All Jolly Fellows that follow the plough - a folk song collected in wisbech
Collected from: E. Jeffrey (Wisbech)
Transcribed: M. Humphreys
Traditional/ Arr: N. Stockman
It was early one morning at the break of the day
The cocks were all crowing the farmer did say,
“Come rise my good fellows come rise with goodwill,
For your horses want something their bellies to fill.
Their bellies to fill, their bellies to fill,
Your horses want something their bellies to fill.
When four o’clock come boys then up we do rise
And into the stable we merry boys fly
With a−rubbing and scrubbing I’ll swear and I’ll vow
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
When six o’clock come boys then breakfast we take
With bread pork & beef boys we heartily eat
With a lump in our pockets and out we do go
For we’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
The foreman came to us and thus he did say
’What have you been doing this long winter’s day?
You’ve not ploughed your acres I’ll swear and I’ll vow
That you’re all idle fellows that follow the plough.’
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
You’re all idle fellows that follows the plough.’
Then I stepped out the furrow and made this reply
’We’ve all ploughed our acres, you tell a big lie.
We’ve all ploughed our acres I’ll swear and I’ll vow
We’re all jolly fellows that follows the plough.’
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
Then the Master turned round and he laughed at the joke
’It’s past two o’clock boys it’s time to unyoke.
Unharness your horses and rub them down well
And I’ll give you a jug of my bonny brown ale.’
My bonny brown ale, my bonny brown ale,
I’ll give you a jug of my bonny brown ale.
Transcribed: M. Humphreys
Traditional/ Arr: N. Stockman
It was early one morning at the break of the day
The cocks were all crowing the farmer did say,
“Come rise my good fellows come rise with goodwill,
For your horses want something their bellies to fill.
Their bellies to fill, their bellies to fill,
Your horses want something their bellies to fill.
When four o’clock come boys then up we do rise
And into the stable we merry boys fly
With a−rubbing and scrubbing I’ll swear and I’ll vow
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
When six o’clock come boys then breakfast we take
With bread pork & beef boys we heartily eat
With a lump in our pockets and out we do go
For we’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
The foreman came to us and thus he did say
’What have you been doing this long winter’s day?
You’ve not ploughed your acres I’ll swear and I’ll vow
That you’re all idle fellows that follow the plough.’
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
You’re all idle fellows that follows the plough.’
Then I stepped out the furrow and made this reply
’We’ve all ploughed our acres, you tell a big lie.
We’ve all ploughed our acres I’ll swear and I’ll vow
We’re all jolly fellows that follows the plough.’
That follow the plough, that follow the plough,
We’re all jolly fellows that follow the plough.
Then the Master turned round and he laughed at the joke
’It’s past two o’clock boys it’s time to unyoke.
Unharness your horses and rub them down well
And I’ll give you a jug of my bonny brown ale.’
My bonny brown ale, my bonny brown ale,
I’ll give you a jug of my bonny brown ale.