Jack Orion

Lyrics for Jack Orion

Jack O'Riordan was as good a fiddler as e'er did fiddle on a string He could make young women mad to the tune his fiddle would sing He could fiddle the fish out of salt Water, or water from a marble stem Or the milk out of a maiden's breast, though by the sheep got meant He's taken his fiddle into his hand He's fiddled unto his song and now he's played Unto the king who never thought it blunt As he sat fiddling in a castle hall, he's played them all so soundly Oh, but for the young princess and for love she stayed a while At first he played a slow grave tune and then a gay one too And many's the sigh and the loving word that passed between them two "Come to my court," speaks Jack O'Riordan "When all men are dressed as I am a lady True to my word, thou shalt be a welcome guest " He's wrapped his fiddle in a cloth of green In a cloth of green And a glad man was he And a glad man was he when he ran on When he ran on to his own house To his own house saying, "Come, come hither to me." When day has Dawned and the cocks have crowned and have flapped their wings so White, this I am bidden to that lady's Door to stretch out by her side "Lie down in your bed, my good master, and sleep long as you may I'll keep good watch and I'll wake on you Three hours before 'tis day." But he rose up But he rose up That worthless lad That worthless lad His master's clothes did come His master's clothes did come And cut his gown And cut his gown About his neck About his neck He seemed a gentleman Well, he did take that lady gay, loads of vows so grand and good But down upon the floor he lay.Hand in hand across the world we came For a while we did roam And in and out of hell and home The moonlight on the road did glow Ragged are your stockings now Still they use for cheating you Untangle this that yellow hair How tiresome it is to me The stockings belong to my boy Tom Hail the first bell to ring along Though women did tangle my yellow hair How sorry to move along Tom took his fiddle into his hands So saucily did he sing Then he's off back to his master's house As fast as he could run Wake up, wake up, my good master I fear 'tis almost dawn Wake up, wake up, the cock has crowed It's time that you were gone Then quickly rose old Jack O'Ryan Put on his cloak and shoes And cast a collar about his neck He was all lost too soon And when he came to the lady's bower He lightly rattled at the pin The lady was true to her word She arose and let him in Oh whether have you left with me Your bracelet or your glove Or are you returned back again To no more hear my love Jack O'rions for a bloody oath By oak and ash and bitter thorn Saying lady I never was in your house Since the day that I was born Oh then it was your young foot hate That hath so cruelly beguiled me And oh that the blood of the ruffian lad Should spring in my body Then she put forth her letter-sharp knife That hung down at her knee O'er her white feet the red blood ran O'er her hand grew stain And dead she lay on her bower floor At the dawning of the day.Jack O'Riordans ran to his own house Sayin' "Tom, me boy, come here to me Come hither now And I'll pay your fee And well paid you shall be." If I ha-a-ve killed a man tonight Tom, I would tell it thee Or if I have taken no life tonight Tom, thou hast taken three Then he pulled out his bright broad sword and he pulled Out his bright broad sword, his bright broad sword And he smote off that vile bat's head, that vile bat's head And asked for no man's heed He set the sword's point, he set the sword's Point unto his breast, onto his breast And the pommel to her stone, the pommel to her stone For through the falseness, through the falseness of that Lying cur, of that lying lad these three lives were overrun