Lyr Add: Men of Kent (Ken Barton, John Hills)

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN OF KENT
From: Dead Horse
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 01:29 AM

MEN OF KENT

If you're wanting me on Monday, then I won't be there.
I'll be bound off to Maidstone afore to see the fair,
With me pockets full of money and a heart that's full of joy.
There's many a thing in Maidstone to please a country boy.

CHORUS: So come all you jolly fellows; to Maidstone we will go.
Never mind the weather, be it rain or be it snow.
We'll sport and we will drink, my boys, till all our money's spent,
And we'll prove to the world, my boys, we're all men of Kent.

If you're wanting me on Tuesday, you know where I'll be found.
I'll be down by the alehouse that's on the edge of town,
A-drinking of the Kentish ales to drive away the dust,
And eating of the finest foods until I'm fit to bust.

If you're wanting me on Wednesday, I'll tell you where I'll be:
I'll be down by the Medway, fair maidens for to see.
I'll pick me one that's handsome and likes a bit of fun,
And I'll relieve her of her maidenhead before the day is done.

On Thursday and Friday, I'll be drunk as I can be,
With all my friends around me, as far as I can see,
With a wench a-sitting on my knee and a tankard at my lips,
And the beard that hangs beneath my chin a-soaking up the drips.

Now when the fair is over, and I have had my fill,
I'll make my way back home again; I'm feeling rather ill;
And to my home and farm again my weary legs I'll steer,
And start saving up my money to come back again next year.

So come all you jolly fellows; to Maidstone we will go.
Never mind the weather, be it rain or be it snow.
We'll sport and we will drink, my boys, 'till all our money's spent,
And we'll prove to the world my boys, we're all men of Kent,

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of Kent
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 02:00 PM

There's a little conundrum in here. If our jovial funsters are men of Kent, not Kentishmen, then which is the pub on the edge of town? If they were Kentishmen it might have been the Flowerpot, or maybe the Malta. Or it could have been the Running Horse, or if they were coming down the downs it could have been the Cricketers.

But if they are wetfeet coming from the East, surely the choice is endless...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of Kent
From: Dead Horse
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 02:24 PM

I think the writer may have been using the term loose-ly :-)

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN OF KENT (Ken Barton, John Hills)
From: GUEST,John from Elsie`s Band
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:18 PM

Dear Dead Horse,
Your words to the song are very, very close but:-


"If you call for me on Monday, well, I won't be there.
I'll be bound off for Maidstone all to see the fair,
With a pocket full of money and a heart that's full of joy,
For there's many a thing in Maidstone to please a country boy.

CHORUS: So come all you jolly fellows; to Maidstone we will go,
Whatever is the weather, be it rain or be it snow.
We'll sport and we will drink, me boys, till all our money's spent,
And we'll prove to the world me boys we're all men of Kent.

If you want me on Tuesday, I'll tell you where I'll be:
I'll be down by the Medway, fair maidens for to see.
I'll pick me one that's handsome, that likes a bit of fun,
And I'll relieve her of her maidenhead before the day is done. CHORUS

If you want me on Wednesday, I know where I'll be found:
I'll be in the big ale house that's by the fair ground.
I'll drink of their Kentish ale to wash away the dust,
And I'll eat of the finest food until I'm fit to bust. CHORUS

On Thursday and Friday, I'll be drunk as I can be,
With all me friends around me as far as I can see,
With a wench a-sitting on me knee and a tankard at me lips,
And the beard that hangs beneath me chin a-soaking up the drips. CHORUS

And when the week is over, and I have had me fill,
I'll make me way back home again a-feeling rather ill.
Back to me home and farm again me weary legs I'll steer,
And start saving up me money to come back again next year." CHORUS


The song was written by Ken Barton and I helped him with the tune in 1970 when we were the group, "Four Square Circle", consisting Ken, the brothers Gray (Robin and Stephen) and myself. You are correct regarding three of the group being born to the west but I justify the title by being born in Harrietsham. Ken and I are still "family" and we keep in touch with Robin and Stephen. Ken lives in Cuxton and is a member of a local choral group. Even after all these years the song is still part of our band's repertoire. Apart from us, the only other singer I know to have seriously recorded it was our pal Ron Spicer and I have him on a cassette. We, "Four Square Circle", performed it once when we were booked at a club near Notting Hill, in the 1970's, called "The Crypt" and a young lass volunteered to us that the song was at least 200 years old. As you can imagine, in the words of Jethro, "We were quite surprised to hear that!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of Kent
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:24 PM

OK John, which pub is that?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of Kent
From: GUEST,John from "Elsie`s Band"
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:35 PM

Richard,
       I`m not sure which pub Ken had in mind, he lived on Riverview Park, Gravesend at the time but no doubt spent some "drinking" time in Maidstone.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of Kent
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Jan 09 - 08:56 AM

Will someone please explain what is the distinction between "men of Kent" and "Kentishmen"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of Kent (Ken Barton, John Hills)
From: The Barden of England
Date: 14 Jan 09 - 10:25 AM

Richard - both 'The Malta' and 'The Flower Pot' are Faversham side of the Medway, and are therefore 'of Kent' pubs rather than 'Kentish', meaning the London side of the Medway. This should also answer Jim Dixon's question.
Kentish Ale one presumes came from the old breweries on the London side of the river. Style and Wynch comes to mind, whereas 'Ale of Kent' would have been Fremlins and, to this day, Shepherd Neame on the Faversham side of the Medway. It could of course be the other way round :-)
John Barden - a resident of Maidstone