this lovely tale comes form kate rusby, form her album 'sleepless', definitely one of my favourite albums. I think this song has some of the best advice you'll ever hear! it's surely a cautionary tale but it also seems to work as a breezy little song - all that thinking about falling down in the sweet green grass... ah yes...
lyrics
there was a farm on yonder hill, up where the wind did blow-oh
there lived a lady and her son and a bonnie old brown cow
this cow was a bonnie cow but they needed money more
so she said to her son "please take the cow, to market you must go-oh"
so he's walked along the way, he's walked but half the day-oh
and soon he's pied a sweet young maid, she says, "where are you bound-oh?"
he said i'm taking this cow along the way, then I will, sell her on market day
oh you see this bonnie cow of mine? well i'm taking her to market-oh
then i'll return to my mother dear with the money in my hand-oh
oh she took the young man's arm, she said "you handsome sir-oh"
come sit you here on the soft green grass, come rest awhile with me-oh
he said i'm taking this cow along the way, then I will sell her on market day
she kissed him long, she kissed him strong, a fair game she did play-oh
and after playing not so hard, that young man he gave way-oh
he fell asleep, and when he woke both girl and cow were gone-oh
and so too were the shoes he wore and the trousers he had on-oh
(he was taking this cow along the way....)
come all you young men near and far, never trust a maiden's calling
never trust a girls with your mother's cow, never let your trousers go
oh come all you young men near and far, never trust a maiden's calling
never trust a girl with your mother's cow, never let your trousers go
falling down in the green grass, falling down in the green grass, oh in the sweet green grass
credits
from Telling Tales,
released November 2, 2007
written by kate rusby
arrangement: janette geri
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