by William Stevenson, Sir (1530 - 1575)
Drinking song
Language: English
Available translation(s): DUT
Back and side go bare, go bare, Both foot and hand go cold; But, belly, God send thee good ale enough, Whether it be new or old. - Jolly good ale and old. I cannot eat but little meat, My stomach is not good; But sure I think that I can drink With him that wears a hood. Though I go bare, take ye no care, I am nothing acold; I stuff my skin so full within Of jolly good ale and old. I love no roast but a nutbrown toast, And a crab laid in the fire, A little bread shall do me stead, Much bread I no desire. No frost nor snow, no wind I trow, Can hurt me if I would, I am so wrapt, and throughly lapt Of jolly good ale and old. Back and side ...etc. And Tib my wife, that as her life Loveth well good ale to seek, Full oft drinks she, till ye may see The tears run down her cheek. Then doth she trowl to me the bowl, Ev'n as a maltworm should; And saith 'sweetheart, I've take my part Of this jolly good ale and old.' Now let them drink, till they nod and wink, Even as good fellows should do; They shall not miss to have the bliss Good ale doth bring men to. And all poor souls that have scoured black bowls, Or have them lustily trowled, God, save the lives of them and their wives Whether they be young or old. Back and side ...etc.
Authorship:
- by William Stevenson, Sir (1530 - 1575) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Drinking song" [SATB chorus], from the cantata In Windsor Forest, no. 2. [text verified 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Ernest John Moeran, Peter Warlock.
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Pauline Kroger) , title 1: "Drinklied", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Pauline Kroger
This text was added to the website: 2009-11-16
Line count: 39
Word count: 258