Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man

Subject: Jolly Brewman
From: GUEST,Phil Tetlow
Date: 23 Jan 00 - 03:24 PM

Can anyone help me with the lyrics for this song the chorus of which is simply "Hey Jolly Brewman" Thanks Phil Tetlow

Subject: RE: Jolly Brewman
From: GUEST,T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 24 Jan 00 - 11:07 AM

The song is "Hey Jolly BROOM man". The tune is a country-dance melody called "Jamaica", or "The Jovial Broom Man". The first verse it, approximately,

Room for a lad that's come from seas
Hey, Jolly Broom Man
and gladly now would take his ease
and therefore make me room, man
To France, the Netherlands and Spain
Hey, Jolly Broom Man
I crossed the seas and back again
and therefore make me room, man

T.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE JOVIAL BROOM MAN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Nov 11 - 10:05 PM

From Daily Life in Stuart England by Jeffrey L. Forgeng (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007), page 199:


THE JOVIAL BROOM MAN
Words by Richard Climsell; tune, "The Slow Men of London" a.k.a. "Jamaica"

Room for a lad that's come from seas,
    Hey jolly broom-man,
That gladly now would take his ease,
    And therefore make me room, man.
To France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain,
    Hey jolly broom-man,
I crossed the seas and back again,
    And therefore make me room, man.

Yet in these countries livèd I,
And seen many a valiant soldier die.
An hundred gallants there I killed,
And beside a world of blood I spilled.

In Germany I took a town.
I threw the walls there upside down.
At Tilbury Camp with Captain Drake
I made the Spanish fleet to quake.

At Holland's Leaguer there I fought,
But there the service proved too hot.
Then from the League returnèd I,
Naked, hungry, cold and dry.

But here I have now compassed the globe,
I am back returned, as poor as Job;
And now I am safe returnèd back,
Here's to you in a cup of canary sack.

And now I am safe returnèd here,
Here's to you in a cup of English beer;
And if my travels you desire to see,
You may buy it for a penny here of me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: JohnB
Date: 27 Nov 11 - 11:41 PM

A good version by the Baltimore Consort, sung by Custer LaRue
Clip of Track 14 here
JohnB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 09 Jan 19 - 09:19 AM

Lyrics above are quite truncated from the original. The source is in the Roxburgh ballads and can be seen (images plus text transcription - click the various tabs above the image) at UCLA's English Broadside Ballad Archive: Ioviall Broome man

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GUEST,I’ve forgotten my name
Date: 10 May 21 - 07:08 PM

Holland's Leaguer was a famous brothel.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GUEST,Greum
Date: 27 Jul 21 - 10:12 AM

> Holland's Leaguer was a famous brothel

In London between 1603 and January 1632.

Can anyone explain what a broom man (jovial or otherwise) is?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GUEST,Modette
Date: 27 Jul 21 - 11:44 AM

A maker of brooms?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GUEST,Greum
Date: 27 Jul 21 - 01:39 PM

I guess that makes some sense but does it fit with the song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 27 Jul 21 - 02:13 PM

A maker and SELLER of brooms. More the latter though they usually made their own. All you needed was a knife, a ball of string, access to some broom or similar stems, and thicker branches for the handles.
Check out the old ballad 'Green Broom'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GUEST,Greum
Date: 30 Jul 21 - 07:27 AM

At last the penny has dropped!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 30 Jul 21 - 03:27 PM

Yep, all you need is a 'Sheath and Knife'and a 'Little Ball of Yarn' then you head up to Cowdenknowes, not forgetting the handles from Dalby Forest.

In the 18th century a lot of the broom girls were from the continent.
Check out 'Buy a Broom. c1800, a popular theatre piece.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 21 - 02:51 AM

Lish young buy-a-broom

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 23 Oct 22 - 12:13 PM

Hey Jolly Broom Man - The City Waites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s794xc-IBMk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jolly Brewman? / Jolly Broom Man
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 23 Oct 22 - 12:17 PM

Many other recordings on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7g2Td4kQB0