Lyr Req: John Barleycorn

Subject: john barleycorn
From: Mr Happy
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 07:40 PM

in the dt, there's 4 versions of jb/corn, none of which is the one i'm seeking.

the chorus goes,'there's beer all in the barrel and brandy in the glass, but little sir john with the nut-brown bowl proved the strongest man at last'.

the tune is 'we plough the fields and scatter'

help anyone?

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN BARLEYCORN
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 07:55 PM

Hi, Mr. Happy - I did this Google Search (click) and came up with a number of versions.
I thing this one may be the one you want.
-Joe Offer-

JOHN BARLEYCORN

There were three men came out of the west
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die.

They've ploughed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head,
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead.

The let him lie for a very long time
Till the rains from Heaven did fall,
And little Sir John sprung up his head
And so amazed them all.

They've let him stand till Midsummer's day,
Till he looked both pale and wan.
And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard
And so become a man.

They've hired men with the scythes so sharp,
To cut him off at the knee,
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist,
Serving him most barb'rously.

They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
Who pricked him through the heart
And the loader, he has served him worse than that,
For he's bound him to the cart.

They've wheeled him around and around a field,
Till they came unto a barn,
And there they made a solemn oath
On poor John Barleycorn

They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks,
To cut him skin from bone,
And the miller, he has served him worse than that,
For he's ground him between two stones.

And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
And his brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
Proved the strongest man at last

The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox
Nor so loudly to blow his horn,
And the tinker, he can't mend kettle nor pots
without a little barley corn

I found it at this site (click). I think it's from a recording by Traffic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 08:11 PM

Mr Happy

The Songwainers used to sing the "come put your wine into glasses" version to the tune of "We plough the fields and scatter". Pete Wood of the Keelers ran a very interesting workshop on different versions of John Barleycorn at the National Festival last April. I'll PM you his e-mail address.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 08:55 PM

See this thread

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 10:29 PM

See this earlier discussion: John Barleycorn, which contains rather a lot of links to additional material. I put them there in the (evidently forlorn) hope that people might actually use them.

"Traffic" recorded a fairly straight arrangement of the song as they learned it from The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs. I do recall hearing, long ago, a set of the song fitted to the Victorian hymn-tune (evidently from The Songwainers), but it wasn't traditional.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Mr Happy
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 03:09 AM

thankyou one and all for assistance. none of these is the one i've been seeking, but the versions which can be sung with 'plough the fields' can have my chorus added to them to create a further viable version.

cheers!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Skipper Jack
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 06:30 AM

Hi Joe,

The version that you have typed here is to be found in the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

I have sung this version with the tune included in the book.

I don't know how to put the tune on Mudcat!

Dave R.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Trevor
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 09:03 AM

Hi Mr H!

A couple of friends of mine do the one you're talking about. They're going to be at Priestweston tomorrow night - I'll get it written down for you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: open mike
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 08:34 PM

as i recall this is basically a song which includes the recipe for making beer!! grow, harvest, thresh, ferment, etc...at leats the version popularized by traffic...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Corbie
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 01:09 PM

Hey all,
I was wondering if anyone out there is familiar with Moore & Broaders version of John Barleycorn? I have it on disk, but some of the words and phrases are unclear. It starts with, "There were three farmers in the North as they were passing by...". Any clues were I might find those particular lyrics? Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks. :?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 01:19 PM

That form is usually found in tradition in Ireland, I think. See this earlier discussion: The Barleycorn. Lyrics taken from a recording by the Johnstons, with amendments from Colm O Lochlainn's Irish Street Ballads, apparently their source. Plus the inevitable posting of Traffic's "Penguin" text...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Crane Driver
Date: 11 Oct 02 - 09:56 PM

The version you're after was put together by the Songwainers - they recorded it on what was probably their only LP, back in the days of vinyl. The notes say that the text was "taken from" Fred Jordan, set to the C19 harvest hymn tune "Wir Pflugen und Strauen", attributed to J. A. P. Schulz (1747-1800).

I'll try to post the words, once I've remembered how to play vinyl ...

Andrew

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john barleycorn
From: Mr Happy
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 03:52 AM

refresh