Green Broom (Child 43) Nice and easy, this one. The recording made in the Ship at Blaxhall in
the 1950s, of Cyril Poacher and chorus belting out this version of The
Broomfield Hill has been a favourite of mine for many years, and
seemed a natural candidate for melodeon-led accompaniment. Although the
verses Mr. Poacher sang don’t represent the most complete or coherent
realization of the old magical ballad, I decided to keep it pretty much
exactly as he sang it. You can hear a recording of the song made at his
home, without the pub chorus, on Musical Traditions MTCD 303: go here
to find out more. |
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1. A
wager, a wager, a wager I'll lay you I'll lay you five thousands to your one That a maiden I will go to the merry broom field And a maiden I'm sure I will return (repeat last two lines) Hold the wheel! |
2. And
then did this young maid get on a bay hobby's back All for to ride to that green broom And when she got there, she found her own true love Lying in that merry green broom fast asleep |
3.
Nine times did she walk round the crown of his head Nine times round the soles of his feet Nine times did she say, awake, master For your own true love is standing nearby |
4.
And when she had done all that she dare do She stepped behind that bunch of green broom All for to hear what her own true love would say When he awoke out of his domestic sleep |
5. He
said, If I had been awake, instead of being asleep My will I would have done toward thee Your blood, it would have been spilled, for those small birds to drink And your flesh it would have been for their food |
6.
You hard-hearted young man, how can you say so? Your heart it must be hard as any stone For to murder the one who loved you so well Far better than the ground that you stand on |
7.
Nine times of this bell did I ring, master Nine times of this whip did I crack Nine times did I say, awake, master For your own true love is standing nearby |
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