Little is known about the origins of this song, except that it appears to be of Irish music hall origin and was published in various American song books of the late 19th century. This would appear to be the only time it has appeared in oral tradition. The full words are:
I feel so dreadful nervous
That I’m frightened of my life,
For by this time to-morrow,
I’ll be fastened to a wife;
An agricultural Irish girl
That’s twice the size of me;
Upon my word I’m doubtful
What the consequence will be.
Chorus.
She’s a flue big woman.
And she knows that same,
And early in the morning
She’ll possess my name;
But I feel so dreadful nervous,
I don’t know what to do.
For to-morrow I must buckle
On the twelve stone two.
I would like to break the contract off,
But that would never do;
My life would not be worth two straws,
Between myself and you;
I don’t think she’d put me in
A breach of promise case,
But with her big fist she’d make
The breaches on my face.-Chorus.
She made me drunk at Sullivan’s,
Then sat upon my knee;
Just imagine twelve stone two
On a little chap like me;
Twas she done all the courting,
I had not one word to say,
So like a helpless little lamb,
I gave myself away.- Chorus.