The Foggy, Foggy Dew

Foggy Origins

This tune appeared on a broadside circa 1815. Burl Ives, however, categorizes this as a tune from Colonial America. An earlier tune "When I First Came To Court" was licensed in 1689, but this a revision of that tune done sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century.

Back in the 1960s Burl Ives appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on CBS television. Burl was noted for his performance of "The Foggy, Foggy Dew." and it was only natural that he sing it that night. However, censors in those less enlightened times forced him to change the line "Again I am a bachelor, I live with my son" to "Again I'm a widower, I live with my son." Apparently, a child conceived out of wedlock was a taboo subject in those days.

The Music
The Foggy, Foggy Dew
[ 1:34 ] [ 13k ]

The Song
The song in this book which is sung to the tune of
"he Foggy, Foggy Dew"

1. Foggy Dew

The Foggy, Foggy Dew

When I was a bachelor, I liv'd all alone
I worked at the weaver's trade
And the only, only thing that I did that was wrong
Was to woo a fair young maid.
I wooed her in the wintertime
Part of the summer, too
And the only, only thing that I did that was wrong
Was to keep her from the foggy, foggy dew.

One night she knelt close by my side
When I was fast asleep.
She threw her arms around my neck
And she began to weep.
She wept, she cried, she tore her hair
Ah, me! What could I do?
So all night long I held her in my arms
Just to keep her from the foggy foggy dew.

Again I am a bachelor, I live with my son
We work at the weaver's trade.
And every sing time I look into his eyes
He reminds me of that fair young maid.
He reminds me of the wintertime
Part of the summer, too,
And the many, many times that I held her in my arms
Just to keep her from the foggy, foggy, dew.