Screaming Orphans

Lyrics

As I went out one morning being in the month of May
A farmer and his daughter I spied along my way
The daughter sat down quite calmly to the milking of her cow
Saying ‘I will and I must get married for the humour is on me now’.

A musha be quiet you foolish daughter and hold your simple tongue
You’re better free and single and happy while you’re young
But the daughter shook her shoulders and milked the patient cow
Saying I will and I must get married for the humour is on me now.

And, sure who are you to tell me, that married young yourself
And took me darling mother from off the single shelf
Ah daughter go on aisy now and milk the patient cow
For a man may have his humour but the humour is off me now.

Well, indeed I’ll tell me mother the awful things you say,
Indeed I’ll tell me mother this very blessed day
Och, now daughter, have a heart, you’ll start a fearful row
For I will unless I marry for the humour is on me now.

And if you must be married will you tell me who’s the man
And quickly she did answer there’s William, James, and John
A carpenter, a tailor or a man to milk me cow
For I will and I must get married for the humour is on me now.

A carpenter’s a hard man and a tailor’s hard to face
With legs across the table and threads about the place,
Sure Johnny’s a fearful tyrant and never lacks a row
I will and I must get married for the humour is on me now.

And if you must be married will you tell me what you’ll do?
And quickly she did answer ‘just the same as ma and you’
I’ll be mistress of me dairy, me butter and me cow
And your poor husband too, I’ll venture, for the humour is on me now.

So, at last the daughter married and married well-to-do
And she loved her darling husband for a month, a year or two
But Johnny was all a tyrant and she quickly rued her vow,
Saying I’m sorry that I married for the humour is off me now.