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A welsh folk tune from 'Folksongs of Britain and Ireland' edited by Peter Kennedy, Oak Publications 1975
Old Man Said to his Daughter Dear
by trad
[G] The old man [C] said to his [G] daughter dear
There's a [D7] gentle old bachelor [G] there-o
And [G] property [C] fine for [G] you to share
If your [D7] heart it would only [G] care-o
and [G] property [C] fine for [G] you to share
If your [D7] heart it only would [G] care
The houses are large and the land's not bad
to tell you the truth it's my plan-o
O father dear, please don't get mad
but I shall not wed the old man-o
but father dear, please don't get mad
I shall not wed the old man
With the old man you'll have houses galore
silver and gold in the store-o
cows and sheep of every sort
a young one would never have more-o
cows and sheep of every sort
a young one would never have more
One cow or two's enough for me
the sort that I prefer-o
To go and milk them both in one peck
than suffer the old man's jaw-o
To go and milk them both in one peck
than suffer the old man's jaw
But you could sleep in a nice white bed
with wild birds' feathers made-o
with feather of owl and feather of wren
you'll not get with a young jade-o
with feather of owl and feather of wren
you'll not get with a young jade
A bed of straw would suit me right
with one that's nearer my span-o
Than a bed of feathers soft and white
and stuck with this poor old man-o
Than a bed of feathers soft and white
and stuck with this poor old man
You could sit on the old man's lap
and drink of his wine and beer-o
what good his wine or beer for me
in the lap of a worn old man-o?
what good his wine or beer for me
in the lap of a worn old man?
There's a [D7] gentle old bachelor [G] there-o
And [G] property [C] fine for [G] you to share
If your [D7] heart it would only [G] care-o
and [G] property [C] fine for [G] you to share
If your [D7] heart it only would [G] care
The houses are large and the land's not bad
to tell you the truth it's my plan-o
O father dear, please don't get mad
but I shall not wed the old man-o
but father dear, please don't get mad
I shall not wed the old man
With the old man you'll have houses galore
silver and gold in the store-o
cows and sheep of every sort
a young one would never have more-o
cows and sheep of every sort
a young one would never have more
One cow or two's enough for me
the sort that I prefer-o
To go and milk them both in one peck
than suffer the old man's jaw-o
To go and milk them both in one peck
than suffer the old man's jaw
But you could sleep in a nice white bed
with wild birds' feathers made-o
with feather of owl and feather of wren
you'll not get with a young jade-o
with feather of owl and feather of wren
you'll not get with a young jade
A bed of straw would suit me right
with one that's nearer my span-o
Than a bed of feathers soft and white
and stuck with this poor old man-o
Than a bed of feathers soft and white
and stuck with this poor old man
You could sit on the old man's lap
and drink of his wine and beer-o
what good his wine or beer for me
in the lap of a worn old man-o?
what good his wine or beer for me
in the lap of a worn old man?