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  • Peggy-O
    Lyrics By:
    Traditional
    Music By:
    Traditional

    As we rode out to Fennario
    As we rode out to Fennario
    Our captain fell in love with a lady like a dove
    And he called her by name pretty Peggy-O

    Will you marry me, pretty Peggy-O
    Will you marry me, pretty Peggy-O
    If you will marry me, I will set your cities free
    And free all the ladies in the area-O (note 1)

    I would marry you, sweet William-O
    I would marry you, sweet William-O
    I would marry you, but your guineas are too few (note 2)
    And I fear my mama would be angry-O

    What would your mama think, pretty Peggy-O
    What would your mama think, pretty Peggy-O
    What would your mama think if she heard my guineas clink (note 2)
    And saw me marching at the head of my soldiers-O

    If ever I return, pretty Peggy-O
    If ever I return, pretty Peggy-O
    If ever I return, all your citie

    A traditional ballad played regularly by Jerry Garcia with the Grateful Dead from the early '70s. (1) in earlier versions it's "free all the people" not "free all the ladies", and similarly "Destroy all the people" (2) on some occasions Jerry sang "dollars" instead of "guineas." And on others, he sings this verse as "I won't marry you, 'cause your guineas are too few." (thanks to Dan Franzen and Todd O'Malley for pointing this out). (3) in early versions (eg on DP31), this verse is sung as the second verse (4) in early versions (eg on DP31), this verse is omitted
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Submitted by Jonathan Lane on
A traditional ballad played regularly by Jerry Garcia with the Grateful Dead from the early '70s. (1) in earlier versions it's "free all the people" not "free all the ladies", and similarly "Destroy all the people" (2) on some occasions Jerry sang "dollars" instead of "guineas." And on others, he sings this verse as "I won't marry you, 'cause your guineas are too few." (thanks to Dan Franzen and Todd O'Malley for pointing this out). (3) in early versions (eg on DP31), this verse is sung as the second verse (4) in early versions (eg on DP31), this verse is omitted
Lyrics By
Traditional
Music By
Traditional
Lyrics

As we rode out to Fennario
As we rode out to Fennario
Our captain fell in love with a lady like a dove
And he called her by name pretty Peggy-O

Will you marry me, pretty Peggy-O
Will you marry me, pretty Peggy-O
If you will marry me, I will set your cities free
And free all the ladies in the area-O (note 1)

I would marry you, sweet William-O
I would marry you, sweet William-O
I would marry you, but your guineas are too few (note 2)
And I fear my mama would be angry-O

What would your mama think, pretty Peggy-O
What would your mama think, pretty Peggy-O
What would your mama think if she heard my guineas clink (note 2)
And saw me marching at the head of my soldiers-O

If ever I return, pretty Peggy-O
If ever I return, pretty Peggy-O
If ever I return, all your citie