John Barleycorn
Traditional
- Written by
- [Traditional]
- Language
- English
- Comments
-
A ballad about the death and resurrection of a mythical figure representing the conversion of grain to alcohol. There is some dispute over whether the song is archaic or not. Collected as number 164 in the Roud Folk Song Index.
There was three men come out of the west
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow:
John Barleycorn should die.
They ploughed, they sowed, they harrowed him in,
Throwed clods upon his head.
And these three men made a solemn vow:
John Barleycorn was dead. - Licensing
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