The Drunken Idiot

Tune: The Idiot, by Stan Rogers
Lyrics: John Barleycorn, by Jon Berger
Set: 4 dancers; 21“ (short) sticks; skipping (single steps)
Source: Bassett Street Hounds / Karin Howe & Mike Miller
Chorus: B(H)-F(L) in pairs, B(H), F(L) in square; 4x
Figures: once to yourself/rounds, linear hey/square hey, linear bombast/square bombast

Detailed Description

A detailed description of the dance can be found on the Bassett Street Hounds website.

Tune

X:1
T:John Barleycorn
T:(The Drunken Idiot)
H:Dance composed by the Hounds in the style of Red Stags
C:tune by Stan Rogers
C:words by Jon Berger
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=132
K:F major
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P:A
FG | Acc B/A/ | G/F/ GAC | DFFE | D3 C | DFF E/D/ | C F F>G | A/B/ cBA | G3 F/G/ | Acc B/A/ | G/F/ GAC | DFFE | D3 C | DFF E/D/ | CF F>G | A/B/ cAG | F2 ||
w: 1.~John_ | Bar-ley-corn to the | sea_ has gone in~a | ship both stout and | new, the | thirst to slake of_ | Cap-tain Drake and | all_ his loy-al | crew.  To_ | ven-ture brave o'er_ | wind_ and wave, the | Span-iard for to | halt, and | though he die of_ | Span-ish grape, he'll | live_ as Eng-lish malt. ||
w:2.~John_ Bar-ley-corn's to the | court--ing gone all | dressed in fine ar- | ray, in | pew-ter clad from_ | toe to head to | win_ a la-dy | gay.  The | po-e-try that_ | he_ dec-laims will | stand him in good | stead, for~the | la-dies fair do_ | all de-clare they | love_ it more than | bread.
w:3.~John_ | Bar-ley-corn's to the | hang--man gone and~the | rea-son I'll un- | fold: 'Tis~for | rob-bing hon-est_ | Eng-lish-men of~their | sil--ver and their | gold.  In a | grave un-known by_ | cross_ nor stone John | Bar-ley will be | lain, 'til~the | rain-y days have_ | gone their ways~and he | ris--es up a-gain.
P:B
FF |\
w:So we'll |
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ddd c/B/ | ccc>B | A/G/ FFG | A3 F | ddd c/B/ | cc c>B | A/G/ FBA | G3 F/G/ | Acc B/A/ | G/F/ GAC | DFFE | D3 C | DFF E/D/ | CF F>G | A/B/ cAG | F2 |]
w: cut him down and we'll | bind him round~and we'll | serve_ him worse than | that, for~we'll | grind his bones be-- | tween two stones and~we'll | bung_ him in a | vat. Then we'll | drink his health in_ | nut--brown ale, and~we'll | raise our glas-ses | high, for~be- | fore that he can_ | live a-gain John | Bar--ley-corn must die!