Jack in the Green

Tune and lyrics by Martin Graebe. Good version on youtube [here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VMduKN7qgI]

"This song has always been very popular with the Ramsbruck family of Bregasland, to whom Jack belonged before he became Jack. Jack himself has heard it so often he scarcely reacts - unless the singers venture one of the less-well-known raunchy verses, which sometimes causes a raised eyebrow, or a quiet "Now then" before Jack goes back to doing whatever he was doing before."

Now Winter is over I'm happy to say And we're all met again on the first day of May And we're all met again for to dance and to sing And to go about dancing with Jack- in - the- Green

Jack- in - the- Green, Jack- in - the- Green And we'll dance every Springtime with Jack- in - the- Green

Now Jack- in - the- Green is a vey strange man Though he dies every Autumn he is born every Spring And each year on his birthday we dance through the streets And in return Jack he will ripen the wheat

With his mantle he'll cover the trees that are bare And our gardens he'll trim with his jacket so fair And the fields he will sow with the hair of his head And the corn it will ripen til old Jack is dead

Now the sun is half up and it tokens the hour When the children arrive with their garlands of flowers So now let the music and dancing begin And toast the good heart of young Jack- in- the- Green