Lyr Req: Old Sir Simon the King

Subject: Old Sir Simon the King
From: GUEST,john Sullivan
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 11:39 AM

I have been trying in vain to obtain all the words to 'Old Sir Simon the King' as sung on the Albion Band CDthe BBC Sessions. It is sung there by Shirley Collins and the Albion Band. Can anyone he

Subject: RE: Old Sir Simon the King
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 12:05 PM

Hi, John - there is a tune and a snippet of the lyrics in this thread, but I'm sure you and I both would rather have more than a snippet. I suspect the lyrics aren't original, anyhow.
You'll also find versions of the tune here (click). -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Old Sir Simon the King
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 12:30 PM

Hmmm. This sounds more likely, but still only a snippet.

Drinking will make a man quaff,
Quaffing will make a man sing,
    Singing will make a man laugh,
      And laughing long life doth bring,
       Says old Simon the King.

Subject: RE: Old Sir Simon the King
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 12:40 PM

Here's the rhyme from The Annotated Mother Goose (William & Ceil Baring-Gould, 1962):

Old Sir Simon the king,
And young Sir Simon the squire,
And old Mrs. Hickabout
Kicked Mrs. Kickabout
Round about our coal fire.
Note: "Old Sir Simon" was supposed to have been a Falstaffian genlteman who kept the Devil Tavern in Fleet Street and died in the year 1627.

Subject: RE: Old Sir Simon the King
From: IanC
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 12:43 PM

I'm surprised it's not in the DT! the song is quite old.

The tune is used in John Gay's "Beggar's Opera" and (according to Mackay, C. (ed) "Cavalier Songs 1642-1684") a parody of the song was "Printed in Percy's Reliques, from an old black-letter copy in Mr Pepys' collection, corrected by two others, one of which is preserved in 'A Choice Collection of 120 Loyal Songs - 1684'.

The Albion Band's version is quite old and was probably taken from a Broadside as I recall. I can't find the words anywhere on the web, but you might try the Bodleian!

I've got the Albion Band's version on an 12" vinyl LP if all else fails.

One verse is

Drink will make a man drunk
Drunk will make a man dry
Dry will make a man sober
And sober will make a man die

:-)
Ian

Subject: Lyr Add: SIMON THE KING
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 12:43 PM

Here we go, from occasional Mudcat visitors Pint and Dale.

SIMON THE KING
traditional

One day it entered my mind
That I should go up and down
No company could I find
'Til I came to the sign of the crown
The barman was sick with the mumps
The maid was ill at her ease
The tapster was drunk - in the dumps
And they all had one disease:

Drink shall make a man drunk
Drunk shall make a man dry
Dry shall make a man sick
And sick shall make a man die

Says old Sir Simon the king
Old Sir Simon the king
With his ale drop toes
And his mumsy nose
Sing hey ding ding-a ding ding

But if a man should be drunk tonight
And laid in his grave tomorrow
Can you or anyone say
That he died of care and sorrow?
So hang all sorrow and care
They say that it killed the cat
Let any man drink–all right!
And he's never a-feared of that

For drinking shall make a man quaff
Quaffing shall make a man sing
Singing shall make a man laugh
And laughter long life shall bring!

Says old Sir Simon the king
Old Sir Simon the king
With his ale drop toes
And his mumsy nose
Sing hey ding ding-a ding ding

---

Click here for the text of The Beggars Opera.

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD SIMON THE KING (from Maddy Prior)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 12:55 PM

Another version here (click) and interesting page of lyrics from Pills to Purge Melancholy, as recorded by Maddy Prior.

---

OLD SIMON THE KING
Words anon. from D'Urfey's Wit and Mirth: or Pills to Purge Melancholy 1719-1720.
Tune anon. from The Division Violin 1685 and Humphry Salter's The Genteel Companion 1683

In a humour I was of late,
As many good fellows be;
To think of no matters of State,
But seek for good Company:
That best contended me.
I travell'd up and down;
No Company could I find;
Till I came to the sight of the Crown:
My Hostess was sick of the Mumps,
The Maid was ill at ease,
The Tapster was drunk in his Dumps;
They were all of one disease,
Says old Simon the King.

Considering in my mind,
And thus I began to think;
If a man be full to his throat,
And cannot take off his drink,
If his drink will not down,
He may hang himself for shame;
So may the Tapster at the Crown,
Where all this reason I frame;
Drink will make a Man Drunk,
Drunk will make a Man dry;
Dry will make a Man sick
Sick will make a man die,
Says old Simon the King.

If a Man should be drunk to night,
And laid in his grave to morrow;
Will you or any man say,
That he died of Care or Sorrow ?
Hang up sorrow and care,
`Tis able to kill a Cat,
He that will drink all night,
Is never afraid of that !
Drinking will make a man Quaff,
Quaffing will make a man Sing;
Singing will make a man Laugh,
And laughing long life doth bring,
Says old Simon the King.

If a puritan Skinker cry,
Dear Brother it is a Sin,
To drink unless you be dry,
Then straight this tale I begin,
A Puritan left his Cann,
And took him to his Jugg,
And there he play'd the man,
As long as he could tugg:
When that he was spy'd,
What did he swear or rail;
No, no truly, dear Brother he cry'd,
Indeed all flesh is frail,
Says old Simon the King.

So Fellows, if you'll be drunk,
Of frailty it is a sin,
Or for to keep a punk,
Or play it In and In;
For Drink and Dice and Drabs,
Are all of one condition,
And will breed want and Scabs,
In spite of the Physician:
Who so fears every Grass,
Must never piss in a Meadow,
And he that loves a pot and a Lass,
Must never cry oh ! my head oh !
Says old Simon the King

Subject: RE: Old Sir Simon the King
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 24 Sep 02 - 01:04 PM

Damn, I'd just typed it out. Just a couple of notes, then: The full reference for the above is Pills to Purge Melancholy, vol.III p.143 (edition of 1719-20).

Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time, vol.I p.264, 1855) quotes the first four verses above, and adds the following to the end of each:

Says old [Sir] Simon the king,
With his ale-dropt hose, and his Malmsey nose,
Sing hey ding ding a ding, ding.

That's the bit which Pint and Dale mis-quote earlier.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Sir Simon the King
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 06:53 AM

Thanks for everyone's help. Joe, your thread was just what I was looking for. Many thanks. John Sullivan