Long Time Gal Mi Neva See You
Long Time Gal Mi Neva See You
Long Time Girl, I Never See You
Folk Song
Folk Song
(Jamaican Creole)
(English)
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let* mi hole yuh han
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi hole yuh hand.
Peel head John Crow sit pan the tree top
Pick out the blossom
Let mi hole yuh han Gal
Let mi hole yuh han.
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi wheel an' tun
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi wheel an' tun.
Peel head John Crow sit pan the tree top
Pick out the blossom
Let mi wheel an' tun gal,
Let mi wheel an' tun.
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi walk and talk
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let mi walk and talk.
Peel head John Crow sit pan the tree top
Pick out the blossom
Let mi walk and talk Gal
Let mi walk and talk.
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let me wheel an' jig
Dis long time gal mi neva see you
Come let me wheel an' jig.
Peel head John Crow sit pan the tree top
Pick out the blossom
Let me wheel an' jig gal,
Let me wheel an' jig.
Let mi hole yuh han Gal
Let mi hole yuh han.
This long time girl, I never see you,**
Come let me hold your hand
This long time girl, I never see you
Come let me hold your hand.
Bald-head John Crow*** sitting on the treetop,
Plucks off the blossom,
Let me hold your hand girl
Let me hold your hand.
This long time girl, I never see you,
Come let me wheel and turn
This long time girl, I never see you
Come let me wheel and turn.
Bald-head John Crow sitting on the treetop,
Plucks off the blossom,
Let me wheel and turn gal,
Let me wheel and turn.
This long time girl, I never see you,
Come let me walk and talk
This long time girl, I never see you
Come let me walk and talk.
Bald-head John Crow sitting on the treetop,
Plucks off the blossom,
Let me walk and talk girl
Let me walk and talk.
This long time girl, I never see you
Come let me wheel and jig
This long time girl, I never see you
Come let me wheel and jig.
Bald-head John Crow sitting on the treetop,
Plucks off the blossom,
Let me wheel and jig girl,
Let me wheel and jig.
Let me hold your hand girl
Let me hold your hand.
Notes
*Sometimes people sing "mek" (make) and sometimes "let" – it can vary in each rendition and in each verse.
**More common English would be, " It's a long time girl since I've seen you".
*** A Jamaican vulture. John Crow is an important part of Jamaican folklore.
Note: "Boy" is sometimes put in the place of "gal" in this song.
Comments
You can hear this song here too.
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Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Glasceta Honeyghan for contributing this song. Standard English version: Mama Lisa.
Many thanks to Gracie Gralike for the illustration.
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