Martin Carthy & Eliza Carthy - Blackwell Merry Night lyrics

rate me

Aye, lad, such a merry night we've had at Blackwell

The sound of the fiddle still rings in my ear

All well clipped & heeled were the lads & the lasses

& many a lively young lassie was there

The better sort they sat snug in the parlour

In the pantry the sweethearts they whispered so soft

The dancers they kicked up a dust in the kitchen

At lanter the card-players sat in the loft

The clogger from Dawston's a famous top hero

& beats all the player-folk twenty 2 one

He stamped with his foot & he shouted & roystered

Till the sweat it ran off his very chin end

Then he held up a hand like the spout of a tea-pot

& danced Cross the Buckle & Leather 2 Patch

When they cried Bonny Bell he leapt up 2 the ceilin'

Kept snappin' his thumbs for a bit of a fratch

The Heverby lads were well used 2 deep drinkin'

At cockin' the Dawstoners neva were beat

The Buckabank chaps were right famous at courtin'

Their kisses just sound like the latch of a gate

The lasses of Blackwell are so many angels

The Cummersdale beauties all glory in fun

God help the poor fellow that squints at them dancin'

He'll steal away heartless as sure as a gun

The bacca was strong & the ale it was lively

& many a one emptied a quart like a churn

Daft Fred in the nook, like a half-roasted devil

He told smutty stories & made them all grin

Then one sang Tom Linton another Dick Walters

The farmers all bragged of their fillies & foals

With jibin' & jokin', & shakin' & laughin'

Till some thought it time 2 set off 2 the coals

But hold! I forgot: when the clock struck eleven

The platter was brought in with white bread & brown

The knife it was sharp, the great cheese was a topper

An lumps big as lapstones our lads gobbled down

The trim, jolly landlady cried, Do not be shy

In God's name step forward; now welcome & eat

Our guts were well filled, we paid up for blind Jenny

& ext paid the shot on a great pewter plate

Now full 2 the throttle, with headaches an heartaches

Some crept 2 the clock case instead of the door

Then sleepin' & snorin' took place of their roarin'

An one a-top another they laid on the floor

The last of December, long may we remember

At five in' the morn, eighteen hundred & three

Here's health & success 2 the brave Johnny Dawston

An many such meetings may we live 2 see