Popular Music Of The Olden Time Vol 2

Ancient Songs, Ballads, & Dance Tunes, Sheet Music & Lyrics - online book

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	670	ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.
	THE JOLLY FELLOW. This convivial song is still popular, and there are several extant versions of the words. They are founded on the following, from Fletcher's play, The Bloody Brother, or Hollo, Duke of Normandy, act ii., sc. 2:— " Drink to-day and drown all sorrow,          It helps the head-ache, cough, and tisic, You shall, perhaps, not do it to-morrow; And is for all diseases physic. Best, while you have it, use your breath, Then let us swill boys for our health. There is no drinking after death.               who drinks well loves the commonwealth. Wine works the heart up, wakes the wit, And he that will to bed go sober, There is no cure 'gainst age but it;            Falls with the leaf still in October." One of the current versions is as follows:— " Come, landlord, fill a flowing bowl, until it does run over ; To-night we all will merry be, to-morrow we'll get sober. He that drinks strong beer, and goes to bed mellow, Lives as he ought to live, and dies a hearty fellow. Punch cures the gout, the colic, and the tisic, And is to all men the very best of physic. He that drinks small beer, and goes to bed sober, Falls, as the leaves do, that die in October. He that courts a pretty girl, and courts her for his pleasure, Is a fool to marry her without store of treasure. Now let us dance and sing, and drive away all sorrow, For perhaps we may not meet again to-morrow." Another version will be found in Vocal Miscellany, vol. ii., 1734. It is more like the following, which is from a half-sheet copy printed with the music. Owing to the numerous repetitions of words, only two lines are here taken up by the .tune; but I believe it is more frequently sung with four lines, and then without repetitions.
	Wine cures the gout, the cholic, and the tisic, And is for all men the very best of physic.