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Wiltshire Community History

Folk Song Information

There were 1 items found.

Book Title

Author

Date

Notes

Song Title	Haymakers
Roud No.	153
Collected From	Luker, Jane Mrs.
Location	Arlington
County	Gloucestershire
Collected By	Williams, Alfred
Alternative Title
Tune
Date
Source Primary	WSRO: 2598/36 Packet 2 - Wiltshire: Williams, A: MS collection No Gl 46
Source Secondary	Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, 13th May, 1916, p 3, Part 30, No. 7: Williams, A: Folk songs of the upper Thames, 1923, p 187, 188
Recording

Song Lyrics
Verse 1 In the pleasant month of May, In the spring-time of the year, 'Twas down in yonder meadow, There's a river runs so clear; 'Twas there the pretty fishes, How they do sport and play! And every lad and every lass, Went there a-haymaking. Verse 2 In comes the jolly scythes-men, To mow the meadow down, With the good old leather bottle, And the ale that is so brown; There's many a stout young labouring man, Comes here his skill to try, While he sweats and blows, and stoutly mows, For the grass cuts very dry. Verse 3 Here's nimble Ben and Tom, With pitchfork and with rake, Here's Molly, Liz and Sue, Come here the hay to make; While sweet, sweet, sweet; jug, jug, jug, The merry nightingale doth sing, From morning until evening, As they were hay making. Verse 4 Just as that bright day faded, And the sun was going down, There was a jolly piper, Coming from the town; He pulled out his pipe and tabor, And sweetly he did play, And every lad, and every lass, They left off hay making. Verse 5 Then, joining in a dance, They jigged it on the green, Though tired with the labour, Not one less was seen; But, sporting like some fairies, Their dance they did pursue, In leading up, and casting off, Till morning was in view. Verse 6 When tired of the dancing, Not one did leave the throng, They slept all in the hay cocks, Till the rising of the sun; The sun did shine most glorious, And sweet the birds did sing, Then every lad and every lass, Went again a-hay making.

Print Song Lyrics

Notes
Williams, Alfred: Ms / WGS: 'This was formerly highly popular throughout the Thames Vale. I have heard parts of it at Kemble, Blunsdon, South Marston and Childrey, near Wantage, Berkshire. The full copy I obtained of Mrs Jane Looker, Bibury, Gloucestershire.' Williams, Alfred: FSUT: 'This was formerly exceedingly popular throughout the Thames Vale. I have heard parts of it at Kemble, Blunsdon, South Marston and Childrey, near Wantage, Berkshire. The full copy I obtained of Mrs Jane Looker, Arlington, Bibury, Gloucestershire.' Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge, 2010.