Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning

Subject: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: Gloredhel
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 08:27 PM

I learned this as a little kid, and have recently heard a Steeleye Span recording of it, but I'm afraid I can't remember all the words. It begins "It was a misty, moisty morning and rainy was the weather, when I met with an old man clothed all in leather...." Can anyone help

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: khandu
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 08:39 PM

IS THIS IT?

khandu

Subject: Lyr Add: ONE MISTY MOISTY MORNING (Ron Spicer)
From: vectis
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 09:09 PM

This is Ron Spicer's version as nearly as I can recall it:


ONE MISTY MOISTY MORNING

CHORUS: "How d'you do, and how d'you do, and how d'you do again."

One misty moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather,
I met a withered old man a-clothed all in leather.
He was clothed all in leather with a cap beneath his chin, singing:
CHORUS

This rustic was a treasure as on his way he hied,
And with a leather bottle fast buckled by his side,
He wore no shirt upon his back with wool unto his skin, singing:
CHORUS

He went a little further and there he met a maid
A-goin' a-milking, a-milking sir she said.
Then he began to compliment and she began to sing, singing:
CHORUS

This maid, her name was Dolly, dressed in a gown of grey.
I being somewhat jolly, persuaded her to stay,
And straight I fell a-courting her in hopes her love to win, singing:
CHORUS

I having time and leisure, I spent a vacant hour
A-telling of my treasure while sitting in the bower.
With many kind embraces I stroked her double chin, singing:
CHORUS

I said that we should married be and she would be my bride,
And along we should not tarry and twenty things beside.
I'll plough and sow and reap and mow and you shall sit and spin, singing:
CHORUS

Her parents then consented, all parties were agreed.
Her portion thirty shillings, we married were with speed.
Then Will, the piper, he did play, while others dance and sing, singing:
CHORUS

Then lusty rovin' robin with many damsels gay,
To drive and roam to dawning to celebrate the day,
And when they met together, their caps they off did fling, singing:
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 09:12 PM

A 17th century copy can be seen on the Bodleian Ballads website, Douce ballads 2(256b). Use BROWSE on 'Wiltshire Wedding' to find it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: CapriUni
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 10:22 PM

I learned this has a "Mother Goose" recitation when I was about 2 from my grandmother (it was the way she greeted all her grandchildren, and taught us about the ritual of shaking hands), and it was only one verse:

On a misty, moisty morning,
When cloudy was the weather,
Along came an old man
All dressed in leather.
He began to compiment
And she began to grin.
How do you do, and how do you do, and how do you do again?

(Grandmother would take the hand of the child on the last line and shake it up and down in rhythm of the words -- far better than getting your cheek pinched)

It wasn't until recently that I learned it was a full-fledged song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 11:05 PM

Click for text

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: michaelr
Date: 29 Mar 02 - 11:28 PM

All who like this song are encouraged to check out my band's recording of it (my first clickie -- ta da!) here. Click on Listen, then album "Shelter Cove".

Thanks (let's see if this worked)
Michael

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: michaelr
Date: 30 Mar 02 - 12:43 AM

Well, it doesn't open in my browser (Opera) but it does in Explorer. Hmmm...

Subject: Lyr Add: WILTSHIRE WEDDING: 'All in a misty mornin
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Jun 08 - 01:37 AM

Here's my transcription from the broadside (See Guest's link above). I have modernized the spelling and punctuation.

The Wiltshire Wedding:
Between Daniel Do-well and Doll the Dairy-Maid:
With the Consent of her Old Father Leather-Coat, and her dear and tender Mother Plodwell.

1. All in a misty morning, cloudy was the weather,
I meeting with an old man was clothèd all in leather,
With a shirt unto his back but wool unto his skin,
With how do you do and how do you do and how do you do again.

2. The rustic was a thresher, and on his way he hied,
And with a leather bottle fast buckled by his side,
And with a cap of woollen, which covered cheek and chin,
With how, &c.

3. I went a little further, and there I met a maid
Was going then a-milking, "A-milking, sir," she said.
Then I began to compliment and she began to sing,
With how, &c.

4. This maid, her name was Dolly, clothed in a gown of grey.
I being something jolly, persuaded her to stay;
And straight I fell to courting her in hopes her love to win,
With how, &c.

5. Then having time and leisure, I spent a vacant hour
Telling of all my treasure whilst sitting in the bower.
With many kind embraces I stroked her double chin
With how, &c.

6. I told her I would marry, and she should be my bride,
And long we would not tarry, with twenty things beside.
"I'll plough and sow and reap and mow while thou shalt sit and spin,
With how, &c."

7. "Did not you meet my father?" the damsel then replied.
"His jerkin was of leather, a bottle by his side."
"Yes, I did meet him trudging as fast as he could win,
With how, &c."

8. "Kind sir, I have a mother, besides a father still.
Those friends above all other, you must ask their good will;
For if I be undutiful, to them it is a sin
With how, &c."

9. Now there we left the milk-pail and to her mother went,
And when I was come thither, I asking her consent,
And doffed my hat and made a leg for why she was within,
With how, &c.

10. "My husband is a-threshing who is her father dear.
He'll give with her his blessing. Kind sir, you need not fear.
He is of such good nature that he would lever lin,
With how, &c.

11. "For by your courteous carriage, you seem an honest man.
You may have her in marriage; my husband he anon
Will bid you very welcome, though he be poor and thin,
With how, &c."

12. Her dad came home full weary. Alas, he could not choose.
Her mother being merry, she told him all the news.
Then he was mighty jovial, too, with son did soon begin
With how, &c.

13. Her parents being willing, all parties was agreed.
Her portion thirty shilling, they married were with speed.
Then Will, the piper, he did play, while they did dance and sing,
With how, &c.

14. In pleasant recreation, they passed away the night,
And likewise by relation with her he takes delight
To walk abroad on holidays to visit kith and kin
With how, &c.

15. Then lusty Ralph and Robin with many damsels gay
Did ride on Roan and Dobbin to celebrate the day.
When being met together there, their caps they oft did fling,
With how, &c.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 08 Jun 08 - 12:02 AM

The version I recited to my kids was

One misty, moisty, morning
when cloudy was the weather,
I chanced to meet an old man,
clothed all in leather.
Clothed all in leather,
with a strap under his chin.
How do you do, and how do you do, and how do you do again?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 02:19 PM

Misty Moisty was the morn, and chilly was the weather
There I chanced to meet a man clothed all in leather.
Clothed all in leather, from his toe to his chin,
And, How do you do,and how do you do, And how do you do Again.

That's how I learned it from my Grandmother, from the hills of West Virginia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 02:53 PM

Interest ~~ This is the song whose air carries the song "Before the barn door crowing, The cock by hens attended..." in John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, 1728; which in the tradition of ballad opera sets its words to well-known airs of various kinds ~~ from folk, as in this case, to Handel Opera for the song "Let us take the road".

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Misty, Moisty Morning
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 19 Mar 12 - 06:58 AM

I love it when these threads about old rhymes come up. I remember singing this when I was a child but have no idea where I got it from. I definitely knew it before 'Singing Together'.