Lyrics to “Copshawholme Fair” by Bellowhead
On a Friday it fell in the month of April
O'er the hill came the sun with the blythe sunny smile
And the folks were a-throngin' the roads everywhere
Makin' haste to be in at Copshawholme Fair.
I've seen them comin' in from the mountains and glens
Those rosy-faced lasses and strappin' young men
With a joy in their heart and unburdened o' care
To be meetin' old friends at Copshawholme Fair.
There's lads for the lasses, there's toys for the bairns
There tumblers and jugglers and folks with no arms
There's a balancer here and a fiddler there
There are nut-men and spice-men at Copshawholme Fair.
And now 'bout the hiring if you want to hear tell
You shall ken it as far as I've seen it myself
What wages they addle it's ill to declare
Oh the muckle they vary at Copshawholme Fair.
Just the gal I have seen was a strapping young queen,
He asked what her age was and where she had been;
What work she'd been doing, how long she'd been there,
What wages she wanted at Copshawholme Fair.
Just then the pit lass stood a wee while in gloom
And she turned and she scraped with her feet on the ground
Then she clutched at her heart and did stoutly declare
"I'll have five pound and ten at Copshawholme Fair."
Says he, "But m'lass that's a very big wage."
Then he turned him about like he'd been in a rage
Says "I'll give ye five pounds but I'll give you nae mair
And I think ye maun tak' it at Copshawholme Fair."
He took out a shilling for to hold the pit wench
In case it might enter her head for to flinch
But she grabbed at it muttering "I should o' had mair
But I think I will tak' it at Copshawholme Fair."
When the hirin's o'er, then off they all gang
Into the ballroom for to join in the thrang
And "I Never Shaill Lie With My Mammy Nae Mair"
The fiddles play briskly at Copshawholme Fair.