John Barleycorn Songtext
von Sam Lee

There came three men out of the west
Their fortunes for to try
And they have sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die
They ploughed him in the earth so deep
Put clods upon his head
Then these three men they did conclude
That Barleycorn was dead

They let him stay a whole fortnight
Till rain from heaven did fall
John Barleycorn sprang green blades
Which quite amazed them all
They let him stay midsummer
Till he grew pale and wan
And Barleycorn had a long grey beard
Much like unto a man


They hired men with scythes so sharp
To cut him off at the knee
See how they served poor Barleycorn
They served him bitterly
They hired men with forks and rakes
To stab him through the heart
But the carter served him worse than that
For he bound him to a cart

They drove him round and round again
Till they come to a barn
And there they made a barley mow
Mow of John Barleycorn
They hired men with crab-tree sticks
To beat him skin from bone
And the miller served him worse than that
For he ground him between two stones

They flung him in a cistern deep
And drowned him in water clear
The brewer served him worse than that
For he brewed him into a beer

Put white wine in a bottle
And cider in a can
John Barleycorn in a brown bowl
Will prove the stronger man