Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Get Up and Bar the Door

Get Up and Bar the Door

Get Up and Bar the Door

  or JOAN AND JOHN BLOUNT

There was an old couple lived under a hill
Joan and John Blount they were called, oh
They brewed great ale all for to sell
They brewed it wonderful well, oh

John Blount and his wife drank some of his ale
Till they could drink no more, oh
They both went to bed with a drop in their head
And forgot to bar the door, oh

A bargain, a bargain this old couple made
A bargain firm and sure, oh
The very first one that should speak the first word
Should go down to bar the door oh

Along came travelers, travelers three
Traveling in the night oh
No house nor shelter could they find
No fire nor candle light oh

And straight to John Blount's house they went
And boldly opened the door oh
But not one word did the old couple say
For fear one should bar the door oh

They ate of his victuals, they drank of his drink
Till they could drink no more oh
But not one word did the old couple say
For fear one should bar the door oh

Then straight upstairs these travelers went
And took the old woman out of her bed
And kissed her on the floor oh
But not one word did the old couple say
For fear one should bar the door oh

"You've eat of my victuals, you drank of my drink
You've kissed my wife on the floor oh"
"John Blount" she said, "You've spoke the first word
Go down and bar the door oh"

"If you don't like what they did unto me
They kissed me on the floor oh
Take this to be as a warning see
Every night you bar the door oh"

Child #275
from Newfoundland
SOF