The John Renbourn Group veröffentlichte 1977 das Album A MAID IN BEDLAM, dem der oben genannte Song entstammt. Es darf als ein Meilenstein des britischen Hybrid-Folks bezeichnet werden. Eine ungemein feingliedrige Instrumentierung dieses Quintetts mit flute, recorders, oboe, fiddle, cymbals und tablas; dazu vierstimmiger Gesang; John Renbourns Gitarre mit ihren Anklängen an John Dowlands Renaissancemusik; die sinnlichen Stimmen von Jaqui McShee und Sue Draheim – das alles macht dieses Album heute immer noch hörenswert. Es ist als reissued version erhältlich, auch als dowland download.
Gönnen Sie sich doch das eine oder andere Stück, werter Manafonistas-Leser!
Besonders empfohlen seien aus dem Album A MAID IN BEDLAM neben dem Song
John Barleycorn auch die Stücke A Maid In Bedlam und Talk About Suffering,
letzteres ein A-Capella-Gesang der allerersten Güte. Doch nun zu …
John Barleycorn
There were three men came out of the west
their fortunes for to try
and these three men made a solemn vow
john barleycorn should die
they ploughed they sow they harrowed him in
threw clods upon his head
then these three men made a solemn vow
john barleycorn was dead
then they let him lie for a very long time
‚til the rain from heaven did fall
but little sir john sprung up his head
and so amazed them all
then they let him stand ‚til midsummer come
‚til he looked both pale and wan
but little sir john he grew a long beard
and so become a man
then they hired men with their scythes so sharp
to cut him off at the knee
they rolled him and tied him by the waist
and served him barbarously
then they hired men with their sharp pitchforks
and they pricked him to the heart
but the loader he served him worse than that
for he bound him into the cart
they wheeled him around and around in the field
‚til they came into the barn
then these three men made a solemn oath
on poor john barleycorn
and they hired men with their crab tree sticks
to cut him skin from bone
but the miller he served him worse than that
for he ground him between two stones
it´s the little sir john and the nut brown bowl
and brandy in the glass
and little sir john and the nut brown bowl
proved the strongest man at last
for the hunter he can’t hunt the fox
nor loudly to blow his horn
and the tinker he can’t mend kettle or pots
without a little of barleycorn …
„John Barleycorn“ A MAID IN BEDLAM ©1977 The John Renbourn Group