Here's the song. Much as I love Graham, he recorded it with a very iffy stage-Irish accent!

The notes say: The custom of bundling grew up in rural areas as a method of allowing a courting couple to get acquainted, innocently, by placing a bolster between them in bed. Alternatively, they could be tied together in a sack! There were many abuses of the system - quite naturally - and this song, written by Graham, depicts some of them. The custom survived in remoter parts of Wales until the 1940s and even Lloyd George is said to have indulged in this pastime!

Mick

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THE BUNDLING SONG
Graham Pratt

When I was a young lad me folks were so poor
We ate off the bed and we slept on the floor
And the table we used in the place of a door
Cos all of its legs had gone missing.
And though we all lived in the very same room
The prospect of courting ne'er filled me with gloom
For privacy sure now I never did lack
I did all me courting tied up in a sack
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
I did all me courting tied up in a sack.

Well this grand old tradition's as ancient as stone -
You fancy a girl and you bring the girl home
When you've a mind to be almost alone
It's the best system ever invented.
But how, you'll be asking in questioning tones,
Did he manage to stifle the squeals and the groans?
Me father was deaf and me mother she drank
Which helps when you're courting tied up in a sack.
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
Which helps when you're courting tied up in a sack.

Ah well Martha Malone was big strapping girl
With a body to set a man's heart in a whirl.
Her passion and temper would make your hair curl
And me, well I fancied me chances.
And just for good measure, to prove her good will,
She brought round some whiskey made in her dad's still.
Well I can't recall much, but she near broke me back
The night I went courting tied up in a sack.
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
The night I went courting tied up in a sack.

Well Elspeth McGrath was a puritan maid,
Her morals correct and her manners quite staid.
I didn't have too much success I'm afraid
For all that the flesh it was willing.
Three hours I spent in attempts to subdue
Me face it went red and the air it went blue.
But her virtue stayed white and me eyes became black
For trying to court her tied up in a sack.
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
For trying to court her tied up in a sack.

Well Molly McGuire was a girl of some means,
Her father, a farmer, was big in broad beans.
Not giving to mixing with riff-raff like me
But Molly she found me appealing.
Well she came round that night with her finery on,
Laces and ribbons and fine satin gowns.
But even with corsets you soon get the knack
Of courting young ladies tied up in sack.
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
Of courting young ladies tied up in sack.

Ah, there's nothing so fine on a cold Winter's night
As kissing and cuddling your own heart's delight
In the shadowy gloom of a bag tied up tight,
Positioned alongside the fire.
But the darkness breeds dangers, I'll have you to know,
As I found to me sorrow a few years ago,
When I spent half the night with a fellow called Jack.
Well you can't see too clearly tied up in a sack.
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
Well you can't see too clearly tied up in a sack.

Ah, well now that I'm wed with a son that's full grown
I've given him everything money can show
Fine education and a room of his own
And twenty-one barrels of Guinness.
And as I sit down with a satisfied grin
Well I know that I've sacrificed much just for him
"What more could you want, son?" He answers me back:
"I'd like to go courting tied up in a sack,
Tied up in a sack, tied up in a sack
I'd like to go courting tied up in a sack".


Source:LP, Graham and Eileen Pratt, To Friend And Foe - Dingles DIN308

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And the tune:

When/ I was a/ young lad me/ folks were so/ poor
We/ ate off the/ bed and we/ slept on the/ floor
And the/ tab-le we/ used in the/ place of a/ door
Cos/ all of its/ legs had gone/ mis-sing-/-
And/ though we all/ lived in the/ ve-ry same/ room
The/ pros-pect of/ court-ing ne'er/ filled me with/ gloom
For/ priv-a-cy/ sure now I/ nev-er did/ lack
I/ did all me/ court-ing tied/ up in a/ sack
Tied/ up in a/ sack, tied/ up in a/ sack
I/ did all me/ court-ing tied/ up in a/ sack-/-//.



X: 1
T:The Bundling Song
M:3/4
L:1/4
C:Garham Pratt
S:Graham & Eileen Pratt: To Friend And Foe
K:C mix
G,|C C C|D C D|E D E|F2
F|G G G| G F E|E D C|D
D D|C C C|D> C D |E D E|F2
F|G G G|A G F|F G2-|G2
G|A A A|A G F|G G G|G2
G|F F F|F E C|D G, G,|G,2
G,|C C C|D C D|E D E|F2
F| G G G|G F E|D C C|C2
E|D G, G,|G, z E|D G, G,|G,2
G|A =B A|G E C|D C B,|C3-|C2||