Joseph was an old man An old man was he He married Virgin Mary Queen of Galilee Joseph found Mary Walking through the orchard green There were cherries and berries As think as he'd ever seen Mary said to Joseph So meek and so mild, "Joseph, gather me some cherries For I am with child." Joseph flew in anger In anger flew he, "Let the father of your baby Gather cherries for thee." Then up spoke baby Jesus From deep in Mary's womb, "Bend down Your tallest branches So my mother might have some." Bent down the tallest branches And they touched Mary's hand She cried, "Look, my Joseph, We got cherries by command." "Look, my sweet, sweet Joseph, We got cherries by command." Trad. arranged by HOTM

WATSON FAMILY TRAGEDY Everyone remembers Every soul in this town the day the old Watson place burned down to the ground Little Jimmy Watson thought he would have a lark Scare his sister when she went to bed from the closet in the dark But he saw more than he reckoned for when his father quietly crept in And Jimmy’s sister began to struggle as her daddy exposed her skin Jim burst from the closet angrily rage like a mummy wrapped round his bones and his father cursed him mightily and knocked him to the floor (chorus) It’s something we all gotta learn Everybody’s gotta burn Some forever Some wait in turns Everybody's gotta burn In the scuffle a lantern fell and caught the bed afire it soon consumed the three of them and then crept up even higher The blaze found momma Watson fast asleep knocked out by the smoke Before the fire had taken them both their lungs had blackened and choked The fire spread from the old farmhouse and caught the parched grass alight and not a living thing made it out alive by the morning’s raging light (chorus) The townspeople came to see what they could do gathered at the burning home We all looked aghast at the Watson girl meat hanging from her bones She related this woeful tale with her final bloody words We knew what she said was the honest truth the most honest thing we’ve heard (chorus)

In Thorneymoor Woods in Nottinghamshire, Thorneymoor Woods in Nottinghamshire, Three game-keepers' houses stood three-square, About a mile from each other they were Orders they were to look out for the deer. Fol de rol, tora lie day Now me and me dogs went out one night The moon and the stars were shining bright O'er hedges and ditches, fields and stiles With my three dogs trotting close by me heels, To catch a fat buck down in Thorneymoor fields. Fol de rol, tora lie day That very first night we had bad luck, One of me very best dogs got shot He come to me all bloody and lame Right sorry I was for to see the same And not being able to follow the game. Fol de rol, tora lie day I searched his wounds and found them slight 'Twas done by a game-keeper out of spite Well I'll take a stick right tight in me hand I'll search the woods till I find that man I'll thrash his old hide right well if I can Fol de rol, tora lie day Now I come home and I went to bed Limping Jack went out in me stead O'er hedges and ditches, fields and stiles He found a buck lying on the ground My little dog has gave him the death-wound. Fol de rol, tora lie day And Limping Jack he cut the buck's throat Tied his legs with good stout rope And I had a laugh to see Limping Jack Up in a lane with that buck on his back Carried it just like a pedlar's pack Fol de rol, tora lie day Now we got us a butcher to skin the game Likewise another to sell the same And the very first joint as we offered for sale Was to an old girl she sold bad ale She had us young lads up in Nottingham gaol Fol de rol, tora lie day In Nottingham assizes are you and I Us three young lads we go to be tried But the magistrate laughed her all to scorn He says the old bugger should be forsworn Into little pieces torn Fol de rol, tora lie day In Nottingham assizes are gone and past Us three young lads go free at last The bucks and the does will never roam free A poacher's life is the life for me A poacher I will always be Fol de rol, tora lie day Trad. arranged by HOTM

Matilda Jones had a nice big home and slept in a fancy bed She was all alone a widowed crone 5 or six times it was said Her first husband Harry fell off of a ferry slipped on a slick spot on the deck While husband number 2 drank a bottle of glue and number 3 got drunk and broke his neck Mr. Jones number four had a mishap with a lawn mower and number five remained alive After running into a beehive we thought he would survive but choked in the hospital on his fork She never formally wed husband number six but instead they were united in common law But he lost his head and left her his fortune instead when he fell into a table saw Oh Matilda Jones The servants were suspicious and while washing the dishes they concluded she killed them herself That was not far from the truth but there was never any proof cause she always had a little help Anna McKenzie drove her to a frenzy since they were finishing school chums With a secret love no one dared speak of and a family fortune that had up and gone They made a master plan Matilda would find a man and take his money and his life while her true love Annie would pose as a nanny but sneak into her room at night Oh Matilda Jones But late one evening Annie was leaving late to go on a trip The local police had their curiosity piqued when they received an anonymous tip When the squad car arrived Matilda invited ‘em inside but behaved angry and incensed The cop told her bluntly it was her they were hunting and they had all the evidence They had photographs of her husbands’ mishaps The press called he Matilda the Hun And when they looked for Annie she'd booked a plane for Bali and taken the fortune and run Oh Matilda Jones G. Neal

In Nottamun Town, not a soul to be seen Not a soul would look up, not a soul would look down Not a soul would look up, not a soul would look down To show me the way to fair Nottamun Town I bought me a horse twas called a grey mare Grey mane and grey tail and green stripe on her back Grey mane and grey tail and green stripe on her back Weren't a hair upon her that was not coal black She stood so still threw me to the dirt She tore at my hide, she bruised my shirt From saddle to stirrup I mounted again And on my ten toes I rode over the plain When I got there no one did I see They all stood around me just looking at me I called for a cup to drive gladness away And stifle the dust for it rained the whole day And the King and the Queen and the company more Came a riding behind and a walking before Come a stark naked drummer beating a drum With his hands in his bosom came marching along Sat down on a hard hot cold frozen stone Ten thousand stood round me but I was alone Took my hat in my hand to keep my head warm Ten thousand was drowned that never was born

Oh Oh they’re calling all our men To fight us hand to hand and crush us if they can And we will break up our little band watch our boot heels hit the sand Cowards live to be old men! You say the chain’s only as strong as the weakest link But all this talk of right and wrong gives me pause to think Give me something worth fighting for and I’ll probably change my mind I’ll take something to live for over dying every time Chorus Every soldier who ever died gave his last breath for a cause Everything is History if you wait around long enough So I’ll remain here breathing air while you go off to die I’d rather live for no good reason than die for someone else’s lie!

You got back half-way empty after 2 tours in the war and you’d tell me stories nightly filled with anger and remorse I would listen very quietly scared but always wanting more You never said so but I figured killed one man maybe more Gone is the way Your stories would last for days They’re buried with your bones and ended suddenly the same way you disappeared from our home I couldn’t shake the sickly feeling you sat on the corner of my bed in a voice unfamilliar like the whispers of the dead I woke one morning half way sleepy after 2 months in your head Heard the screen door and some footsteps I stayed there in my bed Don’t go away Don’t leave Please stay

sing my darling sing of our forbidden love sweet as the wings of a starling that flies in stormy skies up above but sing of it in a hush our liasons are kept tucked and secret no one ever should know but my cheeks warm so flushed and peaked like the warm summer sun’s orange glow like a rain swollen river does flow And oh our way is a twisted path clotted and strange That keeps us out of the day and the interloper’s casual gaze leaves are falling forming a damp mat on the ground and though your father is calling we pretend to not hear the sound cause together you and i are bound and so when he’s sleeping i’ll creep to the side of his bed and return to the sight of you weeping when you’ve heard all the words that I said your daddy’s no longer, he’s dead chorus goodbye my darling you’re a thing i can no longer love you were once so handsome and charming now you’re a thing that only draws blood let the starlings fly over this flood G. Neal

LAMBS FROM THE FOLD Magistrator, judge and jury look to tarnish my good name I admit it needs a polish you’d be astonished if you knew my game Accused of crimes depraved and sordid the poor little victim the parsons girl She took boy Henry from the butcher’s down to the banks to dig for pearls I would never know if I had good fortune ‘Cause everything I have has been cheated or stole I make my way in this fairest of seasons I am just a wolf pulling lambs from the fold I said I’d never; I’d rather sever my own legs from my ten year old bones I raised my fist to defend myself the sister of the girl slaughtered not a mile from our home They all asked me why I’d done it How could I do such a despicable thing Two young lives snuffed out with their guts out All I can say is that we all have needs (chorus) Now I’ll never treasure a young girl’s pleasure of a first kiss or a homecoming dance I’ve always considered all that so much drivel I’d rather cut you all down if I had the chance My father the preacher was a most inspiring teacher he taught me everything a little girl should know saying I’d never been surer that there’s nothing so pure as pulling little lambs right out of the fold

Of all the money that e'er I spent I've spent it in good company And all the harm that ever I did Alas it was to none but me And all I've done for want of wit To memory now I can't recall So fill to me the parting glass Good night and joy be with you all If I had money enough to spend And leisure to sit awhile There is a fair maid in town That sorely has my heart beguiled Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips I own she has my heart enthralled So fill to me the parting glass Good night and joy be with you all Oh, all the comrades that e'er I had They're sorry for my going away And all the sweethearts that e'er I had They'd wish me one more day to stay But since it falls unto my lot That I should rise and you softly call So fill to me the parting glass Good night and joy be with you all