Sing John Ball, and tell it to us all,
Tell of the day that is dawning,
I'll crow like a cock and I'll carol like a lark
For the light that is coming in the morning.
(From: Gentle Angry People, 10)
Sydney Carter was a Quaker and his best known hymn is probably Lord of the Dance. We used to sing this one, Eve is a Queen and Adam is a King, in the Sheffield Liberation Congregation, about 20 years ago. It had its origins in the 1981 500 years commemoration of the Peasants Revolt. John Ball was a priest who is best known for the saying: 'when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?' Gentle Angry People was published by the late lamented Alliance of Radical Methodists in 1987.
'All shall be ruled by the love of one another' has been the cry of radical Christians down the ages. Reflect upon how readily Christians sacrifice the rule of love for the rule of law.
So it's clear that you're not the only one who learned it "Eve is a Queen and Adam is a King." I wonder if the Gentle Angry People songbook has it that way. I tried to find a copy of the songbook to buy, but didn't have any luck.
-Joe-
By the way, the DT is our Digital Tradition Folk Song Database. You can search or brows it with the grey search box you'll find on most Mudcat pages.