Come all you single fellows, would you like to hear a song? -- If you'll listen to my ditty I won't detain you long. It is of a fair young maiden lived in a town of Kent: She arose one summer's morning and she a-nutting went. (Refrain) O, a-nutting she did go my boys, a-nutting she did go; With a blue cockade all in her hat she caused a gallant show. There was a brisk young farmer a-ploughing up his land -- He called out to his horses and kindly bid them stand. He set himself down on his plough a song unto begin: His voice was so melodious it made the tenors ring. (Refrain) It was this same young damsel was a-nutting in the wood -- And the song was so melodious it charmed her as she stood. She had no longer power in the lonesome wood to stay: So what few nuts that poor girl got she threw them all away. (Refrain) She went to this young farmer as he sat on his plough -- She said to him, "My Johnny dear, I feel I don't know how." He said, "My pretty fair maid, I'm glad to see you here: Do you set yourself by the side of me and I'll keep you from all fear." (Refrain) Young Johnny he turned back again and finished up his song -- He said, "My pretty fair maid, won't your mother think you long?" She threw her arms around him as she tripped along the plain: "I should like to see the world, my dear, go round and round again." (Refrain)
Six Suffolk Folksongs
Song Cycle by Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950)
1. Nutting time  [sung text checked 1 time]
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]2. Blackberry Fold  [sung text checked 1 time]
The squire and his sister were a-sitting in the hall; A-singing together they heard someone call. As they were a-singing their morning song, Pretty Betsy the milkmaid came trippling along. "Do you want any milk, sir?", pretty Betsy she cried. "O yes", said the squire, "walk in, pretty maid. O you are the fair creature that I do adore -- So be my true lover as never before." "O, hold your tongue, squire, and let me go free; Don't make such a game of my poverty. There's ladies of honour more fitting for you Than I, a poor milkmaid brought up to my cow." Then a ring from his finger he instantly drew; And right in the middle he broke it in two. One part he gave to her, as I have been told -- And they both walked together in Blackberry Fold. Then the parson was sent for, the couple to wed; That they might enjoy their sweet marriage bed. He made her a lady, and his wife to adore -- He married that damsel although she was poor.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]3. Cupid's garden  [sung text checked 1 time]
It's down in Cupid's Garden for pleasure I did go, All for to view the flowers, All for to view the flowers that in the garden grow. The first it was the jasmine, the lily, pink and rose: These are the finest flowers, These are the finest flowers that in the garden grow. I hadn't been in the garden not passing half an hour, Before I saw two maidens, Before I saw two maidens sitting in a pleasant bower. The one was lovely Nancy, so beautiful and fair, And the other was a maiden, And the other was a maiden that did the laurel wear. I boldly stepped up to her, these words to her did say: "Are you engaged to any young man, Are you engaged to any young man, come tell to me I pray." "I'm not engaged to any young man," she solemnly declared; "I mean to be a maiden, I mean to be a maiden, and still the laurel wear." "It's down in Portsmouth harbour, my ship is waiting there; And I must go to sea, my dear, And I must go to sea, my dear, when the wind it doth blow fair. And if ever I do return again, married to you I'll be; I'll make myself contented, I'll make myself contented and go no more to sea."
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]4. Father and daughter  [sung text checked 1 time]
Said the father to his daughter: "What makes you so lament? Ain't there no young man in all this world that can't your heart content? That can't your heart content? Ain't there no young man in all this world that can't your heart content?" Said the daughter to her father: "I'll tell you the reason why: You sent that young man a-crossing the sea, that would me satisfy. That would me satisfy. You sent that young man a-crossing the sea, that would me satisfy." Said the father to his daughter: "Five hundred pounds I'll give, If you'll forsake that sailor boy and come back with me to live. And come back with me to live. If you'll forsake that sailor boy and come back with me to live." For nine long months she watched the sea, and three long lingering days, When she saw a ship come rolling in with her true love on the stays. With her true love on the stays. When she saw a ship come rolling in with her true love on the stays. She said: "Yonder set my angel, a-watching there for me: Tomorrow to the church we'll go and married we will be. Tomorrow to the church we'll go, Tomorrow to the church we'll go and married we will be. And I'm happy in my mind -- For I'll soon be married to the man I love, And I'm happy in my mind."
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]5. The Isle of Cloy  [sung text checked 1 time]
It's of a lady in the Isle of Cloy, She fell in love with her serving boy. Soon as her parents came to hear, They separated her from her dear. So to disgrace her whole family, They sent this young man across the sea On board the Tiger, a man o'war, To act his part like some gallant tar. This young man hadn't long been upon the main Before a cruel fight began. It was his sad luck to fall -- He got struck dead by a cannon ball. The very same night this young man was slain, Close to her father's bedside she came. With heavy sighs and bitter groans, Close to her father's bed she stole. As she stood weeping, scarce could refrain, The tears rolled down from her eyes like rain. All weeping sore for her own true love, She hanged herself from the beam above. The squire's servants they stood around -- They viewed this lady and cut her down; And in her bosom a note unsealed: A girl of sorrow it revealed. "My father is one of the best of men, But he's drove me to this disgraceful end. And of this vain world pray a warning take: I died a maid for my true love's sake."
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]6. A seaman's life  [sung text checked 1 time]
Oh a seaman's life is a merry, merry life -- They'll rob young girls of their heart's delight; They will leave them behind for to sail one morn, But they never know when they will return. There's four-and-twenty sailor boys all in a row -- My sweet William is the bridegroom's show; For he is handsome and he is small: If I can't have him I'll have none at all. Oh a seaman's life is a merry, merry life -- They'll rob young girls of their heart's delight; They will leave them behind for to sail one morn, But they never know when they will return.
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