Jethro Tull - John Barleycorn lyrics

There were three men, came out of the west,<br>Their fortunes for to try<br>And these three men made a solemn vow:<br>John barleycorn must die!<br>Well, they've ploughed, they've sown, the've harrowed him in.<br>Threw clouds upon his head.<br>Till these three men were satisfied.<br>John barleycorn was dead.<br>They've let him lie for a long long time,<br>Till the rains from heaven did fall.<br><br>And little sir john sprang up his head<br>And so amazed them all.<br>They let him fly till the midsummer's day,<br>Till he looked both pale and wan, oh,<br>Then little sir john has grown a long long beard<br>And so became a man.<br><br>They have hired men with the scythes so sharp.<br>To cut him off at the knee,<br>They rolled and they tied him around the waist,<br>Serving him most him barbarously.<br>They hired men with the sharp pitchforks<br>To prick him to the heart.<br>And the loader he has served him worse than that,<br>For he's bound him to the cart.<br><br>Well, they've wheeled him 'round and 'round the field,<br>Till they came onto a barn.<br>And there they made their solemn oath,<br>Concerning a barleycorn.<br>They hired men with the crab tree sticks<br>To split him skin from bone, yeah,<br>But the miller he has served him worst and bad<br>For he ground him between two stones.<br><br>Well there's beer all in the barrel<br>And brandy in the glass,<br>But little old sir john with his nut-brown bowl<br>Proved the strongest man at last.<br>John barleycorn, throw him up, throw him up!<br><br>Now the huntsman, he can't hunt the fox,<br>Nor loudly blow his horn<br>And the tinker he can't mend his pots<br>Without john barleycorn,<br>John barleycorn, john barleycorn,<br>Barleycorn, barleycorn<br>John barleycorn, john barleycorn.