Thyme
Traditional American / Anna Clemenger ©1992.
"The Bad Girl" is an American version of the English broadside ballad "The Unfortunate Rake", in which a young soldier is dying of syphilis and lamenting his heedless pursuit of pleasure. In this version the penitent is a woman, and the only reference to syphilis is the phrase "my body's salivated", which refers to a side effect of mercury, which was used to treat the disease.
Lyrics
When I was a young girl I used to seek pleasure
When I was a young girl I used to drink ale
Out of an alehouse and into a jailhouse
Right out of a bar room and down to my grave.
Come papa, come mama, and sit you down by me
Come sit you down by me, and pity my case
My sad heart is breaking, my poor head is aching
My body’s salivated and I’m bound to die.
Won’t you send for the preacher to come and pray for me
And call out the doctor to heal up my wound
My poor head is aching, my sad heart is breaking
My body’s salivated and I’m bound to die.
I want six young ladies to carry my coffin
I want six young ladies to bear me along
Have each of them carry a bunch of wild roses
To show they won’t forget me after I’m gone.