Lyrics
Sam Larner sings All Fours
ALL FOURS
As I walked out on one midsummer’s morning
It happened to be on a sunshiny day
’Twas them I espied a pretty fair damsel
As she was got walking all on the highway.
I stepped up to her and I bid her good morning
Saying, “Where are you going so early this morn?”
She said, “Kind Sir, I’m going to Lisbon
In that little town wherein I was born.”
Said I, “Pretty fair maid, and may I go with you?
And may I accept of your sweet company?”
She said, “Kind Sir, you’re heartily welcome
You’re heartily welcome to walk with me.”
Now, we had not been walking scarcely half an hour,
Before acquainted, acquainted came we
She said, “Kind Sir, come sit down beside me
And there I will play you a sweet civil game.
Said I, “Pretty fair maid, I’m not given to gaming,
But still for all that, I am willing to learn”
“Now the game that we play shall be as all fours
And that I can beat you three to your one.”
Now, she cut the cards, it was my turn to deal them
I dealt her all trumps, I alone had poor Jack
And she had the ace and the deuce for to follow.
Which are the very best cards in the pack.
Now, she led of her ace and she stole poor Jack from me
Which made her both high, low, Jack and game
She said “Kind sir, I freely beat you
Unless you can play the game over again.”
Now, I put on my hat and I bid her good morning
Although she was high, low, Jack and the game
She said “Kind Sir, call this way tomorrow
And we’ll play me game over and over again.”
The Silly Sisters sing The Game of Cards
As I was a-walking one midsummer’s morning
I heard the birds whistle and the nightingales play.
And there did I spy a beautiful maiden
As I was a-walking all on the highway.
“O where are you going, my fair pretty lady?
O where are you going so early this morn?”
She said: “I’m going down to visit my neighbours;
I’m going down to Warwick, the place I was born.”
It’s “May I come with you, my sweet pretty darling?
May I go along in your sweet company?”
Then she turned her head and smiling all at me
Saying: “You may come with me, kind sir, if you please.”
We hadn’t been walking but a few miles together
Before this young damsel began to show free.
She sat herself down, saying: “Sit down beside me,
And the games we shall play shall be one, two and three.”
I said: “My dear lady, if you’re fond of the gaming
There’s one game I know I would like you to learn.
The game it is called: The Game of All Fours.”
So I took out my pack and began the first turn.
She cut the cards first and I fell a-dealing.
I dealt her a trump and myself the poor jack.
She led off her ace and stole my jack from me,
Saying: “Jack is the card I like best in your pack.”
“Since I dealt them last time, it’s your turn to shuffle
And my turn to show the best card in the pack.”
Once more she’d the ace and the deuce for to beat me,
Once again I had lost when I laid down poor jack.
So I took up my hat and I bid her: “Good morning,”
I said: “You’re the best that I know at this game.”
She answered: “Young man, if you’ll come back to-morrow
We’ll play the game over and over again.”
Tony Rose sings The Game of All Fours
Now as I was a-walking one fine summer’s morning,
Oh the fields and the meadows were pleasant and gay.
Who should I spy but a handsome young fair maid
As she was a-walking along the highway.
Oh, I stepped up to her and wished her a good morning,
“Where are you going so soon in the morn?”
She answered, “Kind sir, I’m a-going to Windsor,
“To that pleasant place where I was born.”
“Well said, my fair maiden, and shall I go with you
For to keep your sweet company?”
She turned herself round and a-smiling so sweetly,
Said “Sir, you may do just as you please.”
Oh we hadn’t been walking past one mile together
Before that we better acquainted became,
And I said, “My fair maid, come and sit you down by me
And I will show to you a sweet pleasant game.”
She said, “My kind sir, I’m not given to gaming,
But nevertheless so I’m willing to learn.
But the game that we play it must be all fours
And then I will hold you three to one.”
So she cut the cards, but ’t was my turn to deal them,
And I dealt myself one trump, it was only poor jack.
She had the ace and the deuce for to beat me
And they are the very best cards in the pack.
So she played off her ace and she took the jack from me,
’t left her the high low jack in the game.
She said, “My kind sir, well I fairly beat you,
Or else we will play the game over again?”
Well I picked up my hat and I wished a good morning
And I left her high low jack and the game.
Then I said, “My fair maid, I’ll be back in the morning,
And then we will play the game over again.”
Norma Waterson sings Game of All Fours
As I was a-walking from Broadway to Glasgow,
As I was a-walking one fine summer’s day,
Who should I meet but a fair pretty damsel
As we were walking all on the highway.
I said, “Where are you going, my fair pretty damsel,
Where are you going all on the highway?”
She said, “I’m a-going away up to Glasgow.
Can I walk with you along the highway?”
Well, we walked and we talked on together
Till we came to an old elder tree.
There we sat down and I sat down beside her
And that’s how I come now Jack I love the game.
I said, “My young lady, are you fond of gaming?
For I know a game I am sure you could learn?
The game it is called, well, the game of all fours now.”
I took out my pack and I played the first turn.
Well, she cut the cards and she dealt out the pack then.
I threw the deuce and then she threw the queen.
She led off her ace and she stole me jack from me
And that’s how she come now Jack I love the game.
She says, “Will you play a bit longer?
Oh no, I am weary and tired as well.”
But I said, “Young lady, well I’ll let you beat me
If we can play that game over again.”
“Oh will you be this way tomorrow?
Oh will you be here, love, all on the highway?”
“I promise you that I will be here tomorrow
And so we can play the game over again.”
As I was a-walking from Broadway to Glasgow,
As I was a-walking one fine summer’s day,
’Twas there that I met with a fair pretty damsel
As we were walking all on the highway.
Brass Monkey sing The Game of All Fours
Oh, as I was out walking one fine summer’s morning,
Oh, as I was out walking all on the highway,
Who should I meet but a fair pretty creature
And unto her then I quickly did say:
“Oh, it’s where are you going to, my pretty fair maid,
Oh, where are you going so soon in the morn?”
“Well I’m going to Windsor, kind sir,” the maid answered,
“A sweet little town, it’s where I was born.”
Well I says, “My fair maiden, and shall I go with you
All for to bear your sweet company?”
And she turned herself round and smiling so sweetly,
“Kind sir,” she says, “You may do just as you please.”
So we both walked, we both talked a few miles together.
By a shady beech tree we sat down.
“Oh, if I sit down first, won’t you sit down here beside me?
Then I will show you a sweet pleasant game.”
“Oh sir,” she said, “sir, I’m not given to gaming,
But nevertheless I’m willing to learn.
But if I do play you it must be all fours
For then I shall hold you three to one.”
So as she cut the cards, it was my turn to deal them.
I dealt me one trump, it was only poor jack.
And she had the ace and the deuce for to beat me
And they are the very best cards in the pack.
So, and she played her ace and she stole my jack from me
That made a high low jack in the game
And she says, “My kind sir, well I fairly beat you,
Or else shall we play the game over again?”
Well I picked up my tip for I wished a good morning
I left her high low jack and the game.
But I says, “My fair girl, if you’re this way tomorrow,
We’ll play the game over and over again.”
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