I came to see Jenny jo, Jenny jo, Jenny jo,
I came to see Jenny jo, is she within?
Jenny jo’s washing clothes, washing clothes, washing clothes,
Jenny jo’s washing clothes, and ye can’t see her to-day.
Oh but I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,
Oh but I’m sorry, I can’t see her to-day.
Farewell ladies, O ladies, O ladies,
Farewell ladies, and gentlemen too.
[Then the same verses are repeated for—
- (1) starching clothes,
- (2) smoothing clothes,
- (3) dead,
the four lines above being repeated after each, and the verses proceed with—]
What shall we dress her in, dress her in, dress her in?
What shall we dress her in? Shall it be black?
Black for the sweeps, the sweeps, the sweeps,
Black for the sweeps, and that shall not do.
What shall we dress her in, dress her in, dress her in?
What shall we dress her in? Shall it be blue?