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01 Jun 07 - 07:50 PM (#2066126) Subject: Lyr Add: THE TURNIP SONG (Anti-King George) From: chico AIR -- A-begging we will go I am a turnip ho-er, as good as ever ho'd I have hoed from my Cradle, and reap'd where I ne'er sow'd And a Ho-ing we will go, &c For my turnips, I must hoe. At Brunswick and Hanover, I learn'd the Ho-ing trade From thence I came to England, where a strange Hoe I have made I've pillag'd town and country round and no man durst say no, I've lop'd off heads, like Turnip-tops, made England cry, High! Ho! A turnip once, we read was, a present for a prince And all the German princes have, ho'd turnips ever since Let trumpets cheer soldier, and fiddles charm the beau But sure 'tis much more princely, to cry Turnips, Turnips, Ho! If Britons will be Britons still, and horny heads affront, I'll carry home both head and horns, and hoe where I was wont To Hannover, I'll go, I'll go, and there I'll mery be; With a good in my right hand, and Munster on my knee Come on, my Turks and Germans, pack up pack up and go Let James take his Scepter, So I can have my Hoe * * * Of all Roots of Hanover, the turnip is the best 'Tis his saliad when 'tis raw, and his sweetmeat when 'tis drest Then a hoeing he may go, &c And his turnips, he may Hoe A potatoe to Dear Foy, a nd a leek to Taffy give But to our Friend Hanover, a turnip while you live No root so fit for barren Hanover can be found For the Turnip will grow best when 'tis sow'n in poorest ground But if it be Transplanted, 'twill shortly have an End And the higher still it grows it must the sooner bend These turnips have a king if we may credit fame His sceptre is his hoe, and George is his name The turnip ne'er should swell like the turban of a turk For 'tis best when 'tis no greater than the white rose of York! May the turnip make a season for a better plant to grow Lest the Hanover root prove, the root of all our woe [The Turnip Song, A GEORGICK. Attack on George, I, king of Great Britain, 1660-1727 |
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01 Jun 07 - 08:28 PM (#2066148) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Turnip Song (18c) (Anti-Georgian) From: masato sakurai A broadside edition from Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads: i am a turnip-ho-er [first line] |
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01 Jun 07 - 08:54 PM (#2066174) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Turnip Song (18c) (Anti-Georgian) From: GUEST,Captain Swing Is this related to: " Oh the rare Turnip Hero, Oh the rare Turnip Oh!" ? |
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09 Jun 07 - 05:29 PM (#2072371) Subject: Lyr Add: THE TURNIP SONG From: Jim Dixon I compared the broadsides with the versions chico posted above, and I found the broadsides have additional verses. Also the broadsides have dashes (indicating self-censorship?) where chico's version has "Hanover," "king," and "James;" furthermore, the name that chico renders as "George" is certainly not "George," but I don't recognize what name is represented by "O——ld." Maybe someone more acquainted with the history of the period can enlighten me. I have modernized the spelling and punctuation. From Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, Douce Ballads 4(24a): AN EXCELLENT NEW BALLAD To the tune of "A-Begging We Will Go," &c. I am a turnip hoer, as good as ever hoed. I have hoed from my cradle and reaped where I ne'er sowed. And a-hoeing I will go, &c. For my turnips I must hoe. With a hoe for my self and another for my son; A third too for my wife ——; but wives I've two, or none. And a-hoeing we will go, &c. At Brunswick and Hanover, I learned the hoeing trade. From thence I came to England, where a strange hoe I have made. And a-hoeing we will go, &c. I've pillaged town and country round, and no man durst say, no. I've lopped off heads, like turnip-tops, made England cry, "High ho!" And a-hoeing I will go, &c. Of all trades in my country, a hoer is the best; For when his turnips he has hoed, on a turnip he can feast. And a-hoeing I will go, &c. A turnip once, we read, was a present for a prince; And all the German princes have hoed turnips ever since. And a-hoeing I will go, &c. Let trumpets cheer the soldier, and fiddles charm the beau; But sure 'tis much more princely to cry, "Turnips, turnips, ho!" And a-hoeing I will go, &c. With iron-headed hoes, let dull Britons hoe their corn; But of all hoes, give me a hoe for turnips, tipped with horn. And a-hoeing I will go, &c. If Britons will be Britons still, and horny heads affront, I'll carry home both head and horns, and hoe where I was wont. And a-hoeing I will go, &c. To Hanover, I'll go, I'll go, and there I'll merry be; With a good hoe in my right hand, and Munster on my knee. And a-hoeing I will go, &c. Come on, my Turks and Germans; pack up, pack up, and go. Let J——s take his sceptre, so I can have my hoe. And a-hoeing we will go, &c. * * * From Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, MS. Rawl. poet. 207(109, 110): THE TURNIP SONG: A GEORGICK To the tune of "A-Begging We Will Go." Of all roots of H——r, the turnip is the best. 'Tis his salad when 'tis raw, and his sweetmeat when 'tis dressed. Then a-hoeing he may go, may go, may go, And his turnips he may hoe. A potato to dear Foy, and a leek to Taffy give, But to our friend H——r, a turnip while you live, That a-hoeing he may go, &c. No root so fit for barren H——r can be found, For the turnip will grow best when 'tis sown in poorest ground. Where a-hoeing he may go, &c. But if it be transplanted, 'twill shortly have an end, And the higher still it grows, it must the sooner bend. Then a-hoeing he may go, &c. The shallow and the soft in greatness do excel, But if rooted deep, 'tis rank, and will ne'er digest so well. Then a-hoeing he may go, &c. The turnip ne'er should swell like the turban of a Turk, For 'tis best when 'tis no greater than the white rose of York. Then a-hoeing he may go, &c. These turnips have a k——, if we may credit fame; His sceptre is his hoe, and O——ld is his name. Who a-hoeing soon must go, &c. Their seed (though small) increases if the land doth it befriend, But when they grow too numerous, 'tis time they should be thinned. Then a-hoeing he must go, &c. May the turnip make a season for a better plant to grow, Lest the H——r root prove the root of all our woe. Then a-hoeing he may go, &c. |