An Apres Morris Song Archive - The Morris Ring

The Beggar`s Song (trad. ar. Alcock)
Oh, I'd rather be a beggar as a king,
And I'll tell you the reason why.
For a king can't swagger nor drink like a beggar,
Nor be half so merry as I.
Let the back and the sides go bare me boys,
Let the foot and the hand go cold.
But give to the belly, boys, beer enough
Whether it be new or old.
For I love no roast but a nut-brown toast,
And a crab laid on the fire.
A little bread shall do me no stead;
Much bread I do not desire.
And Tyb me wife, well as her life
Loveth well good ale to seek.
Full oft drinks she till you may see
The tears run down her cheeks.
Then she does trowl me to the bowl
Even as a malt worm should.
And sayeth, sweetheart, I took my part
Of this jolly good ale and old.
Now let them drink till they nod and wink,
Even as good fellows should do.
They shall not miss to have the bliss
Good ale doth bring men to.
Yes, I'd rather be a beggar as a king,
And I'll tell you the reason why.
For a king cannot swagger nor drink like a beggar,
Nor be half so merry as I.
Benbow/Brave Benbow/Admiral Benbow
(Lesley Nelson-Burns)
Come all you seamen bold
and draw near, and draw near,
Come all you seamen bold and draw near.
It's of an admiral's fame,
O brave Benbow was his name,
How he fought all on the main,
you shall hear, you shall hear.
Brave Benbow he set sail
For to fight, for to fight
Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight.
Brave Benbow he set sail
with a fine and pleasant gale
But his captains they turn'd tail
in a fright, in a fright.
Says Kirby unto Wade:
We will run, we will run
Says Kirby unto Wade, we will run.
For I value no disgrace,
nor the losing of my place,
But the enemy I won't face,
nor his guns, nor his guns.
Bell on the Green (parody of Fiddlers Green)
As I walked by the brewery one evening so rare
To view the still vats and to sniff the malt air,
I heard an old Morris man singing this song
"Oh bury me here boys, me galleys have gone."
ch: Wrap me up in me bells and me baldricks.
No more in the pubs I'll be seen,
Just tell me old sidemates I'm takin' a slide, mates
And I'll see you someday at the Bell on the Green.
Now, "The Bell on the Green" is a pub I've heard tell,
Where Morris men go if they don't go to hell.
Where the beer is all pretty and the girls are all free
And they'll take you to Heaven, and won't ask a fee.
Where the sun always shines when you dance
Shepherd's Hey
And you don't need a squire to show you the way.
And the foreman is there --- Oh! his smile is so
sweet
And the perfumes of Araby rise from his feet.
Where the drink WATNEYS BEER is a sign that is
banned,
And the Fool never buggers a dance that is planned,
And the bagman is there, buying drinks by the score
And everyone says "Good! We'll have twenty more"
Now me time has been good, boys. I've had a good
part.
And from your kind company I'll happily depart
These words slowly dripped from his lips and his
jaw
As he sank down contented in the booze on the
floor.
The Ruby and Benbow
fought the French, fought the french
The Ruby and Benbow fought the French.
They fought them up and down,
till the blood came trickling down,
Till the blood came trickling down
where they lay, where they lay.
Brave Benbow lost his legs
by chain shot, by chain shot
Brave Benbow lost his legs by chain shot.
Brave Benbow lost his legs,
And all on his stumps he begs,
Fight on my English lads,
'Tis our lot, 'tis our lot.
The surgeon dress'd his wounds,
Cries Benbow, cries Benbow
The surgeon dress'd his wounds, cries Benbow.
Let a cradle now in haste,
on the quarterdeck be placed
That the enemy I may face
'Til I die, 'Til I die.
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