Here is Freda Palmer's text - from the new Musical Traditions double CD: Old King Cole (Roud 1164) Old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his fiddlers three. Now every fiddler has a fiddle A very fine fiddle has he “Oh fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his fluters three. Now every fluter has a flute A very fine flute has he “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his painters three. Now every painter has a brush And a very fine brush has he “Oh slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his tailors three. Now every tailor has a stitch, a very fine stitch has he “Oh stick it in and out, in and out” says the tailor, slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his barmaids three. Now every barmaid has a pull, a very fine pull has she “Oh pull it, pull it, pull it, pull it,” says the barmaid “Stick it in and out, in and out” says the tailor, “Oh slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his butchers three. Now every butcher has a block and a very fine block has he “Oh slap it on the block, on the block” says the butcher Pull it, pull it, pull it, pull it,” says the barmaid “Stick it in and out, in and out” says the tailor, “Slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his jugglers three. Now every juggler has some balls, some very fine balls has he “Oh balls in the air, in the air” says the juggler “Oh slap it on the block, on the block” says the butcher “Pull it, pull it, pull it, pull it,” says the barmaid “Stick it in and out, in and out” says the tailor, “Oh slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his farmers three. Now every farmer has a cock, and a very fine cock has he “Oh cock-a-doodle-oo, doodle-oo” says the farmer “Oh balls in the air, in the air” says the juggler “Oh slap it on the block, on the block” says the butcher “Pull it, pull it, pull it, pull it,” says the barmaid “Stick it in and out, in and out” says the tailor, “Oh slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Oh flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony Now old King Cole was a merry old soul And a merry old soul was he He called for his pipe and he called for his light And he called for his parsons three. Now every parson has a book and a very fine book has he “May the Lord have mercy on your soul” said the parson “Cock-a-doodle-oo, doodle-oo” says the farmer “Balls in the air, in the air” says the juggler “Slap it on the block, on the block” says the butcher “Pull it, pull it, pull it, pull it,” says the barmaid “Stick it in and out, in and out” says the tailor, “Slap it up and down, up and down” says the painter “Flute tiddley oot ,tiddley oot” says the fluter “Fiddle diddle dee, diddle dee” Said the fiddler “Oh what harmony There’s none so rare as can compare With boys of harmony
|