The Jolly Butcher lyrics

Song information

Artist: Great Big Sea
Album: Up

Lyrics

(Traditional - arr. gbs)

Chorus:
Oh, won't you come along with me love
Come along with me!
Come for one night and be my wife
And come along with me

Well, it is of the jolly butcher as you might plainly see
As he roved out one morning in search of company
He went into a tavern and a fair girl he did see
Ah, come for one night, be my wife, oh come along with me

He called for liquor of the best
And he makes such fortune play
Come have a drink, it will make us think
That it is our wedding day

Chorus

Well he called for a candle to light their way to bed
And when he had her in the room these words to her he said
"A sovereign I will give to you, for to embrace your charms"
And all that night, that fair young maid, lied in the butchers' arms

Chorus

Oh, early the next morning be sure it went his way
He looked unto that fair young maid and unto her did say
"That sovereign that I gave to you, do not think me strange
Well that sovereign that I gave to you will you give me back me change!"

Chorus

Well about a twelve months later he roved out once more
And he went into the tavern where he'd often been before
He wasn't in there very long when his fair maid he did see
And she brought forth a baby three months old and placed it on his knee

When he saw the baby, he began to curse and swear
And he said unto that fair young maid, "why did you bring him here?!"
"Well, he is your own, kind sir", she said, "do not think me strange
Well, that sovereign that you gave to me, I gives you back your change!!"

Chorus (x2)