Steeleye Span Album

Traditional

Oh the old turf fire
And the hearth swept clean
There's no-one so contented as myself and Paddy Keane,
The baby in the cradle,
You can hear it's mammy say,
Ah will you go to sleep alanna
While I wet your daddy's tea.

Now I've got a little house and land
As neat as it can be,
You'll never see the likes of it
This side of Lisnakea.
No piano in the corner
And no pictures on the wall,
But I'm happy and contented
In my little cottage hall
Now the man that I work for,
Of noble blood is he,
But somethin' I'll be tellin' you
We never can agree
He has big towering mansions,
He has castles great and tall
But I wouldn't change the roof that crowns
My own cottage hall.

Oh the old turf fire
And the hearth swept clean
There's no-one so contented as myself and Paddy Keane,
The baby in the cradle,
You can hear it's mammy say,
Ah will you go to sleep alanna
While I wet your daddy's tea.

Round the old turf fire
sit the old folk, bent with years,
As they watch us trippin' lightly
They're smilin' thro' their tears.
So sadly they are dreaming
Of their youthful heart's desire -
In those dear old days so long ago
Around the old turf fire.

Traditional

In London town I lost my way
In Oxford city I went astray
See-Saw Jack-in-the-Hedge
Which is the way to London Bridge?

If your heels are nimble and light,
You may get there by candlelight

Chorus

And I'm up to the tricks of London town,
(London bridge is falling down)
I'm up to the tricks of London
See-Saw Sacra-down
Which is the way to London town
One foot up and the other foot down
And that's the way to London town

Chorus

And I'm up to the tricks of London town,
(See-Saw Sacra-down)
I'm up to the tricks of London
(One foot up and the other foot down)
And I'm up to the tricks of London town
(London bridge is falling down)
I'm up to the tricks of London

In London town I lost my way,
In Oxford city I went astray.

In Horkstow Grange there lived and old miser
You all do know him as I have heard say
It's him on his men that was named John Bowlin
And they fell out one market day

With a blackthorn stick old Steeleye struck him
As oft times he had threatened before
John Bowlin turned round all in a passion
And knocked old Steeleye into the floor.

Old Steeleye Span he was filled with John Bowlin
It happened to be on a market day
Old Steeleye swore with all his vengeance
He would swear his life away.

Pity them what see him suffer
Pity poor old Steeleye Span
John Bowlin's deeds they will be remembered
Pity poor old Steeleye Span
Pity poor old Steeleye Span.

Johnson

"O where have you been, Lord Randall, my son?
Where have you been, my handsome young man?"

"I've been to the wild wood, mother, and I want to lie down.
I met with my true love, mother, make my bed soon."
"And what did she give you?"
"She gave me some supper and I'm -

Chorus:
Sick, sick, weary and tired,
Sick to the heart and I want to lie down".

"O what did you eat, Lord Randall, my son?
What did you eat, my handsome young man?"

"She gave me some eels, mother, fried in a pan,
They were streaked and striped, mother, make my bed soon."
"And where did they come from?"
"They came from the ditches."
"And what got your leavings?"
"My hawks and my greyhounds."
"And what did they do then?"
"They laid down and died and I'm -

Chorus

"O what will you do, Lord Randall, my son?
What will you do, my handsome young man?"

"I fear I am poisoned, mother, make my bed soon.
Down in the churchyard, mother, and lay me down easy,
For I've been to the wildwood and I met with my true love."
"And what did you eat there?"
"Eels in a pan."
"And what was their colour?"
"All streaked and striped."
"And where did they come from?"
"My father's black ditches."
"And what got the leavings?"
"My hawks and my greyhounds."
"And what did they do then?"
"They laid down and died."
"Oh, I fear you are poisoned."
"Make my bed soon."
"And where shall I make it?"
"Down in the churchyard."
"Down in the churchyard."
"And lay me down easy for I'm -

Chorus:
Sick, sick, weary and tired,
Sick to the heart and I want to lie down".

Traditional

At the setting of the sun
When my long day's work was done,
I went out along the sea shore for a walk -
And I being all alone,
I sat down upon a stone
To gaze upon the streets of New York

Chorus:
Erin grá mo chroí
You're the dear old land to me
You're the fairest that my eyes have ever seen
And if ever I go home
From you I never will roam
From my own dear native land - far away

With the turf fire burning bright
On a cold dark winter's night
And the snow flakes falling gently to the ground -
When St. Patrick's day comes 'round
We'll wear the shamrock green
In my own dear native land - far away

Chorus

Well it broke my mother's heart
From her I had to part
Will I ever see my mother any more?
When her body it is laid
In the cold and silent grave
In my own dear native land - far away

Chorus

Traditional

Queen Mary, Queen Mary, my age is 15.
My father's a farmer on yonder green,
With plenty of money to make me sae braw.
But there's nae bonny laddy to take me awa'.

Each morning I rise and make myself clean,
With ruffles and ribbons and everything fine,
With the finest hair cushions and French curls twa.
But there's nae bonny laddy to take me awa'.

Queen Mary, Queen Mary, my age is 15.
My father's a farmer on yonder green,
With plenty of money to make me sae braw.
But there's nae bonny laddy to take me awa'.

Traditional

O it's of a knight on a summer's night
Was riding o'er the lee, diddle
There he spied a bonny bird
Sitting upon a tree. Singing:

Chorus 1:
"Wow for the day!
An gin it for the day!
Oh gin it were day,
And gin I were away!
I ha na lang time to stay." diddle

"O make hast, make hast, ye gentle knight,
What keeps you here so late? diddle
Gin ye kent what's doing at hame,
I fear ye would look blate." diddle

Chorus

"O why should I toil day and night,
My fair body to kill,
For ninety knights at my command,
An ladys at my will?"

"O ye lee ye lee ye gentle knight
So loud I hear you lee: diddle
There's a knight in your lady's arms
And she lees better than thee." diddle

Chorus

"Ye lee, you lee you bonny bird,
But you'll no lee again,
For I will tak my bonny bow,
An split your head in twain."

"But afore ye hae your bow well bent,
An a' your arrows yare, diddle
I will flee tae another tree,
Where I may better fare." diddle

Chorus

"O whare was ye gotten, and whare was ye clecked?
Pray bonny birdy, tell me:"
"O it was in the green wood,
Intill a holly tree

"An a gentleman came riding by,
An frae my nest he herryed me,
Put me in a silver cage,
An ga me to his lady."

Chorus

"Then wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk
He bade her feet me aft
An ga her a little wee simmer-dale wanny,
To ding me sindle and saft.

But wi good white bread an farrow-cow milk
I wot she fed me nought,
An wi a little wee simmer-dale wanny,
She dang me sindle and saft."

Chorus

Chorus 2:
"Time he was away
O time he was away
For he that's in bed
Wi's another man's wife
It's time he was away." diddle

So the knight he rade, and the birdy flew ...

"Lie still, lie still, ye gentle knight,
What makes ye toss an turn?"
"A birdy sang an it troubles me,
An I fear a coming storm."

"But is no your hawk upon its perch?
Your horse eats oats and hay
An ye've a lady in your arms
How can ye wish for day?" diddle

So he's turned himself at o'er again,
To take a little sleep,
And when he awoke the lady's lord
Was standing at their feet. Crying:

"Wow for the day,
For he that's in bed wi another's man wife
It's time he was away" diddle

So then he's taken out his sword
An straiked it o'er a strae,
An thro an thro the false knight's heart
He 's gard cauld iron gae. diddle

Chorus

Then he's darked the windows up secure
With muttle shudders sprang
An there was neither sun nor sky
But darkness in her room. She cries:

"Wow for the day!
An gin it for the day!
Oh gin it were day,
And gin I were away!
I can na langer stay." diddle

"Wow for the day!
An gin it for the day!
For there was never a living soul
That ever came our way." diddle

Woods

As I roved out one morning
All in the blooming spring
I overheard a damsel
Most grievously sing -
Saying cruel were my parents
Who did me sore annoy
They would not let me tarry with my bonny Irish boy

His hair is like the chestnut brown,
His eyes as black as sloes;
He is meek in his behaviour
Wherever that he goes
He is well-sized, both neat and wise,
Like a maiden's chastity.
If I had my will I would be still
In my love's company.

If I had all the riches now
That great men have in store,
'Tis freely I'd bestow them
On the man that I adore;
His beauty so entangled me
I never can deny.
In the arms of my labouring boy
I mean to live and die.

Traditional

O ladies take pity on me,
Let me in your company mingle.
I once was merry and free
And, like you, I was happy and single.
Me mother advised me to wed,
For seventeen years I had tarried.
So, off to the church I did go -
In a trice to a man to be married.
O I wish that I never was wed.

For a short time he loved me sincere,
He used me both kindly and civil;
The honeymoon scarcely was o'er
When he turned out a quare divil!
The bed he took up on his back
And off to the pawnshop he carried
Oft times I wished I was dead
Or better, I never was married.
O I wish that I never was wed.

To the landlord he won't pay the rent
He says that he is not able
There's nothin' now left in the house
But two broken chairs and a table.
The bedclothes, the kettle and broom
Off to the pawnshop he carried.
He grunts, he snores, hoe roars,
O I wish that I never was married,
O I wish that I never was wed.

When he buys the meat once a month
That's if I'm not sadly mistaken,
There's nothin' but sheep's head and pluck
And a bit of sweet liver and bacon.
He says bread and butter are dear
And these times are shockingly harried.
All day he drinks whisky and beer,
O I wish that I never was wed.

One night he came home in a rage
He busted me new shoes asunder,
The cat he kicked into the grate
And the table flew out of the window.
The bellows he threw at me head,
Me clothes to the pawnshop he carried.
That night I wished I was dead
Or better, I never was married.
O I wish that I never was wed.

If I was but single again,
I'd sing and be joyous and merry.
I'd laugh, I'd shout, I'd roar,
I'd be heard in the Kingdom of Kerry!
So maidens single remain,
By your time, you'll never be harried.
If I was bus single again
By jingo, I'd never get married.
O I wish that I never was wed.

Traditional

When I was a young man, my age seventeen,
I ought to have been serving Victoria, my Queen,
But them hard-hearted judges, oh how cruel they be
For to send us poor lads to Australia.

I fell in with a damsel, she was handsome and gay,
I neglected my work more and more everyday,
And to keep her like a lady, I went on the highway,
And for that I was sent to Australia.

Chorus:
Australia, Australia, I would ne'er see no more
Worn out with the fever, cast down to Death's door,
And if I ever live, say, seven years more,
I would soon bid adieu to Australia.

Now the judges, they stand with their whips in their hands
And they drive us like horses to plough up the land.
You should see us poor young fellows, a-working in the gaol-yard,
How cruel is our fate in Australia.

Chorus

Australia, Australia, I would ne'er see no more
Worn out with the fever, cast down to Death's door,
And if I ever live, say, seven years more,
I would soon bid adieu to Australia.

Traditional

Cold blows the wind o'er my true love,
Cold blows the drops of rain,
I never had but one true love
And never will again.

I'll do as much for my true love
As any lover may,
I'll sit and weep down by his grave
A twelve-month in one day.

One kiss, one kiss from your sweet lips,
One kiss is all I grave.
One kiss, one kiss from your sweet lips,
And sink down in your grave.

And your lips, they are not sweet my love
Your kiss is cold as clay,
My time be long, my time be short,
Tomorrow or today.

And down beyond the garden wall,
Where we both used to walk,
Are finest flowers that ever grew
All withered to a stalk.

Cold blows the wind o'er my true love,
Cold blows the drops of rain,
I never had but one true love
And never will again.

Traditional

Of all the money that e'er I had
I spent it in good company.
And all the harm that e'er I've done,
Alas it was to none but me.
And all I've done
For want of wit,
To memory now I can't recall.
So fill to me this parting glass,
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Of all the comrades e'er I had
They're sorry for my going away,
And all the sweethearts e'er I had,
They'd wish me one more day to stay.
But since it falls into my lot
That I should rise and they should not,
I gently rise and softly call
Goodnight and joy be with you all.

If I had money enough to spend
And leisure time to sit awhile,
There is a man in this town
That surely has my heart beguiled.
His lonely eyes,
His quiet mouth,
I own he has my heart in thrall,
So fill to me this parting glass,
Goodnight and joy be with you all.