A compendium of articles relating to the history, culture and lifestyles of the people of Britain and Ireland Islands of the north Atlantic - a library of information about British and Irish history, culture and identity Islands of the north Atlantic - a library of information about English, Scottish, Welsh  and Irish history and identity, folklore and tradition.
Culture, tradition and folklore from the islands of the North Atlantic, poems, artwork, essays, supernatural stories, tales of heroes and legends.

Music And Song - English Folk Song

Barley Mow Song

Posted by IONA England folk correspondent, 1st Mar 2006

1. Here's a health to the barley-mow, my brave boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
We'll drink it out of the jolly brown bowl,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!

Chorus:
Here's a health to the barley-mow, my brave boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!

2. We'll drink it out of the nipperkin, boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The nipperkin and the jolly brown bowl,

Chorus

3. We'll drink it out of the quarter-pint, boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The quarter-pint, nipperkin, &c.

Chorus

4. We'll drink it out of the half-a-pint, boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The half-a-pint, quarter-pint, &c.

Chorus

5. We'll drink it out of the pint, my brave boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The pint, the half-a-pint, &c.

Chorus

6. We'll drink it out of the quart, my brave boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The quart, the pint, &c.

Chorus

7. Well drink it out of the pottle, my boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The pottle, the quart, &c.

Chorus

8. We'll drink it out of the gallon, my boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The gallon, the pottle, &c.

Chorus

9. We'll drink it out of the half-anker, boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The half-anker, gallon, &c.

Chorus

10. We'll drink it out of the anker, my boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The anker, the half-anker, &c.

Chorus

11. We'll drink it out of the half-hogshead, boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The half-hogshead, anker, &c.

Chorus

12. We'll drink it out of the hogshead, my boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The hogshead, the half-hogshead, &c.

Chorus

13. We'll drink it out of the pipe, my brave boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The pipe, the hogshead, &c.

Chorus

14. We'll drink it out of the well, my brave boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The well, the pipe, &c.

Chorus

15. We'll drink it out of the river, my boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The river, the well, &c.

Chorus

16. We'll drink it out of the ocean, my boys,
Here's a health to the barley-mow!
The ocean, the river, the well, the pipe, the hogshead,
The half-hogshead, the anker, the half-anker,
The gallon, the pottle, the quart, the pint,
The half-a-pint, the quarter-pint, the nipperkin,
And the jolly brown bowl!

Chorus

We try to ensure all material is as factually correct as possible. Tell us if you see something published in error, or if you have another version of a story to share with our readers please let us know. Please submit in plain text format only. All material posted on these pages is, we believe, to be in the public domain. However if you see something which you know to be copyright protected, please let us know and we will act on your instructions. Contact us here.