EP

When I was a Young Maid
When I was a young maid about age of sweet sixteen
I wanted for to go and serve my country and my queen
I listed in the army a drummer boy to be
And they learnt me to play upon the rum-a-dum-a-dee
Chorus (after every verse):
With my big hat and feather, if you had only seen
You’d have sworn from your very heart a young man I had been
My waist was thin and slender, my fingers thin and small
And I could rattle up the drummer dee the best among them all
When I was in the guardroom, where oft times I had been
I never was afraid for to lie down with any man
While taking off my trousers, I often gave a smile
For to think I was a soldier and maiden all the while
They sent me to London, I was scarcely three days there
When a maiden fell in love with me because I was so fair
I told her I was a maiden, a maiden she replied
And she went and told my officer, the secret she destroyedy
My officer he sent for me to ask me was it true
I said it was, what other could I do
I said it was, he smiled and shook his head
It’s a pity for to lose you such a drummer boy you maid
So here is a pension, you have it from the king
And here is another one, you have it from the queen
And if ever you be married, 8and ever have a son
You can send him to the army for to rattle up the drum
John Barleycorn
There were three men come from the west and they were all a dry
They made a vow, a solemn vow, John Barleycorn should die
Ah poor boy, John Barleycorn should die
They ploughed the land, they harrowed it well, scratched cloths all over his head
They made a vow, a solemn vow, John Barleycorn was dead
Ah poor boy, John Barleycorn was dead
They let him lay a little while ‘til a shower of rain did fall
Then Barleycorn sprang up a green blade and soon surprised them all
Ah poor boy, and soon surprised them all
They let him stand ‘til midsummer ‘til he grew pale and sore
Then they hired men with scythe sticks in to cut him down at his knees
Ah poor boy, to cut him down at his knees
They hired men with pitch forks in to prick him to his heart
They pitched him and they loaded him and they bound his to a cart
Ah poor boy, they bound him to a cart
They carted him up and down the field, they carted him to the farm
That’s how they served John Barleycorn, and they swore they’d done him no harm
Ah poor boy, they swore they’d done him no harm
They hired men with great sticks in, to beat him out at once
Swish swash went onto his head and the flesh flew from his bones
Ah poor boy, the flesh flew from his bones
They put him into a sack poor boy, and tied him up with a string
But Barleycorn untied himself and he soon got out again
Ah poor boy, he soon got out again
They put him onto a kiln poor boy, for to roast his bones
But now they served him the worst of all, they crushed him between two stones
Ah poor boy, they crushed him between two stones
They put him into a tub poor boy, for to scold him there
But Barleycorn ran out below and he soon became strong beer
Ah poor boy, he soon became strong beer
Put wine into a glass poor boy, put cider into a can
Put Barleycorn into a pint mug and he’ll prove the noblest man
Ah poor boy, he’ll prove the noblest man
Let any man be strong as he will, as I’ve oft told you before
If he takes too much John Barleycorn he’ll put you onto the floor
Ah poor boy, he’ll put you onto the floor.
The Lady & The Soldier
It was early one morning in the merry month of May
When I spied a young couple together at play.
One was a pretty fair maid, whose beauty shone so clear,
And the other was a soldier, a bold Grenadier.
There were kisses and sweet compliments they gave to each other,
They walked hand in hand, like sister and brother.
They walked hand in hand till they came to a spring
Where they both sat down together to hear the nightingale sing.
He undid his knapsack and drew out a fiddle,
He put one arm around her, yes, right round her middle.
He played her a merry tune that made the valleys ring,
“Oh, hark!” said the fair maid, “how the nightingales sing!”
“Oh, now,” said the soldier, “it's time to give o'er.”
“Oh, no,” said the fair maid, “play me one tune more,
For the listening of your music and the touching of your string,
I'd rather much more have it than hear the nightingale sing.”
“Oh, no,” said the fair maid, “will you marry me?”
“Oh, no,” said the soldier, “that can never be.
I've a wife and three children in my own country,
Such a nice little woman as you ever did see.
“I am bound for old India for seven long years,
To drink wine and whisky instead of strong beer.
And if ever I return again, may it be in the spring!
When we'll both sit down together to hear the nightingale sing.”
On Yonder Old Oak
On yonder old oak, there sits an old crow, around him sweet violets do grow
On yonder old oak, there sits an old crow, around him sweet violets do grow
On yonder old oak, there sits an old crow, around him sweet violets do grow
Around him sweet violets do grow
Down yonder green lane, there lives a sweet maid, It would charm you to hear how she sings
Down yonder green lane, there lives a sweet maid, It would charm you to hear how she sings
Down yonder green lane, there lives a sweet maid, It would charm you to hear how she sings
It would charm you to hear how she sings
“Come come my pretty maid and be not afraid, I mean you no mischief I vow
Come come my pretty maid and be not afraid, I mean you no mischief I vow
Come come my pretty maid and be not afraid, I mean you no mischief I vow
I mean you no mischief I vow”
“I vow and protest, I never will be kissed, by no one such fellow as you
I vow and protest, I never will be kissed, by no one such fellow as you
I vow and protest, I never will be kissed, by no one such fellow as you
By no one such fellow as you”
Bright Phoebe she shines right over our heads, while little king Cupid keeps crying
Bright Phoebe she shines right over our heads, while little king Cupid keeps crying
Bright Phoebe she shines right over our heads, while little king Cupid he cries
While little king Cupid he cries
While little king Cupid he cries
The Two Magicians
She looked out the window as white as any milk,
He looked in the window as black as any silk
Hello, hello, hello, hello you coal blacksmith
You have done me no harm
But you never shall have me maidenhead that I have kept so long
I’d rather die a maid
Yes but then she said and be buried all in my grave
Than to have such a nasty husky, musty, fusky, dusty coal blacksmith
A maiden I shall die
Then she became a duck, a duck all on the stream
And he became a water dog and fetched her back again
Then she became a hare, a hare upon the plain
And he became a greyhound dog and fetched her back again
Then she became a fly, a fly all in the air
And he became a spider and fetched her to his lair
Then she became a rose, a rose all in the wood
And he became a bumblebee and kissed her where she stood
She became a star, a star all in the night
And he became a thundercloud and muffled her out of sight
Then she became a nun, a nun all dressed in white
And he became a canting priest and prayed for her by night
Then she became a corpse, a corpse all in the ground
And he became the cold cold clay and smothered her all around.