The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #69424   Message #1182898
Posted By: GUEST
11-May-04 - 11:24 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Friezland Ale
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Friezland Ale
Well, here is what I have. I've put lines in caps that are variations of the above. There are a couple new verses. Thanks for the other verses and the clarifications.

Whene'er I drink of Friezland ale, drawn from an old brown bottle,
I feel as if a summer morn were running down my throttle
A pint of sunshine at a SWIPE, all sparkle, grip and mettle
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE GOOD HOME BREWED ALE FOR KEEPING FOLKS in fettle

There is no ale from barley brewed with half so rich a flavor
For English (hops/hopes?) and English (toil?) in every drop I savor
It does not tie the legs of feet, nor set the head a-tuppin'
It makes the plowman feel a king because it's royal suppin'.

IT FLOWETH FROM THE BOTTLES' MOUTH WITH FOAM LIKE CREAM, BUT RICHER
IT BUBBLES UP IN BUNCHES RARE LIKE ROSES IN A PITCHER
BUT NEVER ROSES HALF SO RARE, SO DEWY, COOL, AND SAPPY
A mellow PINT of Freizland ale would make a gatepost happy.

WHENE'ER I DRINK TYHIS MELLOW BREW, WITH MALT AND HOPS IN PLENTY,
I'm ten years younger with a pint, and if I've two, I'm twenty.
THE LAUGHIN' STREAM RUNS DOWN MY THROAT, AND DROWNS TEATOTAL-TAECHIN'
I'D GO TO CHAPEL TWICE A DAY IF FREIZLAND ALE WERE PRAECHIN'

THERE IS A LASS ON YONDER HILL, LIVES AT AN OLD FARMSTEADING
SO FAIR TO SEE I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT I'D TAKE HER TO A WEDDING
BUT WOMEN FOLKS ARE HARD TO PLEASE, AND FOND OF FINE APPAREL
IF E'ER I'D WED I'D TAKE FOR WIFE A GOOD OLD FREIZLAND BARREL.

THE MAN WHO DRINKS GOOD FRIEZLAND ALE GROWS RUDDIER THAN THE CHERRY
He walks on daisies all his life in sunshine bright and merry
BUT OLD KING TIME GOES HAND IN HAND WITH FRIEZLAND FOLKS A-LAUGHIN'
HE KNOWS THEIR HEARTS WILL NE'ER GROW OLD AS LONG AS THEY KEEP QUAFFIN'


Ah! the folk process!
I heard this from the Holme Valley Tradition, but as best I can remember it is identical to the version on the CD "A Century of Song", sung there by Will Noble.

Now if someone can just fill in the blanks about the English things that the singer savors in every drop?