| Author | Topic: Add: All the little Chickens in the Garden | |
| dmcg | Posted - 02 Jul 03 - 03:39 pm | |
All the little Chickens in the Garden When first I come down Yorkshire, not many years ago, Why, I met with a little Yorkshire girl and I'll have yez all to know That she was so blithe, so buxom, so beautiful and gay. Now listen whilst I tell you what her daddy used to say. (Chorus) "Treat me daughter decent. Don't do her any harm And when I die I'll leave you both me tidy little farm, Me cow, me pigs, me sheep and goat, me stock, me fields and barn And all the little chickens in the garden." When first I went to court the girl, she was so awful shy, Why she never said a blummin' word while other folks stood by. But as soon as we were on our own she made me name the day, Now listen while I'll tell you what her daddy used to say. And so I wed me Yorkshire gil so pleasing to me mind, I always been proved tru to her and she's proved true in kind. We've had three bairns, they've growed up now with a grandun' on the way, And when I look into her eyes I can hear her father say. Source: Milner D and Kaplan P, 1983, Songs of England, Ireland and Scotland, Oak, New York Collected from Joe Udall, a Cumbrian shepherd, in 1974 by Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy. Database entry is here. | ||
| Malcolm Douglas |
Posted - 02 Jul 03 - 04:23 pm | |
Roud 2552 Reported a number of times in English tradition, but more documented in the USA. It appears to derive from a song written by James A. Bland, The Farmer's Daughter, or, the Little Chickens in the Garden. Sheet music of 1883 can be seen at The Lester Levy Sheet Music Collection: The Farmer's Daughter | ||
| Mr Happy | Posted - 03 Jul 03 - 08:35 am | |
An alternative version: Gobblers in the garden [chickens in the garden] Kipper Family Well when first I wed me Norfolk girl, we all went back to Trunch To drink a toast and cut the cake and have a bite of lunch Now she and I was eager for to start the honeymoon But her father made a speech, which went on half the afternoon He told me: [chorus:] Treat me daughter decent don?t do her any ill And when I go I?ll leave you my smallholding in my will I?ll leave me muck heap and me silage, me slurry and me swill And all the great big gobblers in the garden When he finally finished me eyelids felt like lead So me and my new missus said we thought ?twas time for bed In the coach I said I thought we?d never get away from him But when we cuddled up the driver turned round with a grin And he said: Chorus He drove us to our lodgings and he said ?Cheerio!? But I finally made him realise it was him that ought to go And soon we lay together me wife said go to town But my ambition withered when a window pane flew down This voice said: Chorus She said you?ve really got to laugh but I was proper riled I was so fed up I couldn?t even raise a smile I couldn?t see the joke at all, all I saw was red For every time we kissed he?d call from underneath the bed And he said: Chorus Now we?ve been married seven years and we?ve got three young pups Well twice he went on holiday and once we tied him up And every hour of the day his promises we?ve heard Now me and my old twelve bore think that?s time he kept his word His words are: Chorus | ||