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Idiot's lyric Q: TYT's 'John Barleycorn'

11 Nov 19 - 07:43 AM (#4018452)
Subject: Idiot's lyric Q: TYT's 'John Barleycorn'
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK

Hello all - I'm trying to learn The Young Tradition's version of 'John Barleycorn', but I'm a bit stumped by the chorus;

To my ears, they sing:

Fol-a-dol the diddy-ey
Fol-the-dol a diddy-aye (go on? Grow up?)

I'm sure, however, that this isn't quite correct - can anyone confidently share an accurate wording?

Here's a link:

https://youtu.be/uF2u-a0suzE

Thanks in advance!!


11 Nov 19 - 09:04 AM (#4018465)
Subject: RE: Idiot's lyric Q: TYT's 'John Barleycorn'
From: Reinhard

The YT refer in their liner nores to Cecil Sharp who collected it from from John Stafford as printed in Folk Songs from Somerset:

Fol the dol the didi-ay
Fol the dol the didi-a-ge-wo

See also the thread Origins: John Barleycorn - But collected from Who.


13 Nov 19 - 03:18 PM (#4018953)
Subject: RE: Idiot's lyric Q: TYT's 'John Barleycorn'
From: GUEST,BlackAcornUK

Thank you very much! Very daft indeed, but I hadn't thought to check the sleeve of my own copy...!