Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons

Subject: Lyr Req: the miller and his three sons
From: GUEST,brooko
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 01:29 PM

does anyone have the lyrics for jackie oates song the miller and his three sons

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the miller and his three sons
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 01:40 PM

Here's a version under the title Miller's Will.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: the miller and his three sons
From: GUEST,brooko
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 01:48 PM

thanks bob thats not quite the one i'm looking for the one i'm after is sung by jackie oates

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MILLER AND HIS SONS
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 04:26 PM

Walter Pardon's version
Jim Carroll

THE MILLER AND HIS SONS

It's of a crafty miller and he
Had able sons one two and three
He called them all to make his will
To see which one should take the mill
With me wack fol the riddle ol The riddle ol the dee

The miller called far his eldest son
Said he my days are almost done
And if the will to you I make
What toll dost thou intend to take

Father he said my name is Jack
From every bushel I'll take a peck
And every bushel that I grind
The profits they'll be large I'll find
With me wack fol the riddle ol The riddle ol the dee

Thou art a fool the old man said
Thou hast not learned well thy trade
To take such toll no man could live
To thee the mill I ne'er will give
With me wack fol the riddle ol
The riddle ol the dee

The miller called for his second son
Said he my days are almost done
And if the will to you I make
What toll dost thou intend to take
With me wack fol the riddle ol
The riddle ol the dee

Father he said my name is Ralph
From every bushell I'll take a half
And every bushel that I grind
The profits they'll be large I'll find
With me wack fol the riddle ol
The riddle ol the dee

Thou art a fool the old man said
Thou hast not learned well thy trade
To take such toll no man could live
To thee the mill I ne'er will give
With me wack fol the riddle ol
The riddle ol the dee

The miller called for his youngest son
Said he my days are almost done
And if the will to you I make
What toll dost thou intend to take
With me wack fol the riddle ol
The riddle ol the dee

Father he said I am your boy
To take the toll will be my joy
Before I shall good living lack
I'll take it all I'll forswear the sack
With me wack fol the riddle ol
The riddle ol the dee

Thou art my boy the old man said
And thou hast learned well thy trade
I give the mill to thee he cried,
Then he turned on his side and died

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MILLER'S ADVICE TO HIS THREE SONS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 12:56 AM

From the Bodleian Library ballad collection: Harding B 5(7).
"between 1736 and 1763"

Douce Ballads 4(44) is nearly the same.

The MILLER's Advice to his Three Sons,
in Taking of TOLL.

There was a Miller who had three Sons,
And knowing his life was almost run,
He call'd them all, and ask'd their will,
If that to them he left his Mill.

He called first for his eldest Son,
Saying, My Life is almost run;
If I to you this Mill do make,
What Toll do you intend to take?

Father, said he, my Name is Jack,
Out of a Bushel I'll take a Peck,
From every Bushel that I grind,
That so I may a good Living find.

Thou art a Fool, the old Man said,
Thou hast not well learn'd thy Trade;
This Mill to thee I ne'er will give,
For by such Toll no man can live.

He called for his middlemost Son,
Saying, My Life is almost run;
If I to thee the Mill do make,
What Toll do you intend to take?

Father, says he, my Name is Ralph,
Out of a Bushel I'll take it half,
From every Bushel that I grind,
That so I may a good Living find.

Thou art a Fool, the old Man said,
Thou hast not well learn'd thy Trade;
This Mill to you I ne'er can give,
For by such Toll no Man can live.

He called then for his youngest Son,
Saying, My Life is almost run;
If I to you this Mill do make,
What Toll do you intend to take?

Father, said he, I'm your only Boy,
For taking Toll is all my Joy:
Before I will a good Living lack,
I'll take it all, and forswear the Sack.

Thou art my Boy, the old Man said,
For thou hast learned well thy Trade,
This Mill to thee I'll give, he cry'd,
And then clos'd up his Eyes, and dy'd.

Printed and Sold at the Printing-Office in Bow Church-Yard, London.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST,JM
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 02:58 AM

Hi,
Jackie and I made the song out of a version learned from Barry Lister. I made up the "sun comes up and the sun goes down" bit and Jackie changed the names of the sons and the things their names rhyme with. I don't have the words to hand but I'll find them for you later.

Jim

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: glueman
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 03:37 AM

Does Jackie sing 'the sun comes up and the sun comes down' or is it my imagination? The son's names are the same as the trad versions I've read. An excellent interpretation anyway, she nails a song brilliantly. Hope to see her at Shepley.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST,padgett on lap top
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 04:24 AM

Walter Pardon had a version of this one!
O havent checked out the words/differences

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: glueman
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 07:37 AM

Good twist on the words:

Jackie Oates sings THE MILLER AND HIS THREE SONS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST,brooko
Date: 18 Apr 10 - 04:41 PM

jm have you found those lyrics to the miller and his three sons
brooko

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 11 - 09:03 PM

Best I can do from multiple listenings...


There once was a miller and he lived all alone
Had three sons all fully grown
When he went for to make his will
All he had left was a little old mill
The sun comes up and the sun comes down
To mark a brand new day

So he called to him his eldest son
"Son, oh son, my race is run
If I a miller of you make
Pray tell me what toll will you take?"

"Oh father, father, my name is Bill
Out of each sack I'd take a chill (???)
"Fool, you fool," the old man cried
Cadging/capture (?) such a little and you'll never make a life (???)
The sun comes up and the sun comes down
To mark a brand new day

So they called to him his second son
"Son, oh son, my race is run
If I a miller of you make
Pray tell me what toll will you take?"

"Oh father, father, my name is Ralph
Out of each sack, I'd take the half
"Fool, you fool," the old man cried
Cadging/capture (?) such a little and you'll never make a life
The sun comes up and the sun comes down
To mark a brand new day

So he called to him his youngest son
"Son, oh son, my race is run
If I a miller of you make
Pray tell me what toll will you take?"

"Oh father, father, my name is Jack
I'd take the lot, foreswear the sack".
"Hallelujah!" the old man cried
To the old woman turned – "A toast!" he cried (?)
The sun comes up and the sun comes down
To mark a brand new day

So they wrapped him up in a neat cow's hide
And some do say his soul it died
Where he went no-one could say
But I rather fear that he went the other way
The sun comes up and the sun comes down
To mark a brand new day

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 May 11 - 12:40 PM

chill = gill, pronounced jill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: Jim Moray
Date: 08 May 11 - 06:50 AM

You nearly have it right. The repeated lines in the middle verses go :

"you fool, you fool" the old man cried
Out of such a little you can never make a ride
And the sun comes up and the sun goes down
To mark a brand new day

and the second to last verse ends :

"Hallelujah!" the old man cried
And the old woman turned up her toes and she died
The sun comes up and the sun comes down
To mark a brand new day

hope that helps. Sorry it took me a year and a bit to reply...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST,Sean O'Shea, Exeter
Date: 08 May 11 - 11:45 AM

I couldn't have had anything to say in the last entry,could I?
You're wrong,Jim,if the last but one verse you cite is from the song you learned from Barry.

It's;
"Hallelujah",the old woman cried,
And the old man turned up his toes and he died.
Otherwise the last verse wouldn't make sense.
Barry learned this from Dave Robbins,in Exeter in the 1960s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: Jim Moray
Date: 08 May 11 - 01:53 PM

You're right - that makes more sense. But what I put is what Jackie sings... take it up with her! ;)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST,brooko
Date: 08 May 11 - 03:02 PM

thank you Jim,i have been trying to work it out for ages.once again thank

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Miller and His Three Sons
From: GUEST, Chris
Date: 09 May 11 - 10:16 PM

Yes, me too, Brooko. Thanks all round.

And to Jackie herself, of course, for a terrific rendering!!! (Just love that "Songs From The Shed" clip!)

Jim, if you or Jackie are ever touring in Australia, please don't miss the western seaboard - Perth in particular. Maybe my antipodean cloth-ears can't always pick out every word (that dodgy transcription above was mine) ...but by God, this trad stuff surely stirs something deep in the blood!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MILLER'S WILL (New Lost City Ramblers
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Jan 22 - 12:02 PM

This version has been mentioned in another thread. Here’s my transcription, from Spotify:


THE MILLER’S WILL
As recorded by the New Lost City Ramblers on “New Lost City Ramblers, Vol. 4” (1962)

There was an old miller and he lived all alone,
And had three sons all fully grown.
When the time come to make out a will,
All he had left was a little grist mill.

CHORUS: Sing-a fall-dig-a-die-doe, fall-dig-a-day.

He called to him his eldest son,
Said: “Son, O son, my race is run.
If I a miller of you make,
Pray tell me what toll you’d take.” CHORUS

“Father, O father, my name is Bill.
Out of each bushel, I’d take a gill.”
“You fool, you fool!” the old man cries.
“On such a little you’ll never make a rise.” CHORUS

He called to him his second son,
Said: “Son, O son, my race is run.
If I a miller of you make,
Pray tell me what toll you’d take.” CHORUS

“Father, O father, my name is Ralph.
Out of each bushel, I’d take half.”
“Not enough, not enough!” the old man said.
“On such a little you’ll never get ahead.” CHORUS

He called to him his youngest son,
Said: “Son, O son, my race is run.
If I a miller of you make,
Pray tell me what toll you’d take.” CHORUS

“Father, O father, my name is Paul.
Out of each bushel, I’d take all.”
“Hallelujah!” The old man cried.
Then he turned up his toes and he died. CHORUS

They buried him in a little box grave.
Some do not think his soul was saved.
Where he went I cannot say,
But I rather believe that he went the other way. CHORUS