An Apres Morris Song Archive - The Morris Ring

Gypsy Rover (trad)
Hal an Tow – HELSTON (traditional)
Take the scorn and wear the horn, it was the crest when you were born
Your father's father wore it, and your father wore it to
Hal an tow, jolly rumbalo
We were up long before the day o
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the may o
For summer is a comin in
And winter's gone away o
Robin Hood and Little John have both gone to the fair o
And we will to the merry green wood to hunt the buck and hare o
What happened to the Spaniards who made so great a boast o
It's they shall eat the feathered goose and we shall eat the roast o
God bless Aunt Mary Moses in all her power and might o
Send us peace to England, send peace by day and night o
A gypsy rover came over the hill
Down through the valley so shady.
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-doo-dah-day
Ah-dee-doo-ah-dee-day-dee
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang
And he won the heart of a lady.
She left her father's castle gate.
She left her own fine lover.
She left her servants and her state
To follow her gypsy rover.
She left behind her velvet gown
And shoes of Spanish leather
They whistled and they sang 'till the green woods
rang
As they rode off together
Last night, she slept on a goose feather bed
With silken sheets for cover
Tonight she'll sleep on the cold, cold ground
Beside her gyspy lover
Her father saddled up his fastest stead
And roamed the valley all over.
Sought his daughter at great speed
And the whistlin' gypsy rover.
He came at last to a mansion fine
Down by the river Claydee.
And there was music and there was wine
For the gypsy and his lady.
"Have you forsaken your house and home?
Have you forsaken your baby?
Have you forsaken your husband dear
For a whistling gypsy rover?"
"He is no gypsy, my Father," she cried
"but Lord of these lands all over.
And I shall stay 'til my dying day
with my whistlin' gypsy rover."
Hanging Johnny (trad)
Well, they call me Hangin' Johnny
Away boys, away
Well, I never hanged nobody
And it's hang boys, hang
Well, first I hanged me mother
Away boys, away
Me sister and me brother
And it's hang boys, hang
A rope, a beam, a ladder....
I hung them altogether...
Well, next I hanged me granny
And then the Holy Family.....
Well, I never hangs for money
It's just that hanging's so bloody funny
I hung my sister Nancy.....
Because I took a fancy.....
They call me hanging Johnny;
But I never hung nobody....
I'd hang a noted liar;
I'd hang a bloated friar.
I'd hang all wrong and folly;
And hang to make things jolly.
Come hang and sway together;
And hang for finer weather.
They call me hanging Johnny;
But I never hung nobody.
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