Fairport Convention

[fox69]

"The Bonny Black Hare"

"The Bonny Black Hare"


On the fourteenth of May at the dawn of the day
With my gun on my shoulder to the woods I did stray
In search of some game if the weather proved fair
To see could I get a shot at the bonny black hare
Oh, I met a young girl there with her face as a rose
And her skin was as fair as the lily that blows
I says "My fair maiden, why ramble you so?
Can you tell me where the bonny black hare do go?"
Oh, the answer she gave me, her answer was "No
But it's under me apron they say it do go
And if you'll not deceive me I vow and declare
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
Well, I laid this girl down with her face to the skies
And I took out my ramrod and my bullets likewise
I says "Lock your legs round me and dig in with your heels
For the closer we get, oh, the better it feels"
The birds they were singing in the bushes and trees
And the song that they sang was "Oh, she's easy to please"
I felt her heart quiver and I knew what I'd done
Says I "Have you had enough of my old sporting gun?"
Oh, the answer she gave me, her answer was "Nay
It's not often young sportsmen like you come this way
And if your powder is willing and your bullets play fair
Why don't you keep firing at the bonny black hare?"
"Oh, my powder is wasted and my bullets all gone
My ramrod is limp and I cannot fire on
But I'll be back in the morning and if you are still here
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"

 

[fox69]

"The Bonny Bunch Of Roses"

"The Bonny Bunch Of Roses"


Near by the swelling ocean
One morning in the month of June
While feather'd warbling songsters
Their charming notes did sweetly tune
I overheard a lady
Lamenting in sad grief and woe
And talking with young Bonaparte
Concerning the bonny Bunch of Roses, O
Thus spake the young Napoleon
And grasp'd his mother by the hand
"Oh, mother dear have patience
Till I am able to command
I'll raise a numerous army
And through tremendous dangers go
And in spite of all the universe
I'll gain the bonny Bunch of Roses, O"
Oh, son, speak not so venturesome
For England is the heart of oak
Of England, Scotland, and Ireland
The unity can ne'er be broke
And think you on your father

In the Island where he now lies low
He is not yet interred in France
So beware of the bonny Bunch of Roses, O
Your father raised great armies
And likewise kings did join the throng
He was so well provided
Enough to sweep the world along
But when he went to Moscow
He was o'erpower'd by drifting snow
And though Moscow was blazing
He lost the bonny Bunch of Roses, O
"Oh, mother, adieu for ever
I am now on my dying bed
If I had liv'd I'd have been brave
But now I droop my youthful head
And when our bones do moulder
And weeping-willows o'er us grow
Its deeds to bold Napoleon
Will stain the bonny Bunch of Roses, O"

 

[fox69]

"The Deserter"

"The Deserter"


As I was a-walking along Radcliffe Highway
A recruiting party came a-beating my way
They enlisted me and treated me 'til I did not know
And to the Queen's barracks they forced me to go

When first I deserted, I thought myself free
Until my cruel comrade informed against me
I was quickly followed after and brought back with speed
I was handcuffed and guarded, heavy irons put on me

Court martial, court martial, they held upon me
And the sentence passed upon me: three-hundred-and-three
May the Lord have mercy on them for their sad cruelty
For now the Queen's duty lies heavy on me

When next I deserted, I thought myself free
Until my cruel sweetheart informed against me
I was quickly followed after and brought back with speed
I was handcuffed and guarded, heavy irons put on me

Court martial, court martial then quickly was got
And the sentence passed upon me: that I was to be shot
May the Lord have mercy on them for their sad cruelty
For now the Queen's duty lies heavy on me

Then up rode Prince Albert in his carriage-and-six
Saying, "Where is that young man whose coffin it is fixed?
Set him free from his irons and let him go free
For he'll make a good soldier for his Queen and country"

 

[fox69]

"The Heart Of The Song"

"The Heart Of The Song"


Oh, come all you weary travellers
Let us take time from our journey
A few moments long
Through the way all tribulation
In the cooling breath of silence
At the heart of a song
The heart of the song
As we journey through mountains in pursuit of our dreams
How we hurry to capture the tide
Catching glimpses of valleys of tumbling streams
Where we'll stop someday when we have time
Oh, come all you weary travellers
Let us take time from our journey
A few moments long
If we lose sight of each other
I will meet you in a silence
At the heart of a song
The heart of the song
All those questions in despair that discomfort your mind
From a torrent you give for one sign
There may not be the answer you've been hoping to find
But the questions will glitter and shine
Like the starry eyes of lovers
And the moon beneath the waters
Where the magic is drawn
If we lose sight of each other
I will meet you in a silence
At the heart of a song
The heart of the song

 

[fox69]

"The Hexhamshire Lass"

"The Hexhamshire Lass"


Away with the buff and the blue and away with the cap and feather
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

Her father loves her well, her mother loves her dearer
I love them better than them both but, man, I can't get near her
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

If only I could be lying there aside her
While I must bide here, my arms'll be denied her
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

Her skin is like the silk and her hair is like the silver
Her breasts are deep and cool, they'll warm when I get near her
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

Ah, this love of mine, oh, this love, I am weary
Sleep I can't get none for thinking of my dearie
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

Away with the gilded shield and away with the cap and feather
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

Away with the buff and the blue and away with the cap and feather
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire
Off with the [?] and over the moss and the mire
I want to see my lass who lives in Hexhamshire

 

[fox69]

"The Hiring Fair"

"The Hiring Fair"


Well, I went down to the hiring fair for to sell my labour
I noticed a maid in the very next row and
I hoped she'd be my neighbour
Imagine then my delight when the farmer picked us both
I spoke not a word on the cart to the farm
But my heart beat in my throat
Well, my lodgings were dry and my master fair
And I gave him full measure
But my envy grew like the corn in the field
For in his house was my treasure
I'd watch her carry water or drive cows from the byre
And the heat from the sun made the corn grow strong
And with it my desire
Well, I'd see her in my dreaming, and in my dreams caress
Her eyes, her lips, and her dark brown hair
The curves beneath her dress
When harvest time it came at last, so heavy was the task
That the women and the men worked side by side
And I had her near at last
So I swung harder with my scythe. Few words between us passed
And I cursed my tongue-tied youthfulness
And hoped that she'd hear my heart
When all was safely gathered in, and we sat down to rest
My trembling fingers touched her arm and
She placed them on her breast
And then she turned to me as the sun went down
And all my senses reeled
As we lay there on the scented ground and
The moon rose over the field...
Well she was safely gathered in my arms when from the barn
Drifted the sound of a violin and we hurried back to the farm
And all were dancing in the lantern light and music filled the air
And I thanked my stars for the harvest moon and
The girl from the hiring fair
And all were dancing in the lantern light and music filled the air
And I thanked my stars for the harvest moon and
The girl from the hiring fair

 

[fox69]

"The Islands"

"The Islands"


We do not fear the long ships
We've seen long ships before
Men sailed here from the Northlands
And hauled their boats ashore

They brought with them their music
Their language and their lore
And they burned their boats and stayed here on the Islands

It's midday in the wintertime
Before the moon goes pale
The winter songs are very long
The storm winds and the gales

The midnightsun's as distant
As the calling of the whales
Till spring returns again to paint the Islands

The grey seals and the otter
The salmon and the char
The land locked and the sea trapped
The free birds in the air

The shepherd and the farmer
And all those in their care
Harmonize the music of the Islands

We never feared the long ships
Till the coming of the Braer
The roaring sea in anger threw
That broken boat ashore

Spilled fuel enough to take that ship
Twice round the world or more
Filled the air with oil to paint the Islands

As if the sea had realized
The tragedy in store
Its waves continued pounding
About a week or more

Most of the crude was washed away
And never came ashore
And the sea regained its temper round the Islands

So may this be a warning
To those whose faceless greed
Would sail close to our shoreline
To save both fuel and speed

The sea is our protector
Provider of our needs
And a jealous guard and keeper of these Islands

 

[fox69]

"The Journeyman's Grace"

"The Journeyman's Grace"


Someone told me there's a grace that leads you straight from place to place
And you always leave the road behind you
You don't need your horses shod, just a dowser and his rod
Leave your mistress, she won't need to find you
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
Leave my weary flesh and bone to a circle made of stone
Take me to the mountains for my pleasure
And if the dead man won't depart, drive a stake into his heart
And let me ere deliver him his leisure
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
When you see the race is run and the dark has just begun
Come on with the few and leave the many
There you'll find the journeyman with a lantern in his hand
He'll show you a good time for a penny
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid
Oh please, journeyman, help me on my way
Oh please, help me please, I won't be afraid

 

[fox69]

"The Lady Of Carlisle"
(feat. Jacqui McShee)

"The Lady Of Carlisle"
(feat. Jacqui McShee)



Down in Carlisle there lived a lady
She was beautiful and gay
She was determined to stay a lady
No man on earth could her betray
Unless it was a man of honour
A man of honour and high degree
And there approached two lucky soldiers
This fair young lady for to see
One being a brave lieutenant
A brave lieutenant and a man of war
The other being a bold sea captain
Captain of a ship that had come from afar
And then up spoke that brave young lady
Saying, "I can be but one man's bride
If you'll come back tomorrow morning
On this case we will decide"
She ordered her a span of horses
A span of horses at her command
And down the road these three together
They rode 'til they come to the lion's den
And there they stopped and there they halted
Those two soldiers stood gazing around
And for the space of a half-an-hour
That young lady lay speechless on the ground
And when she did recover
Threw her fan in the lions' den
Saying, "Which of you to gain a lady
Will return my fan again"
And then up spoke that brave lieutenant
He raised his voice both loud and clear
He said, "I know I am a dear lover of women
I will not risk my life for love"
And then up spoke that bold sea captain
He raised his voice both loud and high
He said, "I know I am a dear lover of women
I will return your fan or die"
In the lions' den he boldly entered
The lions being both wild and fierce
He walked unharmed and in a moment
He did return her fan again
And when she saw her lover coming
Seeing no harm to him was done
She laid her head all upon his bosom
"Take the prize that you have won"

 

[fox69]

"The Lobster"

"The Lobster"


Like a lobster I can swim
And can grow another limb
Where a powerless stump you saw
I have grown a powerful claw

Where you thought me safely drowned
In the depths I swim around
Thither when you too descend
With my claw I'll tear you, friend