An Acre of Land- Smith (York) 1972 Gardham C
[Online at Yorkshire Garland Group http://yorkshirefolksong.net/song.cfm?songID=23, . Gardham's notes follow.
R. Matteson 2018]
On the 9th of September 1972 Lesley sang it all the way through in the first person. The above is a composite of several fragmentary recordings. The tune is a variant of I saw three ships come sailing in’/’Here we go round the mulberry bush.
An Acre of Land- sung by Lesly Smith of Aldborough on 09/09/1972. Recorded by: Steve Gardham.
1. Me ferther bowt me an acre o’ land,
Acre o’ land, acre o’ land,
Me ferther bowt me an acre o’ land,
An’ a bunch of holly green ivy.
2. He ploughed it up wi’ a pair o’ fuzzocks, (donkeys)
3. He harrowed it wi’ a small-toothed comb,
4. He sew it down wi’ carawa’ seeds,
5. He cut it with his pocket-knife,
6. He threshed it wi’ a donkey’s tail,
7. He fied it ower wi’ a bumble-bee’s wing,
8. He took it to mill on a moose’s back, (mouse’s)
9. Poor devil came back with a brocken back,