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18 May 10 - 06:40 PM (#2909512) Subject: John Barleycorn 'Two Brothers' version From: GUEST,Doug Olsen About 35 years ago I learned a version of John Barleycorn that begins "There were two brothers stood on a hill As might stand you and I And between them there arose a dipute John Barleycorn should die" It's occurred to me that I've never heard it from anyone else. Has anyone come across it? Sources and further information heartily desired. Thanks. Doug Olsen Oak Ash & Thorn |
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19 May 10 - 03:47 AM (#2909742) Subject: RE: John Barleycorn 'Two Brothers' version From: Richard Spencer It is the version they sing in Lincolnshire around the time of the Haxey Hood "game" Here are the words as I got them, though I sing them a bit differently now. Now there were two brothers on yonder hill As it might be you or I And betwixt these brothers these arose a dispute That John Barleycorn should die That John Barleycorn should die So they buried him under yonder hill so high And they threw soil over his head And there he lay a considerable time Till they thought him almost dead He lay there till spring time of the year Till the rain from heaven did fall And then St John how he plucked up his head And that surprised them all He lay there till midsummer time of the year Till the weather was pleasant and warm And then St John how he grew a beard And he soon became a man Then they hired men with their scythes so sharp And they cut him down to the ground And how they used poor Barleycorn For they tied him fast in a sheaf Then they hired men with their forks so sharp And they pricked him down to the heart And how they used poor Barleycorn For their bound him fast to a cart Then they wheeled him round and round again Till they wheeled him to a barn And there they made a mould of him And with that they though no harm They they hired men with flails so strong And they flicked flesh from his bones But the miller he used him ten times worse For he ground him between two stones You can put red wine into glasses Put brandy into a can You can put St John in a nut brown jug And he'll make the merriest man He'll make a maid dance around this room Stark naked as ever she was born He'll make the parson pawn his books And a farmer burn his corn He'll turn your gold into silver Your silver into brass He'll make a man become a fool And a fool become an ass |
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19 May 10 - 09:28 AM (#2909871) Subject: RE: John Barleycorn 'Two Brothers' version From: The Doctor Coope, Boyes and Simpson recorded this version on 'Hindsight'. |
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10 Jun 10 - 04:19 PM (#2924908) Subject: RE: John Barleycorn 'Two Brothers' version From: GUEST So I found someone selling "HindSight" and have now been able to check out their JB. More or less the words I know, but a different tune. Their tune is one I heard on a field recording that Jean Ritchie made in the 50's (I believe) -- except that unlike the field recording, CB&S don't pound the table in outrage at the treatment afforded Mr Barleycorn even tho "he done no one no harm!" I'll get the melody into ABC and post it here as soon as I figure out how..... doug |
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14 Jun 10 - 08:00 PM (#2927917) Subject: RE: John Barleycorn 'Two Brothers' version From: GUEST,Doug Olsen Here's the tune in abc. I should note that following each verse is a Fol a rol chorus, which I didn't include above. So the entire first verse is: There were two brothers stood on a hill As might stand you and I And between them there arose a dipute John Barleycorn should die Fol a rol a riddy-eye | Fol a rol a riddy how die. Sound familiar to anyone? X:1 T:John Barleycorn Two Brothers C:Trad. M:C L:1/4 K:G E | B B c B/2A/2 | G A/2A/2 B E | B B c d | E3 E/2E/2 | B B c B/2A/2 | G E/2E/2 F A | A3/2 A/2 G E | D4 | E3/2 D/2 E3/2 F/2 | G/2G/2 E3 | c3/2 B/2 A3/2 G | M:6/4 G/2G/2 F E3 || |