John Barleycorn Songtext
von John Renbourn

There were three men came out of the West
Their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn should die
They ploughed, they sowed, they harrowed him in
Threw glods upon his head
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead
Then they let him lie for a very long time
Till the rain from heaven did fall
But little Sir John sprung up his head
And so amazed them all
Then they let him lie till the Midsummer come
And he looked both pale and wan
But little Sir John he grew a long beard
And so became a man
Then they hired men with a scythe so sharp
To cut him off at the knee


They rolled him and tied him by the waist
And served him barbarously
Then they hired men with a sharp pick fork
To prick him to the heart
But the loader he served him worse than that
For he bound him into the cart
They wheeled him round and round in the field
Till he came into the barn
Then these three men made a solemn vow
For John Barleycorn
It′s little Sir John in a nut brown bowl
And brandy in the glass
And little Sir John in a nut brown bowl
Proves the stronger man at last
For the hunter he can't hunt the fox
Nor loudly blow his horn
And the tinker he can′t mend kettles or pots
Without a little of Barleycorn