John barleycorn lyrics

Artist  : Fairport convention 
Song : John barleycorn
 
There were three men come out of the west, their
fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow, John
Barleycorn would die
They've ploughed, they've sown, they've harrowed,
thrown clods upon his head
Till these three men were satisfied John
Barleycorn was dead
(Chorus)
There's beer all in the barrel and brandy in the
glass
But little Sir John, with his nut-brown bowl,
proved the strongest man at last
They've let him lie for a long long time till the
rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprang up his head and so
amazed them all
They've let him stand till midsummer's day and he
looks both pale and wan
Then little Sir John's grown a long long beard
and so become a man
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
They've hired men with the sharp-edged scythes to
cut him off at the knee
They've rolled him and tied him around the waist,
treated him most barbarously
They've hired men with the sharp-edged forks to
prick him to the heart
And the loader has served him worse than that for
he's bound him to the cart
So they've wheeled him around and around the
field till they've come unto a barn
And here they've kept their solemn word
concerning Barleycorn
They've hired men with the crabtree sticks to
split him skin from bone
And the miller has served him worse than that for
he's ground him between two stones
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
And the huntsman he can't hunt the fox nor loudly
blow his horn
And the tinker he can't mend his pots without
John Barleycorn