Steeleye Span Album

Traditional

A blacksmith courted me, nine months and better.
He fairly won my heart, wrote me a letter.
With his hammer in his hand, he looked so clever,
And if I was with my love, I'd live forever.

And where is my love gone, with his cheek like roses,
And his good black billycock on, decked with primroses?
I'm afraid the scorching sun will shine and burn his beauty,
And if I was with my love, I'd do my duty.

Strange news is come to town, strange news is carried,
Strange news flies up and down that my love is married.
I wish them both much joy, though they don't hear me
And may God reward him well for the slighting of me.

'What did you promise when you sat beside me?
You said you would marry me, and not deny me.'
'If I said I'd marry you, it was only for to try you,
So bring your witness, love, and I'll never deny you.'

'Oh, witness have I none save God Almighty.
And He'll reward you well for slighting of me.'
Her lips grew pale and white, it made her poor heart tremble
To think she loved one, and he proved deceitful.

Oh me hat it is frozen to me head
Me feet they are like a lump of lead
Oh me shoes they are frozen to me feet
With standing at your window

Let me in, the soldier cried
Cold haily windy night
Oh let me in, the soldier cried
For I'll not go back again, no

Me father he watches down on the street
Me mother the chamber keys do keep
Oh, the doors and the windows they do creak
I dare not let you in O

Let me in, the soldier cried
Cold haily windy night
Oh let me in, the soldier cried
For I'll not go back again, no

Oh and she's rose up and she's let him in
She's kissed her true love cheek and chin
And she's drawn him between her sheets again
And she opened and she let him in O

Then she has blessed the rainy night
Cold haily windy night
Oh then she has blessed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in O

Soldier, soldier stay with me
Soldier, soldier won't you marry me
Oh no, no, no, it never can be
So fare bid thee well forever

Then she has wept for the rainy night
Cold haily windy night
Then she has wept for the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in O

Oh and he's jumped up all out of the bed
He's put his hat all on his head
But she had lost her maidenhead
Her mother she heard the din O

Then she has cursed the rainy night
Cold haily windy night
O then she has cursed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in O

[No lyrics]

If you had seen my Charlie at the head of an army
He was a gallant sight to behold
With his fine tartan hose on his bonnie round leg
And his buckles all pure shining gold
The tartan my love wore was the finest Stuart Kilt
With his soft skin all under it as white as any milk
It's no wonder that seven hundred highlanders were killed
In restoring my Charlie to me

My love was six foot two without stocking or shoe
In proportion my true love was built
Like I told you before upon Culloden Moor
Where the brave highland army was killed
Prince Charlie Stuart was my true love's name
He was the flower of England and a pride to his name
Ah but now they have banished him over to Spain
And so dear was my Charlie to me

(repeat last verse)

For to see mad Tom of Bedlam
Ten thousand miles I'd travel
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
For to save her shoes from gravel

Chorus:
Still I sing bonnie boys, bonnie mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonnie,
For they all go bare and they live by the air
And they want no drink nor money

I went down to Satan's kitchen
For to get me food one morning
And there I got souls piping hot
All on the spit a-turning

Chorus

Me staff has murdered giants
And me bag a long knife carries
For to cut mince pies from children's thighs
With which to feed the fairies

Chorus

This spirit's white as lightning
Would on me travels guide me
The moon would shake and the stars would quake
When ever they espied me

Chorus

And when that I have murdered
The man in the moon to a powder
His staff I'll break and his dog I'll shake
And there'll howl no demon louder

Chorus

For to see mad Tom of Bedlam
Ten thousand years I'd travel
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
For to save her shoes from gravel

Chorus

"Oh, where are you going," says the false knight on the road
"I'm going to me school," says the wee boy and still he stood
"What is on your back," says the false knight on the road
"Me bundles and me books," says the wee boy and still he stood

"I came and walking by your door," says the false knight on the road
"That lay in your way," says the wee boy and still he stood
"I flung your dog a stone," says the false knight on the road
"I wish it was a bone," says the wee boy and still he stood

"Oh, what sheep and cattle's that," says the false knight on the road
"They're mine and me father's," says the wee boy and still he stood
"And how many shall be mine," says the false knight on the road
"The ones that have the blue tail," says the wee boy and still he stood

"Oh, how can I get a share o' them," says the false knight on the road
"You cannot get a share of them," says the wee boy and still he stood
"And why the stick all in your hand," says the false knight on the road
"To keep me from all cold and harm," says the wee boy and still he stood

"As I wish you were in younder tree," says the false knight on the road
"A ladder under me," says the wee boy and still he stood
"The ladder it'll break," says the false knight on the road
"And you will surely fall," says the wee boy and still he stood

"I wish you were in yonder sea," says the false knight on the road
"A good boat under me," says the wee boy and still he stood
"The boat will surely sink," says the false knight on the road
"And you will surely drown," says the wee boy and still he stood

"Has your mother more than you," says the false knight on the road
"Oh, none of them for you," says the wee boy and still he stood
"I think I hear a bell," says the false knight on the road
"It's ringing you to hell," says the wee boy and still he stood

Lay still my fond shepherd and don't you rise yet
It's a fine dewy morning and besides, my love, it is wet.

Oh let it be wet my love and ever so cold
I will rise my fond Floro and away to my fold.

Oh no, my bright Floro, it is no such thing
It's a bright sun a-shining and the lark is on the wing.

Oh the lark in the morning she rises from her nest
And she mounts in the air with the dew on her breast
And like a pretty ploughboy she'll whistle and sing
And at night she will return to her own nest again

When the ploughboy has done all he's got for to do
He trips down to the meadows where the grass is all cut down.

Oh the lark in the morning she rises from her nest
And she climbs to the dawn with the dew on her breast
And like a pretty ploughboy she'll whistle and sing
And at night she will return to her own nest again

I was brought up in Yorkshire and when I was sixteen
Oh I ran away to London and a soldier I became
Chorus
With me fine cap and feather, likewise me rattling drum
They learned me to play upon the rub-a-dub-a-dum
With me gentle waist so slender, me fingers long and small
and to play upon the rub-a-dub the best of them all
And so many were the pranks that I saw among the french
And so boldly did I fight me boys although I'm but a wench
And in buttoning up me trousers so often have I smiled
To think I lay with a thousand men and a maiden all the while
Chorus
And they never found my secret out until this very hour
When they sent me off to London to keep sentry o'er the Tower
When a young girl fell in love with me and she found that I was a maid
She went up to me officer me secret she betrayed
Chorus
He unbuttoned then my red tunic and he found that it was true
‘It's a shame, he says, ‘to lose a pretty drummer boy like you
So now I must return to me mum and dad at home
And along with me bold comrades it's no longer can I roam
Chorus

Joy, health, love, and peace be all here in this place
By your leave, we will sing concerning our king

Our king is well dressed, in the silks of the best
In ribbons so rare, no king can compare

We have travelled many miles, over hedges and stiles
In search of our king, unto you we bring

We have powder and shot to conquer the lot
we have cannon and ball to conquer them all

Old Christmas is past, twelve tide is the last
And we bid you adieu, great joy to the new

As I walked out one morning
In the springtime of the year
I overheard a sailor boy
Likewise a lady fair

They sang a song together
Made the valleys for to ring
While the birds on the spray in the meadows gay
Proclaimed the lovely spring

Said Willy unto Nancy
Oh we soon must sail away
For its lovely on the water
To hear the music play

For our Queen she do want seamen
So I will not stay on shore
I will brave the wars for my country
Where the blund'ring cannons roar

Poor Nancy fell and fainted
But soon he brought her to
For it's there they kissed and there embraced
And took a fond adieu

Come change your ring with me my love
For we may meet once more
But there's one above that will guard you love
Where the blund'ring cannons roar

For pounds it is our bounty
And that must do for thee
But to help the aged parents
While I am on the sea

For Tower Hill is crowded
With mother's weeping sore
For their sons are gone to face the war Where the blundering cannons roar