For all you hobbit writers out there...

[serai]

Remember how I said I'd been listening to my audiotape collection? Well, there's a good bit of folk music in there, and some really great old songs. I've got old English ballads, bawdy tunes and best of all (for our purposes) - drinking songs!

I've found a couple that are quite hobbity sounding, and I'm posting the lyrics here in case any of you would like to use them in a fic sometime. I would, but I just don't feel there's any drinking-at-the-Green-Dragon scenes coming up for me in the foreseeable future, so I figured someone else could make good use of them. I've done a bit of adapting to make 'em Shire songs, but of course you can fiddle with 'em too.

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I Wish They'd Do It Now

I was born of Buckland parents
One day when I was young
That's how the Brandy dialect
Became my native tongue
That I was a pretty baby
My mother, she would vow
The lasses ran to kiss me
Oh, I wish they'd do it now!

(Chorus)
Oh, I wish they'd do it now
Oh, I wish they'd do it now
I've got itches in me britches
And I wish they'd do it now

Well, when I was only six months old
The lasses handled me
They'd clutch me to their bosom
And they'd bounce me on their knee
They would rock me in the cradle
And if I made a row
They'd tickle me, they'd cuddle me
I wish they'd do it now

(Chorus)

Well, at sixteen months as fine a lad
As ever could be seen
The lasses liked to follow me
Right down to the green
They would make a chain of buttercups
And drop it on my brow
Then they'd roll me in the clover
Oh, I wish they'd do it now

(Chorus)

Well, the Marish lasses called for me
To swim when it was mild
Down to the river we would go
And splash about a while
They would throw the water over me
And duck me like a cow
Then they'd rub me nice all over
Oh, I wish they'd do it now

(Chorus)

Well, it's awful lonely for a lad
To lead a single life
I think I'll go to the dance tonight
And find myself a wife
Oh, I have got six bundle pigs
Likewise one big fat sow
There'll be plenty love and bacon
For the lass who'll have me now

For the lass who'll have me now
For the lass who'll have me now
There'll be plenty love and bacon
For the lass who'll have me now!

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This next one ought to have a name to replace "Solomon", but I couldn't think of a hobbit name that fits. You can see what the context is - I'm sure many of you are better versed in Shire history than I, and could find a figure who would fit the song.


When We're Met Together

Come my lads, let us be jolly
Drive away all melancholy
To be sad, it would be folly
When we're met together

(Chorus)
Let union be in all our hearts
Let union join our hearts as one
We'll end the day as we've begun
We'll end it all in pleasure

Fill the board, let there be plenty
The lad that wants to be content, he
Eats and drinks enough for twenty
When we're met together

(Chorus)

Solomon, both wise and hoary
Told of ale in song and story
In our drink we'll chirp and glory
When we're met together

(Chorus)

Take the pitcher as it passes
Do not fail to fill your glasses
Water drinkers are dull asses
When we're met together

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And finally, the ultimate drinking song! This is a repeating song. The chorus remains the same, but each verse sung adds one more item to the beginning of the list. You'll see how it works. The results, if the group is drinking heartily with each chorus, can end up extremely sloppy, breathless and entertaining!


Good Luck To The Barley Mow

Here's good luck to the pint-pot
Good luck to the barley mow
Jolly good luck to the pint-pot
Good luck to the barley mow
Here's the pint-pot, half-a-pint,
Gill-pot, half-a-gill, quarter-gill, nipperkin
And the brown bowl
Here's good luck,
Good luck to the barley mow!

Here's good luck to the quart-pot
Good luck to the barley mow
Jolly good luck to the quart-pot
Good luck to the barley mow
Here's the quart-pot, pint-pot, half-a-pint,
Gill-pot, half-a-gill, quarter-gill, nipperkin
And the brown bowl
Here's good luck,
Good luck to the barley mow!

Here's good luck to the half-gallon,
Good luck to the barley mow
Jolly good luck to the half-gallon,
Good luck to the barley mow
Here's the half-gallon, quart-pot,
Pint-pot, half-a-pint,
Gill-pot, half-a-gill, quarter-gill, nipperkin
And the brown bowl
Here's good luck
Good luck to the barley mow!

You get the idea. Here are the rest of the lines, in order of addition (of course, you can also add more items if you think of any):

Here's good luck to the gallon...
Here's good luck to the half-barrel...
Here's good luck to the barrel...
Here's good luck to the landlord...
Here's good luck to the landlady...
Here's good luck to the daughter...
Here's good luck to the brewer...
Here's good luck to the cooper...
Here's good luck to the drayer...
Here's good luck to the slavey...
Here's good luck to the company...

On the last rep, "good luck to the company", it's traditional to sing the verse slowly, then speed up through the list, making for lots of tripping over one's tongue and laughter.

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Well, I hope you all enjoy these, even if they don't get used anywhere. There's actually one more song that I just love, but I'm saving that one in case I find a use for it myself. ;)

Comments

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness, these are PERFECT. I have such a mental image of Pippin singing the first one while Frodo, Fatty, and Folco hold Merry down to keep him from doing Pippin an injury.

Hmmm. I think that may be a plotbunny. I wonder if I could write an IC spanking scene...?

[serai1.livejournal.com]

Oh, please feel free! I'd love to see these in a fic, even (or maybe especially) if it were just as snatches in the background. I just thought they were prime hobbit material. If you can work with 'em, have at it! (And that IS a wonderful image!)