John Barleycorn to the Sea Has Gone

Words: Jon Berger Tune: Stan Rogers (The Idiot)

1.John Barleycorn to the sea has gone in a ship both stout and new, The thirst to slake of Captain Drake and all his loyal crew. To venture brave o'er wind and wave, the Spaniard for to halt, And though he die of Spanish grape, he'll live as English malt.

Chorus: So we'll cut him down and we'll bind him round and we'll serve him worse than that, We'll grind his bones between two stones and we'll bung him in a vat. Then we'll drink his health in nut brown ale, and we'll raise our glasses high, For before that he can live again, John Barleycorn must die!

2. John Barleycorn's to the courting gone, all dressed in fine array, In pewter clad from toe to head to win a lady gay. The poetry that he declaims will stand him in good stead, For the ladies fair do all declare: they love it more than bread.

[Chorus]

3. John Barleycorn's to the hangman gone and the reason I'll unfold: 'Tis for robbing honest Englishmen of their silver and their gold. In a grave unknown by cross nor stone John Barley will be lain, 'Til the rainy days have gone their ways and he rises up again!

[Chorus]