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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
The old man said to his daughter dear
There's a gentle old bachelor there-o
And property fine for you to share
If your heart it would only care-o
and property fine for you to share
If your heart it only would 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 gentle old bachelor there-o
And property fine for you to share
If your heart it would only care-o
and property fine for you to share
If your heart it only would 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?