A traditional mummer's song for May Day, recorded in Devon on 1st May 1997. After a winter in often truly miserable conditions, May Day was always a big celebration at road protest sites.
lyrics
Now Winter is over I'm happy to say
And we're all met again on the first day of May
And we're all met again for to dance and to sing
And to go about dancing with
Jack- in - the- Green, Jack- in - the- Green
And we'll dance every Springtime with Jack- in - the- Green
Now Jack- in - the- Green is a vey strange man
Though he dies every Autumn he is born every Spring
And each year on his birthday we dance through the streets
And in return Jack he will ripen the wheat
With his mantle he'll cover the trees that are bare
And our gardens he'll trim with his jacket so fair
And the fields he will sow with the hair of his head
And the corn it will ripen til old Jack is dead
Now all you young maidens I'll have you beware
Of touching young Jack for there's strange powers there
Happen they do touch him, so many do
Like the wheat in the field so your belly will swell
Now the sun is half up and betokens the hour
When the children arrive with their garlands of flowers
So now let the music and dancing begin
And touch the good heart of young Jack- in- the- Green
credits
from Solid Ground,
released May 28, 1998
Paul Gill- vocal
Richard Whistance- drum, vocal
Tina Bridgeman- vocal
Ceilidh Ap Farendar- vocal
John O'Leary- vocal
Mandy Freewoman- vocal
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