SFFMC Folknik Online

[Chorus:]
God bless the merry little hop
That brings us all good cheer
For without the merry little hop
We would never know strong beer
We would never know strong beer

Here's praise indeed for the barley malt
From which fine whiskies come
And praise indeed for the sugar in the cane
From which does come brown rum
And praise indeed for juniper
With its berry black as sin
For without the juniper tree
We'd not know fiery gin. Hey!

Chorus

Here's praise indeed for the golden grape
That hangs upon the vine
For without the golden grape
We'd not know brandy wine
And praise indeed for the apples on the bow
That in the autumn grow
For without the apples on the bow
Sweet cider we'd not know. Hey!

Chorus

And so we raise our glasses high
To admire that amber glow
There's not a brewer throughout the land
Who'd not have us to know
That the ale he brews is honest and true
The finest and the best
But without the merry little hop
It would never pass the test.

Chorus

And now we'll put our glasses down
All empty to the dreg
We'll call on the landlord good and loud
To tap another keg
And as we watch the liquid flow
And admire that glorious sound
We'll raise our glasses one more time
And sing another round.

Chorus

My yard is high with wood now, my cellar deep with coal,
My windows are well battened; I’ve sealed each crack and hole,
When the storms and winds come raging, I’ll not be touched at all,
For I’ll be well protected, when the snows of winter fall.

My sheep still wander freely, upon the lonely fell,
In the field my horse is grazing, and my cattle feed as well,
But come the bleak December, with its rain and sleet and squall,
They’ll be safely penned and stabled, when the snows of winter fall.

I look out from my doorway, to the trees on yonder rise,
Soon the leaves will turn to yellow as the summer fades and dies,
I’ll put on my coat of leather, and my love will don her shawl,
How close we’ll draw together, when the snows of winter fall.

Through the bitter cold and darkness, our hopes we will keep high,
For we know the warmth of summer will come back by and by,
Then we’ll walk into the sunshine wearing neither coat nor shawl,
And together we will listen just to hear the cuckoo call.

I am not a man of riches; I have little that is new,
Some livestock and some chattels, amount to very few,
But my love is here beside me; I need nothing more at all,
She will give her love and comfort, when the snows of winter fall.

My yard is high with wood now, my cellar deep with coal,
My windows are well battened; I’ve sealed each crack and hole,
When the storms and winds come raging, I’ll not be touched at all,
For I’ll be well protected, when the snows of winter fall.

Graeme Miles is a UK songwriter, and has recently released a book of his songs and Robin Dale’s photographs. It is called Songscapes, and can be ordered on line at www.zyworld.com/red_scarecrow. The cost of a copy by air mail is £42.00 and by surface mail it is £34.00. While Graeme has no recordings of his own, “Snows of Winter Fall” can be heard on Craig, Morgan & Robson’ CD Peppers and Tomatoes. “God Bless the Merry Little Hop” is on the Never a Cross Word CD by Danny and Joyce McLeod.

The folknik song pages are lovingly produced by Kay Eskenazi, John Kelly, and Barbara Millikan. Barbara Millikan produced the song pages for this issue.

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Songs

Merry Little Hop

When the Snows of Winter Fall