Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'

Subject: ADD: The Drunkard’s Looking Glass
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 22 Feb 22 - 08:09 PM

Fairly close to the version on The Tale of Ale (this track performed by Willie Rushton). The last four lines were omitted on the album:

Drunkard's Looking Glass

LFF

---

THE DRUNKARD'S LOOKING GLASS

What will a drunkard do for ale?
Shall I unfold this dreadful tale?
Yes, I'll unfold it, if I can,
To benefit the drunken man.

What will a drunkard. do for ale?
’Twill make a. sober man turn pale.
He'll sell his hat, and pawn his coat,
To satisfy his greedy throat.
He'll sell his stockings and his shirt,
And strut about in rags and dirt
He'll sell his shoes from off his feet,
And barefoot go along the street.

What will he do to gain his ends?
He will deceive his dearest friends.
His crafty plans he will devise,
And tell the most atrocious lies.

What will a drunkard do for ale?
Dark and dismal grows my tale!
He'll sell his bedsteads and his bed,
Nor leave a place to lay his head.
He'll sell his blankets and his sheets,
And lie in barns or walk in streets.
His thirsty throat will cry for more—
He's starved and miserably poor.
He'll beg for halfpence when he can,
And tell you he'a a dying man;
And when three halfpence he has got,
He'll go and find another sot,
As mean and shabby as himself-
A dirty, ragged. drunken elf.
Then in some alehouse corner,
Lounging, watching every one,
They'll freely enter into chat,
If so they can but catch a flat.
With every man they will be friends,
If they can only gain their ends.
Then, with their bosoms full of strife,
Each man goes home and beats his wife.
The children are beat, and sent to bed,
Because the creatures have no bread.
Nor meat nor butter have they got-
Such is the dwelling of the sot.
His wife in tears, arid ragged too,.
Say, drunkard, is this statement true?

What! do you own my statement right?
Then give up drinking from to-night.
Away with liquors, ale and wine,
And with teetotalers go and join.


LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Feb 22 - 07:22 PM

Steve Belsey or somebody, can you post "The Drunkard's Looking Glass"??

Subject: Lyr Add: THE EXCISE BALLAD
From: robd
Date: 12 Apr 18 - 07:30 PM

After nineteen long years, the final piece is fell into place.

I was able to get, to a great satisfaction, the lyrics to all of the songs and spoken passages, except for one. Until today. Here, finally,


THE EXCISE BALLAD

Come hither me jovial blades and listen unto me song
You there to several trades have born the burthen long
So long as the Patientees in England kept on foot
So naves go there by fees, the devil an all to boot

Oh fie upon this excise, tis pity that ever twas paid
It makes good liquor to rise and pulls down many a trade

'Tis a fit companion for war, it fills the whole kingdom with care
Good fellas wherever they are bear a great part for their share
It never should grieve me much a more excise is worth
The thing I only grudge is that to ale and beer
I never would vex nor by whatever you say or think
To double the price of wine for that I seldom drink

However it came to pass that drink is grown so dear
The tradesman is the ass which must the burthen bear
What though the Brewer paid mine host pays him again
Whilst that good fellows they do all the loss sustain

The shoemaker and the glover, the tailor and the weaver
When they meet one another they go to drink together
But for the odd farthing loss the tailor deeply swore
He'll ne'er raise his legs acrossd to work for ale once more

If any good fellow doth want and calls for a pot on trust
Now charity's grown so scant that out of the door he's thrust
The brewer he must be paid, the hostess she will not score
Yet drink is smaller made than it was in times before

The tinker which doth ring his kettles through the town
He merrily used to sing the tune of Malt's Come Down
But what is the meaning of this, which grieves me at the heart
To see how good ale is for two pence sold a quart

Good fellows both great and small, men pray that wars may cease
That no excise at all may be the price of peace
But now to conclude in the end, cast up the reckoning even
Considering what they spend they lose a full pot in seven

from A Song Book: Musical Phantasies fitting for Soldiers, Citie and Country Humours by David Ingram

In the 2nd line of the last verse, it sounds like "time" on the album, but "price" may make more sense.

Thanks to everyone who helped, and their great patience.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: DaveRo
Date: 04 Dec 17 - 03:13 AM

I've just been transferring my Tale of Ale LPs to CD/mp3

Does anyone have the word sheet done by robd in his_post_of_09_Dec_09?

I see there's a Tale_of_Ale-Revisited now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 16 - 05:01 PM

My apologies. It wasn't "Le Départ Pour La Provence", but the adjacent tune from the same track of the same CD that I was referring to: "Nicolas consolé", collected by Millien in the Nièvre (France) from one Louis Martin in 1887.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Sep 16 - 05:30 AM

This morning I was listening to a track on a CD called "Mélodies en sous sol", an anthology of French bagpipe tunes. One track made me sit up and take notice: "Le Départ Pour La Provence", as published by Achille Millien, 1880 (played by Noëllie Nioulou and Julien Cartonnet on the CD).

The resemblance between this tune and "The Merry Fellows" as performed on "The Tale of Ale" is striking. Which came first? there's obviously a common ancestor. Can we attach a date to the Merry Fellows tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Oct 15 - 01:25 PM

Phil Edwards: I haven't heard Peter Bellamy's recording (at least not recently), so I can't tell whether this is what you're looking for, but did you notice there are TWO versions of October Brew in that thread?

The first version was posted from memory by someone who said he had known it "for a very long time." You can expect such versions to have gone through many changes.

The second version, called simply "October," was transcribed by me from Punch from 1877, which might be its origin.

Please check and see if that's what you want; if not, I'll go looking for Bellamy's recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 10 Oct 15 - 11:46 AM

The OP listed October Brew as one of the songs whose lyrics he had; could he (or anyone else) share them with us? There's a version on this thread, but the second verse is noticeably different from the one Peter Bellamy sang. It's a completely different song from "Blann's".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Artful Codger
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 03:06 PM

Ahem, that line's in "Ale, Ale, Glorious Ale", and the omission had already been supplied (see the project plain text line above).

Using a guest name such as "me" or "guest" is also contrary to the posting guidelines, so if you want your posts to be retained, I suggest using another handle which is more disambiguating.

Cheers, you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST,me
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 02:33 PM

The Drunkards Looking Glass

.....we used to sing this here in Norfolk Uk. the missing word.....
"some folks like radishes, some curly kale"
wonderful traditional song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Hollowfox
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 02:48 PM

Blessings upon you for all this good work, robd!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: robd
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 01:06 PM

The links immediately above are out of date. Below are the corrected links.
--------------------------------------------------------------
For all those following this, here are some links to the (Almost) Compleat Tale of Ale Lyric "sheet"

Plain Text
MSWord Doc, Booklet form, letter size
MSWord Doc, Booklet form, legal size ( 8 1/2" x 14" )

The latter two are both in MSWord booklet form. That means, you should print them 2-sided, and Word will automagically paginate them for you. See MS Word Book Fold format for details.

Please post any corrections that you feel need to be made to the lyrics here. Note that the entry for "The Excise Ballad" is still being edited and will appear "quirky" due to the living-lyrics process it is undergoing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: robd
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 02:38 PM

For all those following this, here are some links to the (Almost) Compleat Tale of Ale Lyric "sheet"

Plain Text
MSWord Doc, Booklet form, letter size
MSWord Doc, Booklet form, legal size ( 8 1/2" x 14" )

The latter two are both in MSWord booklet form. That means, you should print them 2-sided, and Word will automagically paginate them for you. See MS Word Book Fold format for details.

Please post any corrections that you feel need to be made to the lyrics here. Note that the entry for "The Excise Ballad" is still being edited and will appear "quirky" due to the living-lyrics process it is undergoing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: robd
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 12:49 AM

Three more quick ones:

You lads of several trades ...
...
To double the price of wine, for that I'd seldom drink
...
The tinker which doth ring his kettle through the town

And, I am much less certain, but I hear the word lace in here:

He'd ne'er lace his legs across

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: robd
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 12:33 AM

Susanne, that is wonderful. Most of the hairiest passages for me you have sussed excellently.

Here are a couple of places where my hearing gives me a different cant. Let me know what you (and anyone else) think. My changes are bold:

Good fellows wherever they are, bid a great part for their share
...
It never should grieve me much though more excises were
...
What though the brewer pay mine host pays him again
...
When they meet one another they go to drink together
...
The brewery must be paid, the hostess she will not score
...
Good fellows both great and small may pray that wars may cease
That no excise at all may be in the time of peace
...
Considering what they spend they lose a full part in seven

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 07:17 PM

Could be, though it wouldn't make much more sense to me. Same with most of the other question marks. I really think we need some native speakers to lend a helping ear here!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Reinhard
Date: 04 Oct 09 - 02:17 PM

Thank you Susanne, that's much more than just a start. I think I can confirm nearly all the words you marked with a question mark. But I don't understand the phrase 'when tithe it was by seas' in the last verse. Can it be 'by seize'?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE EXCISE BALLAD
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 04:41 PM

Rob's post motivated me to do a bit of work, but it's just a start, taken by ear from the album. Maybe as a community we can arrive at the correct words:

THE EXCISE BALLAD
(Anon)

          Oh fie upon this excise, 'tis pity that ever 'twas paid
          It makes good liquor to rise and pulls down many a trade

Come hither me jovial blades and listen unto me song
You that of several trades upon the berth (?) and long
So long as the patentees in England kept on foot (?)
So now he's got there by (?) fees, the devil and all to boot

'Tis a fit companion for war, it fills the whole kingdom with care
Good fellas wherever they are bear a great part for their share
It never should grieve me much, wine (?) more excise is worth
The thing I only grudge is that of ale and beer
I never would vex nor pine, whatever you say or think
To double the price of wine, for that I seldom drink

However it came to pass that drink is grown so dear
The tradesman is the ass which must the burthen bear
What though the brewer payin' (?) pays him again
Was that good fellas they do all the loss sustain

The shoemaker and the glover, the tailor and the weaver
When they need one another they go to drink together
Before the old farthing lost, the tailor deeply swore
He'd ne'er lay his legs across (?) to work for ale once more

If any good fella doth want and cause (?) for a pot on trust
Now charity's grown so scant that out of the door he's fast
The brewery must be paid, the houseter (?) she will not score
Your drink is more delayed (?) than it was in times before

The tinker wish doth ring his kettle through the town
He merrily used to sing the tune of Malt's Come Down
But what is the meaning of this, which grieves me at the heart
To see how good ale is for two pence all (?) the quart

Good fellas both great and small, when tithe it was by seas (?)
But no excise at all may be in the time of peace
For now to conclude in the end, cast up the reckoning even
Considering what they spend, they lose a full fourteen seven (?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST,rob d
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 07:02 PM

I can hardly believe that it has been 10 years since I first asked for help in compiling the lyrics from this wonderful album. And, I despaired of ever finding them all, and had all but given up, when I came back to the thread accidentally while looking for something else.

Lo, Jim Dixon, and others, but especially Jim, have put great effort into finding the lost lyrics. And, fortunately for all, the internet has caught up with our desires, and has filled in the many missing pieces.

In fact, the set of lyrics is complete, save one. The Excise Ballad proves to be an elusive catch. No reference to it anywhere that I can find, save the album itself.

But, barring that one lost song, I now have the complete set of lyrics from the album, including all of the Spoken Word sections too.

I have the entire set now in a Word 97 doc (booklet style -- print 2-sided, then fold). If necessary, I can create a plain text file, and perhaps an rtf file. I have attempted to present the lyrics in the booklet aligned with the lyrics as sung on the album, as opposed to the strict copy of the found lyrics. Where they don't, it is my fault that I missed them. I also include at the end a hodge-podge of poorly organized references where many things were found.

So, if there is yet anyone left who remembers, and still would like to have the long lost booklet that never existed, let me know. email me at [e-mail], or post here. I will at some point make the Word Doc, and text formats available on a web page somewhere, but for now, I can email copies easy.

And, a special thanks to Jim Dixon. Wow!

-- rob derrick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Feb 09 - 01:25 AM

HERE'S A HEALTH UNTO OUR MASTER seems to be the same as HARVEST-SUPPER SONG in the DT, or perhaps DRINK, BOYS, DRINK.

Subject: Lyr Add: A POT OF PORTER, HO
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 11:17 PM

From The Myrtle and Vine, Vol. II. edited by Charles Henry Wilson (London: T. Dean, 1803)

A POT OF PORTER, HO
Sung by Mr. Townsend.

1. When to Old England I come home,
            Fal lal, &c.
What joy to see the tankard foam.
            Fal lal, &c.
When treading London's well-known ground,
  If e'er I feel my spirits tire,
I haul my sail, look up around,
  In search of Whitbread's best entire.
      I spy the name of Calvert,
        Of Curtis, Cox, and Co.
      I give a cheer and bawl for't,
        A pot of porter, ho!

[CHORUS?] When to Old England I come home,
What joy to see the tankard foam;
With heart so light, and frolick high,
I drink it off to Liberty.

2. Where wine or water can be found,
            Fal lal, &c.
I've travell'd far the world around,
            Fal lal, &c.
Again I hope before I die,
  Of England's cann the taste to try;
For, many a league I'd go about,
  To take a draught of Gifford's stout:
      I spy the name of Trueman,
        Of Maddox, Meux, and Co.
      The sight makes a new man,
        A pot of porter, ho!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MISTRESS'S HEALTH
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 10:55 PM

From The Gentleman's Magazine, Volume CCLXXVII, July to December, 1894 (London: Chatto & Windus):

Miss Lucy Broadwood and Mr. J. Fuller Maitland, in their recently published volume of "English County Songs," have included several harvesting songs, the first being from Sussex, where it is known as THE MISTRESS'S HEALTH:

Here's a health unto the mis-ter-ess, the fairest of twenty.
CHORUS. O, is she so? is she so? is she so?
Is your glass full, or is your glass empty?
CHORUS. Come, let us know, let us know, let us know.
We'll drink him out so deep, and we'll sing ourselves to sleep.
And sing ho, and sing ho, and sing ho.
(Repeat for Chorus.)

When sung at harvest-homes, at the words "O, is she so?" the singers carry candles up to the mistress, as if to investigate her claims to be the "fairest of twenty."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 10:02 PM

Where did you get those words in the end? Are they compiled from fragments you found?

'The Carter's Health' is number 1384 in the Roud Folk Song Index. Four examples are listed there at present:

• 'The Bob-Tailed Mare'. Noted by Lucy Broadwood from a Mr Hoare at Houghton, Sussex, (October?) 1901. Tune and one verse printed in The Journal of the Folk-Song Society, I (4) 1902 219.
• 'The Carter's Health'. Noted by Lucy Broadwood from John Burberry at Lyne, Sussex, September 1892. Tune and text (verse and chorus) printed in Lucy Broadwood & J A Fuller-Maitland, English County Songs, 1893, 142. Transcription at Folkinfo: Carter's Health, with notes on 'hey', 'ree' and so on.
• 'The Bob-Tailed Mare'. Noted by George Gardiner and Charles Gamblin from Sarah Ann Goodyear at Axford, Hampshire, August 1907. Tune and text, unpublished.
• 'The Bob-Tailed Mare' ('The Carter's Health'). Noted by Clive Carey from Harvey Humphrey at Sullington, Sussex, 2 October 1912. Tune and text, unpublished.

Of the fragmentary references to be found via Google Books, most are to the Broadwood examples, though there are a couple I can't be sure of and others where the odd line is quoted in the course of narrative: the song -of which there was evidently no more than the lines we have here- was probably quite well-known in the southern counties of England a century ago. The entry in Dean-Smith, A Guide to English Folk Song Collections (1954) includes a cross-reference to a verse from a cante-fable in Bell's Nursery Rhymes With Chimes (1835). That verse is reproduced in The Journal of the Folk-Song Society, V (20) 1916, 327, but the words bear no resemblance to either of the Broadwood sets. (LEB herself thought them connected but didn't say why, while Miss Dean-Smith noted that the verse in the cante-fable had 'no obvious connection' with the 'Carter's Health' beyond sharing its tune; though there was a bob-tailed mare in the story). It's possible that the unpublished Gardiner set may be connected to the cante-fable verse, I suppose; it begins differently from the others. I don't think it's one I've seen in the MS collection, and there's a chance that it isn't really related to the other three at all except through the title.

The three 'versions' posted in the Forum are virtually identical to those here. Actually they are all the same one, posted three times by the same person, who learned it from folk-club friends; I'm pretty certain that it's not an independent variant but one of the two Broadwood sets, with original 'hoo' rationalized to 'whoa'; but without the music I couldn't guess which. I'd also expect that the 'Tale of Ale' version is one of the Broadwood ones: again, the tune would decide the matter.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CARTER'S HEALTH / THE BOBTAIL MARE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 02:54 PM

Several versions of this are in different books, but most were either fragmentary quotes or "snippet view" only. Versions have already been posted in
Bob-Tail Mare
'little' songs
Really really short songs,


THE CARTER'S HEALTH also known as THE BOBTAIL MARE

1. Of all the horses in the merry greenwood,
The bobtail mare bears the bell away. [REPEAT]

2. There is "Hey", there is "Ree", there is "Hoo", there is "Gee",
But the bobtail mare bears the bell away. [REPEAT]

3. Hey, ree, hoo, gee,
But the bobtail mare bears the bell away. [REPEAT]

*
VARIANTS (useful only if you plan to search for this song with Google):
Greenwood/green-wood
Bobtail/bob-tail/bobtail'd/bob-tail'd/bobtailed/bob-tailed
Bears/car'd [for "carried"]
Bell/bells
There is/there's
Hey, ree, hoo, gee [too many variants to list]
But the/'twas the

*
Hey, ree, hoo, and gee are commands to a horse (or ox, etc.). I suppose these vary regionally. In the US, I am familiar with gee = turn right; haw = turn left; whoa = stop; get-up (or "giddy-up", etc.) = start moving.

Subject: Lyr Add: I LIKES A DROP OF GOOD BEER
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 01:03 PM

From The Life and Times of James Catnach (Late of Seven Dials), Ballad Monger by Charles Hindley (London: Reeves and Turner, 1878):


I LIKES A DROP OF GOOD BEER.

1. Come, one and all, both great and small,
With voices loud and clear,
And let us sing, bless Billy our king,
Who 'bated the tax upon beer.

CHORUS: For I likes a drop of good beer, I do,
I likes a drop of good beer,
And —— his eyes whoever tries
To rob a poor man of his beer.

2. Let ministers shape the duty on cape,
And cause port wine to be dear,
So that they keep the bread and meat cheap,
And give us a drop of good beer.
For I likes, &c.

3. My wife and I feel always dry,
At market on Saturday night,
Then a noggin of beer I never need fear,
For my wife always says it is right.
For she likes, &c.

4. In farmers' field there's nothing can yield
The labouring man such good cheer
To reap and sow, and make barley grow,
And to give 'em a skin full of beer.
For they like, &c.

5. Long may King Billy reign,
And be to his subjects dear,
And wherever he goes we'll wollop his foes,
Only give us a skin full of beer.
For we like, &c.

*
[Additional verses found at Bodleian Ballad Collection]:

2b. In drinking rum the maggots will come,
And bald pates will appear;
I never goes out but I carries about
My little pint noggin of beer.

6. The farmer's wife will plenty afford,
Let it come from far and from near,
And at harvest home the jug will foam,
If he gives his men plenty of beer.

LAST CHORUS: For they likes a drop of good beer
For I likes a drop of good beer,
And —— his eyes whoever contrives
To rob a poor man of his beer.

*
[Joe Offer posted another version of I LIKES A DROP OF GOOD BEER in the thread Wanted: Songs for alcoholics!. Same title, same metrical structure (it would fit to the same tune) but the words are mostly different.]

Subject: Lyr Add: GOOD ALE FOR MY MONEY (Lawrence Price)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 09 - 01:43 AM

From The Roxburghe Ballads, Vol. II edited by Charles Hindley (London: Reeves and Turner, 1874)


GOOD ALE FOR MY MONEY.

The Good-Fellows resolution of strong Ale,
That cures his nose from looking pale.

TO THE TUNE OF The Countrey Lasse.

Be merry, my friends, and list a while
  unto a merry jest;
It may from you produce a smile,
  when you heare it exprest,—
Of a young man lately married,
  which was a boone good fellow,
This song in 's head he alwaies carried
  when drink had made him mellow:
I cannot go home, nor I will not go home,
  It's long of the oyle of Barly;
Ile tarry all night for my delight,
  and go home in the morning early.

No Tapster stout, or Vintner fine,
  quoth he, shall ever get
One groat out of this purse of mine,
  to pay his master's debt:
Why should I deal with sharking Rookes,
  that seeke poor gulls to cozen,
To give twelve pence for a quart of wine?
  of ale 'twell buy a dozen.
Twill wake me sing I cannot, &c.

The old renowned I-pocrist
  and Raspie doth excell;
But never any wine could yet
  my honour please to swell.
The Rhenish wine, or Muskadine,
  sweet Malmsie is too fulsome;
No give me a cup of Barlie broth,
  for that is very wholesome.
Twill wake me sing I cannot, &c.

Hot waters are to me as death,
  and soone the head oreturneth.
And Nectar hath so strong a breath;
  Canary, when it burneth,
It cures no paine, but breaks the braine,
  and raps out oathes and curses,
And makes men part with heavie heart,
  but light it makes their purses.
I cannot go home, &c.

Some say Metheglin beares the name
  with Perry and sweet Sider;
'Twill bring the body out of frame,
  and reach the belly wider;
Which to prevent I am content
  with ale that's good and nappie,
And when thereof I have enough,
  I thinke my selfe most happy.
I cannot go home, &c.

All sorts of men, when they do meet,
  both trade and occupation,
With curtesie each other greet,
  and kinde humiliation;
A good coale fire is their desire,
  whereby to sit and parly;
They'le drinke their ale, and tell a tale,
  and go home in the morning early.
I cannot go home, &c.

Your domineering, swaggering blades,
  and Cavaliers that flashes,—
That throw the Jugs against the walls,
  and break in peeces glasses,—
When Bacchus round cannot be found,
  they will, in merriment,
Drinke ale and beere, and cast off care,
  and sing with one consent:
I cannot go home, &c.

The Second Part to the Same Tune.

Here, honest John, to thee He drinke,
  and so to Will and Thomas;
None of this company, I thinke,
  will, this night, part from us;
While we are here, wee'll joyne for beere,
  like lively lads together!
We have a house over our heads,—
  a fig for ranie weather.
I cannot go home, nor I will not go home,
  It's 'long of the oyle of barly;
I stay all night for my delight,
  And go home in the morning early.

Heres Smug, the smith, and Ned, the cook,
  and Frank, the fine felt-maker;
Heres Steven with his silver hooke,
  and Wat, the lustie baker;
Heres Harry & Dick, with & Greg and Nicke;
  heres Timothy, the Tailor;
Heres honest Kit, nere spoke of yet,
  and George, the joviall Sayler.
That cannot &c.

Wee'll sit and bouse, and merrily chat
  and freely we will joyne;
For care neere paid a pound of debt,
  nor shall pay none of mine.
Here is but eighteen pence to pay,
  since every man is willing;
Bring drinke with all the speed you may,
  wee'll make it up two shillings.
We cannot &c.

Let Father frowne, and Mother chide,
  And Uncle seeke to finde us;
Here is good lap, here will we hide,
  weele leave no drinke behinde us.
A proverbe old I have heard told
  by my deere dad and grandsire,
He was hang'd that left his drinke behinde,"
  therefore this is our answer,
We cannot &c.

James, the Joyner, he hath paid,
  And Anthony, the Glover;
Our hostesse hath a pretty maid,
  I cannot chuse but love her:
Her pot she'll fill with right good will;—
  here's ale as browne as a berry,
Twill make an old woman dance for joy,
  and an old man's heart full merry.
I cannot &c.

'Twill make a Souldier domineere,
  and bravely draw his rapier;
Such vertue doth remaine in beere,
  'Twell make a Cripple caper:
Women with men will, now and then,
  sit round and drinke a little;
Tom Tinkers wife, on Friday night,
  fcr drinke did pawne her kettle,
She could not come home, nor would not come home,
  her belly began to rumble;
She had no power to go nor stand,
  but about the street did tumble.

Thus to conclude my verses rude,
  would some good fellowes here
Would joyne together pence a peece,
  to buy the singer beere:
I trust none of this company
  will be herewith offended;
Therefore, call for your Jugs a peece,
  and drink to him that pen'd it.

Finis. Lawrence Price.

Printed at London.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 11:55 PM

A few notes.

The Google Books search engine is certainly useful. UK users are barred from seeing Wardroper's Love and Drollery, though. How many pages are available to you in the USA? The copyright is recent on that edition; presumably Google has an arrangement with the publisher. An Antidote Against Melancholy is witheld from UK users for no obvious reason, but exactly the same file is freely available at the Internet Archive.

Earlier in this thread (10 years ago) Bruce mentioned that 'The texts from Ravenscroft's books ... are on the SCA Minstrel website'. That is still the case. Facsimiles with music can be seen at http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ravenscroft/

The link there to Hilton's Catch That Catch Can no longer works. Unfortunately, the material appears to have been removed from the webserver at Acadia University. Fragments can be recovered via the Internet Archive, but I have had no success so far in locating copies of the image files themselves. Still, much of the content had earlier appeared in Ravenscroft's Deuteromelia.

'John Barleycorn is a Hero Bold' ('Hey John Barleycorn') was written by the Lancashire music hall performer Joseph B Geoghegan, but I didn't know that back in 2003 when Suzanne posted it.

The DT file 'Three Merry Men of Kent' credits no source (though the attached midi does: I provided that), but I expect it was copied from Chappell, which will have been where TOA got it. Two further verses are quoted in Dixon-Bell, Songs of the Peasantry ('The Merry Fellows') at the beginning and end of those in Chappell:

Now, since we're met, let's merry, merry be,
In spite of all our foes;
And he that will not merry be,
We'll pull him by the nose.

He that will not merry, merry be,
With his sweetheart by his side,
Let him be laid in the cold churchyard,
With a head-stone for his bride.

Available in various formats and in various locations online. 'Ours', noted the editors, 'is the ballad- printer's version.' An oral version from Alfred Williams' collection, little changed from the broadside text, is transcribed as 'Now we've met let's merry, merry be' at http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getfolk.php?id=899.

Subject: Lyr Add: THERE'S COMFORT IN A DROP OF GIN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 10:41 PM

From The Universal Songster: Or, Museum of Mirth (London: Jones and Co., 1834):

THERE'S COMFORT IN A DROP OF GIN.
Air—"The White Cockade."—(Tapsell.)

While some roar out "the Dog's Meat Man,"
And others chant "Sweet Lovely Nan,"
In praise of Hodges' Best I sing,
There's comfort in a drop of gin.
A drop of gin, the girls they cry—
A drop of gin, the lads reply;
And all who live to cry or grin,
Find comfort in a drop of GIN.

The grave, the gay, both rich and poor,
For sorrow find in gin a cure;
The stiff old maid, with pious song,
In private takes Old Jolly Tom,
A drop of gin, the old girl sighs,
Blue ruin sparkles in her eyes,
And while she prays to keep from sin,
Finds comfort in a drop of GIN.

By many names dear Gin is called;
"Strip me naked," is by porter bawled,
"Flash of lightning," the am'rous spark.
The dandy asks for "Nancy Clark;
"A yard of tape," and many more,
Which to repeat is quite a bore;
Yet all who wake to cry or grin,
Find comfort in a drop of GIN.

Then, while we live to laugh and sin,
Drink our Old Friend in jolly gin;
Care to the wind!—another glass.
Success to trade, and smiling lass.
Let parsons preach, and dotards scan,
On all the worst of mortal man;
Yet all who lose the day or win,
Find comfort in a drop of GIN.

Subject: Lyr Add: O ALE AB ALENDO
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 09:55 PM

These are the last 3 stanzas of a 70-stanza poem called THE EX-ALE-TATION OF ALE. The whole poem can be found in "An Antidote against Melancholy Made Up in Pills" (see the link I gave earlier), pages 1-11:


O ALE AB ALENDO

O ale ab alendo, the liquor of life!
That I had but a mouth as big as a whale!
For mine is but little, to touch the least tittle
That belongs to the praise of a pot of good ale.

Thus (I trow) some virtues I have mark'd you out,
And never a vice in all this long trail,
But that after the pot, there cometh a shot,
And that's th' only blot of a pot of good ale.

With that my friend said, "That blot will I bear,
You have done very well; it is time to strike sail;
We'll have six pots more, though I die on the score,
To make all this good of a pot of good ale."

---

The following modified version can be found in
Love and Drollery‎
by John Wardroper
London: Routledge & K. Paul, 1969:

O ALE AB ALENDO>

O ale ab alendo, thou liquor of life!
Would I had a mouth as big as a whale!
But mine is too little
To sound the least tittle
That belongs to the praise of a pot of good ale.
Although it will never
Be as big as I wish,
Yet still I'll endeavour
To drink like a fish.

Subject: Lyr Add: OF HONEST MALT LIQUOR
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 09:01 PM

From the liner notes to a different album, "A Taste of Ale":

OF HONEST MALT LIQUOR

Of honest malt liquor let English boys sing,
A pox take French claret we'll drink no such thing.
But London brewed staple, stout Burton and Lincoln,
They'll find us good matter to talk or to think on.
To King, Lords and Commons toast a health ere we rise,
Tho' we lower our pockets, yet we raise his Excise.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 08:40 PM

The song on "The Tale of Ale" called THE MERRY FELLOWS seems to be the same as THREE MERRY MEN OF KENT in the DT.

Subject: Lyr Add: COME DRINK TO ME (round)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 09 - 08:06 PM

From La Musa Madrigalesca
Or a collection of madrigals, ballets, roundelays, etc., chiefly of the Elizabethan Age, with remarks and annotations
By Thomas Oliphant
London: Calkin and Budd, 1837


COME DRINK TO ME
[A round]

Come drink to me,
And I to thee,
And then shall we
Full well agree.

I've loved the jolly tankard
Full seven winters and more;
I loved it so long,
That I went upon the score.

Who loveth not the tankard,
He is no honest man;
And he is no right soldier,
That loveth not the can.

Tap the cannikin, trole the cannikin,
Toss the cannikin, turn the cannikin.
Hold now, good son, and fill us a fresh can,
That we may quaff it round from man to man.


This is the only round from Pammelia which Hilton has reprinted in his Catch that catch can, 1652; in the index to which Byrd's name is given as the composer. [Editor's note.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Feb 09 - 06:33 PM

I searched Google Books for the titles mentioned by Bruce O above, and found only these:

An Antidote against Melancholy: Made Up in Pills.
Compounded of Witty Ballads, Jovial Songs, and Merry Catches.
Printed by Mer. Melancholicus, to be sold in London and Westminster, 1661.
[no author's or editor's name given; an undated reprint]

An Antidote against Melancholy
Compounded of Choice Poems, Jovial Songs, Merry Ballads, and Witty Parodies.
Most pleasant and diverting to read.
At New-York. Printed by T. L. D. V. for Pratt Manufacturing Company..., Christmas, 1884.
[I'm guessing this was newly compiled in 1884 but designed to look much older.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 02:52 AM

Somehow I failed to notice that you already had the link to Reinhard's page. Well, I've not had my first coffee yet. The tune is discussed in Claude M Simpson, The British Broadside Ballad and Its Music: 'Stand thy ground, old Harry' seems not to have survived, but there is a possibility that it may be equated with 'Have at Thy Coat, Old Woman'. The argument is convoluted and Simpson reaches no firm conclusion, but Vic Gammon will have known about it and I'd expect that is the tune used on 'The Tale of Ale'. A transcription to ABC is at the late Bruce Olson's website:

Broadside Ballad Tunes in ABC format: Tunes B100-199

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 02:27 AM

They did. Full details are at  https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/records/thetaleofale.html.

'A Knotte of Good Fellows. To the Tune of Stand Thy Ground, Old Harrye' is in Andrew Clark (ed), Shirburn Ballads, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907. Ballad XXI, pp 91-93. Various digitized formats can be seen at  The Internet Archive. This link should take you to the right page in the 'Flip Book (beta)' version:

http://www.us.archive.org/GnuBook/?id=shirburnball100claruoft#103

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 02:16 AM

I bought The Tale of Ale CD from Amazon. It doesn't contain "A Knotte of Good Fellows" there are 45 tracks on the CD, and 50 on the LP set. I guess they had to cut a few songs out to make it fit. Reinhard Zierke has the track list for both the CD and the LP set here (click).

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: songs from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST,t grylls
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 01:12 AM

any one got the lyrics for "A Knotte Of Good Fellows"
thanks

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 14 Jul 07 - 05:46 PM

Free Reed are reissuing the Tale of Ale CD as part of their Revival re:Masters Series on Monday 16th July, only £7.99 - available from their own site, or the usual suspects including Amazon (UK site).

In fact, they're re-releasing their first six albums as a boxed set (£39.99), and they're also available individually. (Includes Plain Capers and Mrs Ackroyd, Superstar)

Free Reed

Hurrah!

LFF

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 29 Jan 07 - 09:22 PM

Tale of Ale is, sadly, out of print. NOT available from CAMSCO (or anyone else I've been able to locate)

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Crane Driver
Date: 29 Jan 07 - 07:02 PM

The chorus to 'GOOD ALE FOR MY MONEY' goes:

"I can't go home, I won't go home, it's 'long the oil of barley"

i.e. (a)long of (meaning because of) the oil of barley (meaning beer - surprise eh?)

I found it by googling the song title, but can't remember where.

Andrew

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jan 07 - 02:36 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics of Tapster Drinker from Tale of Ale as cd is not available anywhere!!

Thanks

C Ketcham

Subject: Lyr Add: A POT OF PORTER OH!
From: GUEST,espan in seattle
Date: 17 Dec 06 - 02:48 PM

It would be wonderful to get both music (sheet or ABC) and lyrics for the whole album. I've got the CD and only brief descriptions of most songs.

I'd pay for a songbook.

Many songs have already been mentioned on this thread but here is another.

A POT OF PORTER OH!


Lyrics:

When to Old England I came home,
Fal lala, fala lala lie
What joy to see the tankard foam
Fal lala, fala lala lie
When treading London's well-known ground,
If e'er I feel my spirits tire,
I haul my sail and look up around
In search of Whitbread's best entire.
I spy the name of Calvert,
Of Curtis, Cox ad Co.;
I give a cheer and bawl for't,
"A pot of Porter, ho!"
When to Old England I come home,
What joy to see the tankard foam!
With heart so light and frolic high,
I drink it off to liberty!

Where wine or water can be found
Fal lala, fala lala lie!
I've travell'd far the world around,
Fal lala, fala lala lie!
Again I hope before I die,
Of England's can the taste to try;
For many a league I'd go about
To take a draught of Gifford's stout;
I spy the name of Truman,
Of Maddox, Meux, and Co;
The sight makes me a new man,—
"A pot of porter, ho!"
When to Old England i come home,
What joy to see the tankard foam!
With heart so light and frolic high,
I drink it off to liberty.

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: red max
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 05:24 AM

I gather the CD has a few songs missing in order to fit everything onto one disc

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 04:25 AM

GUEST,Lil Dog Turpy - I assume THIS is the one you want - (Hey) John Barleycorn
Quack!
Geoff the Duck.

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST,Lil Dog Turpy
Date: 06 Feb 04 - 06:08 PM

I have been searching for the tune for "Hey John Barleycorn, Ho John Barleycorn". I can remember the chorus fine but can't for the life of me remember the verse tune. The chorus in abc is

M:4/4 K:D d4 d4 |c3 B A4 |B4 B4 |A3 G F4 |E2 F2 G2 A2 |B2 c2 d4 |d4 cB c2 |d8 |]

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 04:19 PM

If you are after more songs, here's another in the DT which I think wasn't on your list. SUSSEX TOAST
Bradfordian

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 19 Jan 03 - 02:20 PM

Back again after some sleep.....

Here is the mudcat thread I referred to in my previous posting. The thread contains a link to a website containing the FULL text of the reading. The Tale of Ale is shortened extracts. BLICKY to full set of words for The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng
Hope that helps.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 09:47 PM

Metheglin: liquor made from honey; a Welsh recipe, I think, and presumably not unlike mead. Perry: similar to cider, but made from pears instead of apples.

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 09:42 PM

Some more:

THE MALT'S COME DOWN
(Anon)
Chorus:
Mault's come downe, mault's come downe
From an old Angell to a French Crown

There's never a maide in all this Towne
But well she knowes that Mault's come downe

The greatest Drunkards in the Towne
Are very glad that Mault's come downe

(from Thomas, Pocket Book)


HEY JOHN BARLEYCORN
(Anon)
Chorus:
Hey John Barleycorn, Ho John Barleycorn
Old and young his praise is sung
John Barleycorn

John Barleycorn is a hero bold
As any in the land
His fame has stood for ages good
And shall forever stand
The whole wide world respects him
No matter friend or foe
And where they be that makes too free
He's sure to lay them low

To see him in his pride of growth
His robes are rich and green
His head is speared with goodly beard
Fit nigh to serve a Queen
And when the harvest time comes round
And John is stricken down
He'll use his blood for England's good
And Englishmens' renown

The lord in courtly castle
The squire in stately hall
The great of name, of birth and fame
On John for succour call
He bids the troubled heart rejoice
Gives warmth to Nature's call
Makes weak men strong and old men young
And all men brave and bold


The next one needs some correction, so please help!
GOOD ALE FOR MY MONEY
(Laurence Price)

Be merry my friends and list awhile unto a merry jest
It may from you produce a smile when you hear it expressed
It's of a young man lately married which was a boon good fellow
This song in his head he always carried when drink had made him mellow

I can't go home I won't go home, it's lonely (?) barley
I'll tarry all night for my delight, go home in the morning early

No tapster stout nor vintner fine, said he, shall ever get
One drought from out this purse of mine to pay his master's debt
Why should I deal with sharpened rocks that seek poor gulls to cozen
To give twelve pence for a quart of wine available by the dozen

This sort of wine breaks up the brain and raps out hells and curses
It makes men part with heavy heart but light it makes their purses
All Rhenish wine or Muscadine, sweet Malmsey is too fulsome
No, give me a cup of barley broth for that is very wholesome

I can't go home ...

Some say Mithaglin(?) bears the name with perry(?) and sweet cider
It'll bring the body out of frame and make the belly wider
Which to prevent I am content with ale that's good and nappy
And when at last I've had enough I'll think myself most happy

All sorts of men when they do meet, both trade and occupation
With courtesy each other greet and kind humiliation
A good coal fire is their desire, whereby to sit and parley
They'll drink their ale and tell a tale and go home in the morning early

I can't go home ...

But you domineering swaggering blades and cavaliers that flashes
That throws the jugs against the walls and breaks in pieces glasses
When betters' round cannot be found they will in merriment
Drink ale and beer and stuff all care and sing with one consent

I can't go home ...

Subject: RE: Project: Lyrics from 'The Tale of Ale'
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Jan 03 - 09:31 PM

We seem to have more than we think already, though I probably missed a couple:
Bring Us In Good Ale;
Jolly Good Ale and Old (Back and Sides);
Soldiers Three;
London's Ordinary;
Nottingham Ale;
John Barleycorn;
Ye Mar'ners All;
Don't Go Out Tonight Dear Father;
Ale, Ale, Glorious Ale;
MAN THAT WATERS THE WORKERS' BEER;
John Appleby;
Charley Mopps;
Michael Blann's Drinking Song (Blann's Beer);