Steeleye Span Album

Traditional

Late last night when the squire came home
Enquiring for his lady
Some denied and some replied
She's gone with the Black Jack Davy

Go saddle to me the bonny brown steed
For the grey was never so speedy
I'll ride all day and I'll ride all night
Till I catch that Black Jack Davy

Chorus
He rode up hills and he rode down dales
Over many a wild high mountain
And they did say that saw him go
Black Jack Davy he is hunting
He rode east and he rode west
All in the morning early
Until he spied his lady fair
Cold and wet and weary

Why did you leave your house and land
Why did you leave your baby
Why did you leave your own wedded lord
To go with the Black Jack Davy

Chorus

What care I for your goose feather bed
With the sheets turned down so bravely
Well I may sleep on the cold hard ground
Along with the Black Jack Davy

Then I'll kick off my high healed shoes
Made of the Spanish leather
And I'll put on my lowland brogues
And skip it o'er the heather

Chorus

Traditional

Come all brother tradesmen that travel along
O pray come and tell me where the trade is all gone
Long time have I travelled and I cannot find none

Chorus
And sing O the hard times of Old England
In Old England very hard times
Provisions you buy at the shop it is true
But if you've no money there's none there for you
So what's a poor man and his family to do

Chorus

You must go to the shop and you'll ask for a job
They'll answer you there with a shake and a nod
Well that's enough to make a man turn out and rob.

Chorus

You will see the poor tradesmen a walking the street
From morning 'till night for employment to seek
And scarce have they got any shoes on their feet

Chorus

Our soldiers and sailors have just come from war
Been fighting for Queen and country this year
Come home to be starved better stayed where they were

Chorus

And now to conclude and to finish my song
Let us hope that these hard times they will not last long
I hope soon to have occasion to alter my song

And sing O the good times of Old England
In Old England jolly good times

Come fill up your glasses and let us be merry,
For to rob bags of plunder it is our intent.

Chorus
As we roam through the valleys
Where the lilies and the roses
And the beauty of Kashmir lay drooping his head
Then away, then away, then away
To the caves in yonder mountain
Where the robbers retreat

Hush, hush in the distance there's footsteps approaching
Stand, stand and deliver it is our watch cry.

Chorus

Come fill up your glasses and let us be merry,
For to rob bags of plunder it is our intent.

Chorus

Chorus
All around my hat I will wear the green willow
All around my hat for a twelve-month and a day
And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
It's all for my true love who's far far away

Fare thee well cold winter and fare thee well cold frost
Nothing have I gained but my own true love I've lost
I'll sing and I'll be merry when occasion I do see
He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he

The other night he brought me a fine diamond ring
But he thought to have deprived me of a far better thing
But I being careful like lovers ought to be
He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he

Chorus

Here's a quarter a pound of reasons, and a half pound of sense
A small sprig of time and as much of prudence
You mix them all together and you will plainly see
He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he

Chorus

Traditional

There chanced to be a pedlar bold
A pedlar bold he chanced to be
He rolled his pack all on his back
And he came tripping o'er the sea

By chance he met two troublesome blades
Troublesome blades they chanced to be
One of them was Robin Hood
The other was Little John so free

Chorus
Gentlemen on high born blood
Gamble Gold and Robin Hood
"Oh pedlar, pedlar what's in the pack
Come speedily and tell to me"
"I've several suits of the gay green silk
And silken bow strings two of three"

"If you have suits of the gay green silk
And silken bow strings two of three"
"Then by my body" cries Robin Hood
"Half your pack belongs to me"

Chorus

"Oh no, oh no," says the pedlar bold
"No that can never be
There's never a man in Nottingham
Can take one half my pack from me!"

The Robin Hood he drew his sword
And the pedlar by his pack did stand
They fought 'till the blood in streams did flow
And he cried "Pedlar hold hold your hand"

Chorus

"Oh pedlar, pedlar what's thy name
Come speedily and tell to me"
"I'm Gamble Gold of the gay green woods
I've travelled far beyond the sea"

"If you're Gamble Gold of the gay green woods
Then my cousin you must be
Let us away to a tavern near
And bottles crack most merrily"

Chorus

Traditional

There lived a wife in Usher's Well
A wealthy wife was she
She had three stout and stalwart sons
And sent them o'er the sea
They had not been from Usher's Well
A week but barely one
When word came to this carlin wife
That her three sons were gone

I wish the wind may never cease
Nor flashes in the flood
Till my three sons return to me
In earthly flesh and blood

It fell about the Martinmas
The nights were long and dark
Three sons came home to Usher's Well
Their hats were made of bark
That neither grew in forest green
Nor on any wooded rise
But from the north side of the tree
That grows in Paradise

Blow up the fire my merry merry maidens
Bring water from the well
For all my house shall feed this night
Since my three sons are well

Then up and crowed the blood red cock
And up and crowed the grey
The oldest to the youngest said
It's time we were away
For the cock does crow and the day doth show
And the channerin worm doth chide
And we must go from Usher's Well
To the gates of Paradise

I wish the wind may never cease
Nor flashes in the flood
Till my three sons return to me
In earthly flesh and blood

Traditional

(Instrumental)

A knight he rode his lonely way
Thinking about his wedding day
As he rode through a forest near
The elf king's daughter did appear

Out she stepped from the elfin band
Smiling she held out her hand
Welcome Sir Knight, why such speed?
Come with me the dance to lead

Chorus
Dance, dance, follow me
Round and round the greenwood tree
Dance, dance, while you may
Tomorrow is your dying day
Dance with me, dance with me

Listen Sir Knight come dance with me,
Spurs of gold I'll give to thee
Dance neither I will give nor may
Tomorrow is my wedding day

Please Sir Knight come dance with me
A shirt of silk I'll give to thee
A shirt of silk so white and fine
My mother has bleached in the moon-beams shine

Chorus

Please Sir Knight come dance with me
A crown of gold I'll give to thee
Your crown of gold I'll freely take
But I'll not join your elfin wake

Do you refuse to dance with me
A plague of death shall follow thee
Between his shoulders a blow she dealt
Such a blow he'd never felt

Chorus

Traditional

I rode seven horses all to death
I rode them till they had no breath
I wore five saddles to the trees
None of those girls will marry me.

Those women will fret, those women will fuss
They spend five hours before their glass
The devil take all, I'll have no money at all
Always stay single, keep Batchelors' Hall.
Stay stay close to my door

The women round here, they live by the door
They hear but a word, and repeat it twice o'er
Then they add it as much as they can
Always stay single a bachelor man.

Batchelors' Hall is always the best
If you're sick drunk or sober it's always a rest
No woman to scold you, no children to bawl
Always stay single, keep Batchelors' Hall.
Stay stay close to my door

Batchelors' Hall, Batchelors' Hall,
I'll always stay single, keep Batchelors' Hall.