Hi, folks:

The following are the exact words from a video recording of the original broadcast.

BOLD SIR JOHN

1. Oh! bold Sir John was young and fair,
And bold Sir John was gay.
He said, "I'll tread the morning dew,
To take the air and listen to
The twittering of the birds all day,
The bumblebees at play,
The twit, the twit, the twit, the twit, the twittering of the birds all day,
The bum, the bum, the bum, the bum, the bumblebees at play."

2. So bold Sir John, he went his way,
Observing nature's farce.
"Kind Mother Earth, oh! tell me, pray,
Why elephants live so long, they say,
Your flies live but a day,
Then they drop dead upon the grass,
Your flies, etc.
Drop dead, etc."

3. Now bold Sir John, he met a maid,
As on her back she lay.
"Please show respect, and come not near,
For I've seen many a maiden here
Get lost among the new-mown hay,
So doff your hat I pray,
Get lost, etc.
So doff, etc."

4. When bold Sir John return-ed home,
They gave him gin to try.
"Nay, fill me not with liquor up,
Nor give me grape or grain to sup.
Pour cowslip's dew into my cup.
A puritan am I.
Pour cow, etc.
A pew, etc."

When I do this one at folk clubs, I add one extra verse, which I wrote. This one becomes verse 4, following So Doff, and goes after this fashion: -

5. Then bold Sir John assured the maid,
He was just passing by.
He said, "Fair maid, now fear me not,
For, though me blood be wild and hot,
Addicted to love's ways I'm not.
No cocksure rake am I.
Adic, adic, adic, adic, addicted to love's ways I'm not.
No cock, no cock, no cock, no cock, no cocksure rake am I.

It seemed to me that the song needed some extra to round out the story, and that verse gets a lorra, lorra laffs chuck. I'm not quite sure what this says about us folkies, but I like it anyway. Anyone wanting to use the song, feel free to include my bit, or not, as you choose.

Enjoy
Don "Wysiwyg" Thompson