Raking the Hay

As I walked out on a bright summers day

Across those fields and meadows gay

And who should I meet was a lady maid

and she were raking her master's hay

Ada dear what a brought you here

A raking of your hay so clear

Throw down your rake and put on your cloak

And you gain with a sailor to yonders town

No kind sir that never will do

My master is now watching you

He'll stop my wages give me no pay

If I leave up a raking among the hay

Words were kind and kisses sweet

So soon that young girl changed her mind

She threw down her rake and put on her cloak

And she went with that sailor to yonders town

Nine long months been gone and past

That pretty fair maid fell sick at last

She cursed the hour likewise the day

When She left off the raking her master's hay

Old Gypsy Waggon (Romany Rye)

I were borned in an old gypsies wagon

I were brought from the commons you know

When the trouble begin in the winter

And thats when we know where to go

But I am determined to marry the girl that I love

And take a wagon and a tent on my own

I’m a Romani Rye, a poor didikai

Borned in a tent underneath the blue sky

I want no lovely mansion I want no gilted dome

You gave to me the open sky

And the song of the lark as she flys so high

Roaming all round the country that life will just suit me

For I am a Romany every one knows and a Romany I shall be

Barbara Allen

A fair north town I were bred and born

And Cambridge I went dwelling

To I fell in love with a pretty fair maid

And her name were Barbara Allen

It were early in to the month of May

When the green leaves they were budding

When a young man on his death bed layed

For the love of Barbara Allen

He sent round one of his servant men

To the place where she were dwelling

And the same young women I been sent for thee

If your name are Barbara Allen

Slowly she put on her cloak

And slowly she walk to him

Then she turned her back all on him

A saying young man you are a dying

Dying miss no that never can be

One kiss from you will save me

One kiss from me you never shall have

Since my poor heart you have ruined

You remember that last Saturday night

In the ale house you were drinking

you drank your health with other fair maids

And you don't heed Barbara Allen

Mother dear come and make my bed

And make it long and narrow

For as I may lay and take a rest

And think of Barbara Allen

Mother dear look at my bed side

You will see a watch a hanging

There's a guinea gold watch and a diamond ring

Hung there for Barbara Allen

She were walking through the old foot path

She heard the church bells a tolling

And the more they tolled so loudly rolled

A haunted Barbara Allen

She were walking down that road

She met the corpse a coming

And the nearer she got to the corpse

The further he drew from her

Set him down my six bonny lads

And let me gaze all upon him

For this young man has died for me

And I shall die tomorrow

He died on to one grey day

And she died on the other

They were both buried in the old church yard

Both under one big laurel

Out of her sprang a red rose tree

And out from him a briar

They grew they grew to a steeple tall

And the red rose covered the briar, briar

And the red rose covered the briar

Jolly Herring

As I were a walking down by the seaside

I saw a red herring washed up by the tide

And that little herring I took home and dried

Don't you think I done well with my Jolly Herring

(Chorus) Toorali ladi rye toorali laye

Toorali ladi rye toorali laye

Toorali ladi rye toorali laye

Don't you think I done well with my Jolly Herring

Now what would you think that I made with his eyes

The finest of lamps now that ever did shine

There were big lamps and little lamps and lamps for to shine

Don't you think I done well with my Jolly Herring

Now what would you think that I made of his head

The finest of ovens that ever baked bread

There was big ovens and little ovens and ovens to bake

Don't you think I done well with my Jolly Herring

Now what would you think that I made of his gills

The finest of boats now that ever did sail

There was big boats and little boats and boats for to sail

Don't you think I done well with my Jolly Herring

Now what would you think that I made of his back

Just as much money I could pack in a sack

There was sixpences shillings and crowns by the score

Don't you think I done well with my Jolly Herring

Last Chorus) Toorali ladi rye toorali laye

Toorali ladi rye toorali laye

Toorali ladi rye toorali laye

For you don't get an herring like that every day

Johnny Abourne

My name were Johhny Abourne

In Glasgow I were born

My home and habitation that I have left and gone

To leave those dear hills and bonny Dales

To Canadaio

Was on one Friday morning

As we laid in our cells

Up stepped our boldly turnkey

And these very words did say

Come rise you noble comrades I'll warn you one and all

This is the day that we sail away

To Canadaio

We early rose slipped on our clothes

Our hearts were filled with grief

Strong iron and chain we bound lie stay

Ne'r care aga'n the wall

No more I'll meet near Claddy banks

To Canadaio

Good luck unto my mother dear

who read me many of years

And through my said misfortune

She has shed many of bitter tears

And likewise to my father dear

He is the best of all

Now the sea shall roar between us all

In Canadaio

Wings of a Swallow (Old Rocky Road)

If I had the wings of a swallow

I would flip away over the sea

Down that rocky old road I would follow

Just to find that spot heaven to me

Somewhere in the west where the sun go to rest

That's the place I love best

That's where I'd build my sweet little nest

In my islands of dreams you are with me it seems

And I cannot for bloom all in vain

But like the black sheep of old I'll come back to the fold little town and the old County Down

Green Bushes

Now sometimes I am jovial and sometimes I am sad

Since my love has been courting another young man

And as she walked by my side oh my heart filled with woe

Make a bloom on you Susan your the pride of this land

"I will buy you fine beavers I'll buy you fine gowns

I will buy you fine petticoats flounced to the ground

If you 'will prove loyal and be constantly true

And forsake your own true love and get married to me"

"I want none of your beavers nor fine silk or gown

I want none of your fine petticoats flounced down to the ground

For I will prove loyal I'll be constantly true

I'll forsake my own true love I'll get married to you"

"Now you let me be going from under green tree

For it's yonder my true love is a coming can't you see

And down by the green bushes where he means to meet me"

Now when he got there he found she were gone

He feel like some school boy Spend his time at play

Now false hearted young girl We're not loomy any more

There's adieu to green bushes for ever and more

Young Morgan

Young Morgan he gone koched his lass for trials he is laying

And ain't that a pity that young man should die, out of this world is going

As I walked through the city gates I heard some people talking

Young Morgan he has confessed at last, now his friends will follow after

Lavender

Come all you young ladies you make no delay

I have Mitcham lavender around here today

Now it is time for to cast your eye and then for to buy

As your sixteen blue branches a penny

You will buy it once you will buy it twice

It'll scent your clothes so sweet and nice

Now is the time for to cast your eyes and then for to buy

That will keep all the moth from your clothing

The Sheepfold

As I were a singing a sweet pretty song

When Betsy the milkmaid came tripping along

Do you want any milk sir pretty Betsy she says

And yes said the squire if you'll just step inside

Now hold your tongue squire don't you madam me

And don't You make fun at my poor poverty

For there's many of ladies more richer than I

For I'm only a poor girl brought up by my cows

The ring from his finger he quickly a drew

He gave that to Betsy and in his open fields

He gave it to Betsy to place on her hand

And away they went walking down by the sheepfold

Oh now pretty Betsy let me have my wish

And own you deny me in these open fields

For if you deny me in these open fields

with my bright shiny sword I will soon make you hear

With huggling and struggling Pretty Betsy got free

And with her own whip and she soon let him see

And with her own whip and she pierced him right through

And she left him lay bleeding down by the sheepfold

So to her father with a tear in her eye

I have wounded the squire dear father she cried

I have wounded the squire dear father she cried

And I've left him lay bleeding down by the sheepfold

Now the carriage was sent for the carriage it came

And like wise the doctor to heal up his wounds

For to heal up his wounds as he laid on the ground

And it's all that he asked for was his charming milkmaid

A Blacksmith courted Me

For a blacksmith he courted me, nine long months no better

Until he won my heart, wrote to me a letter

With his hammer in his hand, strikes his blow so neat and clever

And if I were with my love, I would live forever

Now he talks about going abroad fighting for strangers

And you better stay at home and keep from danger

Now you stay at home with me my dearest jewel

You stay at home with me and you don't prove cruel

Now you promised that you'd marry me since you first lay by me

And now you're going abroad and you'll deceive me

If I promised that I'd marry you it were only fancy

So you bring your witness here and don't dislight me

For it's witness I have none only Lord Almighty

Now my true love has gone across the sea gathering fine roses

My true love's gone across the sea with his cheeks like roses

I'm afraid that rolling sand will spoil his beauty

And if I were with my love I would do loves duty

For there's once I had gold in store they all seemed to like me

And now I'm low and poor they seem to slight me

For there ain't no living man nor your own brother

So it's girls whenever you love, love one each other

la da di la la la da da da di la da di la da di da di

So it's girls whenever you love, love one each other

Game of All Fours

As I were a walking one bright summers morning

I were all alone all on the kings highway

And who should I meet but a fair pretty damsel

And the sweet town of Glasgow were making away

So we walked and we talked just a few miles together

Until we did came to the shady green tree

Where she sat herself down and I sat down beside her

And the games that we played were one two and three

So it's she cut the cards and were he's turn to deal them

Were dealing himself just one trump in his hand

Then she chucked down the ace and she stole the jack from him

And that's high low Jack and the game

So it's he up his hat and he bid her good morning

And he bid her good morning again and again

For he said oh fair maid will you own I have beaten you

Or else the same game we'll play o'er again

So she picked herself up and she bid him good morning

And she bid him good morning again and again

Oh she said there young man I'll be this way tomorrow and then

that same game we'll play over again

The Yellow Handkerchief

Once I had a colour as red as a rose

Now my colour has fade like the lily that grow

Now my colour has fade like the lily that do grow

AND if it wasn't for flash company I should never been so poor.

So you take this yellow handkerchief in a remembrance of me

And tie that round your neck, my love, in flash company

Flash company's been the ruin of me and the ruin of me quite

If it wasn't for flash company I should never been so poor.

Now it's singing and a dancing sure that is my delight

Flash company being the ruin of me and the ruin of me quite

Flash company being the ruin of me and a great many more

If it wasn't for flash company I should never been so poor.

Now you take a yellow handkerchief in a remembrance of me

And tie that round your neck, my love, in a flash company

Now flash company's been the ruin of me and a great many more

If it wasn't for flash company I should never been so poor.

Now its all you little flash girls take a warning by me

And never build your nest my love on the top of a tree

For the green leaves they will wither and the roots they will decade

And the beauty of a fair young maid that will soon fade away

So you take this yellow handkerchief in a remembrance of me

And tie that round your neck, my love, in your flash company

Flash company's been the ruin of me and the ruin of me quite

If it wasn't for flash company I should never been so poor.

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