Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Jack Orion

Jack Orion

Jack Orion

Jack Orion was as good fiddler
As ever fiddled on a string
And he could drive young women mad
By the tune his wires would sing

But he would fiddle the fish out of salt water
Water from bare marble stone
Or the milk from out of a maiden's breast
Though baby she had none

And there he played in the castle hall
And there he played them fast asleep
Except it was for the young countess
And for love she stayed awake

And first he played them a slow slow air
And then he played it brisk and gay
And it's O dear love behind her hand
And the lady she did say

And the day has dawned and the cocks have crown
And flapped their wings so wide it's you
Must come up to my chamber there
And lie down by my side

So he lapped his fiddle in a cloth of green
And he stole out on his tiptoe
And he's off back to his young boy
Tom As fast as he could go

Ere the day has dawned and the cocks have crowed
And flapped their wings so wide
I'm bid to go up to that lady's door
And stretch out by her side

Lie down lie down my good master
And here's a blanket to your hand
I'll waken you in as good a time
As any cock in the land

Oh Tom took the fiddle into his hand
And he fiddled and he sang for half an hour
Until he played him fast asleep
And he's off to the lady's bower

And when he come to the countess' door
He twirled so softly at the pin
And the lady true to her promise
Rose up and let him in

He did not take that lady gay
To bolster nor to bed but down
Upon the hard cold bedroom floor
Right soon he had her laid

And neither did he kiss her when he came
Nor when from her he did go
But in at the lady's bedroom window
The moon like a coal did glow

Oh ragged are your stockings love
And stubbly is your cheek and chin
And tousled is that yellow hair
That I saw late yestre'en

Me stockings belong to my boy Tom
But they were the first came to my hand
And the wind did tousle my yellow hair
As I road over the land

Tom took the fiddle into his hand
And he fiddled and he played so saucily
And he's off back to his master's house
As fast as go could he

Then up when up my good master
Why snore you there so loud
For there Is not a cock in all this land
But has flapped his wings and crowed

Jack Orion took the fiddle into his hand
And he fiddled and he played so merrily
And he's off away to the lady's house
As fast as a go could he

And when he come to the lady's door
He twirled so softly at the ring
O my dear it's your true love
Rise up and let me in

She said surely you didn't leave behind
A golden brooch nor a velvet glove
Or are you returned back again
To taste more of my love

Jack Orion he swore a bloody oath
By oak by ash by bitter thorn
Lady I never was in this room
Since the day that I was born

Oh then it was your own boy Tom
That cruelly has beguiled me
And woe that the blood of that ruffian boy
Should spring in my body

Jack Orion took off to his own house
Saying Tom my boy come here to me
And he hanged that boy from his own gatepost
As high as the willow tree

Sung by Martin Carthy on Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick's
But Two Came By LP (and the CD re-release).
Child #67
GAZ
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