The King's Song

Another calling on song this week, this was sung by Rose at a session a little while ago and I took the chance of recording it again for a festival we were performing at. This song is taken from "The Hunton sword-dance' and would introduce the characters for the play, I can, however, find little information on the dance and play itself except that the song was collected from Kitt Wells by Maud Karpeles and published in the EDFSS Journal in 1928. This version was learned from an old Pete and Chris Coe recording entitled 'Out of Season, Out of Rhyme'.

Tim

Make us room for we are a-coming

All for to let you understand

What and of late we have been a-doing

Since we left your foreign land

The first to come in it is Lord Nelson

He is the hero of this isle

He that has won the garland of victory

At the battle of the Nile

The next to come in is the Duke of Wellington

He that has fought his passage through

He that has won the garland of victory

On the plains of Waterloo

The next to come in is Tom the tinker

All you kettles he will mend

So if you dare to let him venture

Tom will treat you as a friend

The next to come in is the highlander laddie

He's got ships all on the main

Merchandise of every description

Since he's returning home again

The last to some in is Dick the cobbler

He's got little for to lose

But for a poor and ragged waistcoat

And a pair of clouted shoes

Make us room for we are a-coming

All for to let you understand

What and of late we have been a-doing

Since we left your foreign land