Origins: Seasons of the Year

23 May 22 - 04:34 PM (#4142371)
Subject: Origins: Seasons of the Year
From: Joe Offer

This song needs some exploration.

Thread #14361   Message #124628
Posted By: T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
16-Oct-99 - 01:42 PM
Thread Name: Samhain songs
Subject: Lyr Add: THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR

Here's another lyric you might like. This lyric in the Digital Tradition under the title The Seasons' Round but with slightly different words. This variant might be of interest. T.

THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR

Collected from from John Burberry, gamekeeper, Sussex, England, 1892.
Published in Lucy E. Broadwood and J.A. Fuller Maitland, English County Songs,Leadenhall Press, London, 1893, page 143.

The sun it goes down, the sky it looks red,
Down on yonder pillow I lay down my head,
I lift up my eyes to see the stars shine,
but still this young damsel she runs in my mind.

When the sap it goes up the tree it will flaw,
we'll first branch him round, boys, and put in the saw;
but when we have sawed him, and tumbled him down,
then we do flaw him, all on the cold ground.

When flawing is over, haying draws near,
with our scythes and our pitchforks some grass for to clear;
but when we have mowed it and carried it away
we first called it green grass, we now call it hay.

When haying is over, then harvest draws near,
we'll send for the brewer, to brew us strong beer;
to brew us strong beer for the hard-working men,
for they work late and early till harvest does end.

When the sap it goes down then the leaves they do fall,
the farmer to his hedging and ditching to call,
but when it's hard weather there's no working there,
then into the barn, boys, some corn for to clear.

When spring it comes on, the maid to her cow,
the boy to his whip, and the man to his plow,
and so we bring all things so cheerfully round.
Success to the plowman that plows up the ground!

---

23 May 22 - 04:37 PM (#4142372)
Subject: Seasons of the Year/THE SEASONS ROUND
From: Joe Offer

THE SEASONS ROUND (DT Lyrics)

The sun has gone down and the sky it looks red,
Down on my soft pillow where I lay my head.
When I open my eyes for to see the stars shine,
Then the thoughts of my true love run into my mind.

The sap has gone down and the leaves they do fall.
To hedging and ditching! our farmers they'll call.
We will trim up their hedges, we will cut down their wood;
And the farmers they'll all say, Our faggots run good.

Now hedging being over, then sawing draws near.
We will send for the sawyer, the woods for to clear.
And after he has sawed them and tumbled them down,
Then there he will floor them all on the cold ground.

When sawing is over, then seed-time comes round.
See our teams, they are all ready preparing the ground.
Then the man with his seed-lip he'll scatter the corn,
Then the harrows they will bury, to keep it from harm.

Now seed-time being over, then haying draws near.
With our scythe, rake, and pitch-fork, those meadows to clear,
We will cut down their grass, boys, and carry it away;
We will turn it to the green grass and then call it hay.

When haying is over, then harvest draws near.
We will send to our brewer to brew us strong beer.
And in brewing strong beer, we will cut down their corn;
We will take it to the barn, boys, to keep it from harm.

Now harvest being over, bad weather comes on;
We will send for the thrasher to thrash out the corn.
His hand-staff he' Il handle, his swinger he' Il swing;
Till the very next harvest we `Il all meet again.

Now since we have brought this so cheerfully round,
We will send for the jolly ploughman to plough up the ground.
See the boy with his whip and the man to his plough;
Here's a health to the jolly ploughman that ploughs up the ground.

Now things they do change as the time passes on;
I'm afraid I'll have occasion to alter my song.
You'll see a boy with a tractor a-going like hell;
Whatever farming is coming to, there's no tongue can tell.

recorded by The Copper family

NOTE: This song used to be followed by a Toast to the
Plough: Success to the bright plough-share, and may it never
rust. Verse nine is, of course, a recent addition by the Copper
family. Other versions have bean collected in Southern England and
published under the title of The Seasons of the Year.
@seasonal @farm
filename[ SEASRND
JY

Popup Midi Player

---

Traditional Ballad Index:

Seasons of the Year, The

DESCRIPTION: The singer cannot sleep because "this young damsel she runs in my mind." Instead of counting sheep he reviews the seasons' work: when sap runs they bark and saw wood; Then, in turn, comes haymaking, harvest, fall hedging and ditching, etc. until spring
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1892 (Broadwood/Maitland-EnglishCountySongs)
KEYWORDS: farming harvest work drink nonballad
FOUND IN: Britain(England(Lond))
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Broadwood/Maitland-EnglishCountySongs, p. 143, "The Seasons of the Year" (1 text, 1 tune)
Palmer-EnglishCountrySongbook, #1, "The Green Grass" (1 text, 1 tune)
Copper-ASongForEverySeason, pp. 208-209, "The Ploughshare" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #169
File: BrMa143

---

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2022 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

---