“John Barleycorn”

Description

John Barleycorn is proclaimed dead but springs to life when the rain/dew falls on him. At midsummer he grows a beard; then men with scythes cut him, bind him to a cart, wheel him to a barn, and brew him into beer. The last verse praises his merits

Notes

A version of this was remade by Robert Burns, but it is obviously older. - RBW

MacColl & Seeger speculate that "John Barleycorn" was derived from the Scots ballad "Allan-a-Maut," found in the Bannatyne manuscript, 1568; its theme is similar. - PJS

Of course, the legend of the eternal grain is old -- as is the legend of the dying-and-resurrected God. Jesus, obviously, is the prototype of this, but there is also the Greek Persephone legend and others.

Incidentally, when Prohibition was passed in the United States, John Barleycorn was given a bonus funeral, beyond the annual supply. The February 2005 issue of _American History_ magazine showed an actual tombstone:

In Memoriam

John Barleycorn

Born B.C.

Died Jan. 16, 1920

Resurrection?

There are also broadsides commemorating his death, e.g. NLScotland, Ry.III.a.10(099), "A Hue and Cry After Sir John Barleycorn," unknown, after 1720. The notes to the broadside state that this was made in respone to Robert Walpole's 1725 imposition of the malt tax -- but, in context, it seems likely that the idea was lifted from an early form of this song. - RBW

The Bodleian broadside Douce Ballads 3(83a) appears to be older than the other broadsides. Unfortunately, Bodleian has neither the printer nor date estimate. The tune is noted as "Shall I lye beyond thee."

Broadside LOCSinging as100660 appears to be the same as Bodleian 2806 b.9(38) printed by P. Brereton (Dublin). - BS

Cross references

• cf. "John Barleycorn's a Hero Bold" (theme)

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Douce Ballads 3(83a), "A pleasant new ballad to sing ev'ning and morn, of the bloody murder of sir John Barley corn"; also Johnson Ballads 1408[many illegible words], "Sir John Barleycorn"("There was three knights came from the north"), W. Jackson and Son (Birmingham), 1842-1855; Harding B 11(1189), Harding B 15(386b), Johnson Ballads 2847[some illegible words], "Sir John Barleycorn"; 2806 b.9(38), "The Barley Corn"
• LOCSinging, as100660, "The Barley Corn," P. Brereton (Dublin), 19C

Recordings

• O. J. Abbott, "The Barley Grain for Me" (on Abbott1)
• Austin Flanagan, "The Barley Grain" (on Voice14)
• Haxey Hood singers and customers at "The King's Arms," Haxey, Lincs. "John Barleycorn" (on FieldTrip1)
• Fred Jordan, "John Barleycorn" (on Voice13)
• A. L. Lloyd, "John Barleycorn" (on Lloyd3, Lloyd5)
• Pete Seeger & O. J. Abbott, "Barley Grain" (on Newport59/60)

References

1. Sharp-100E 84, "John Barleycorn" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Kennedy 276, "John Barleycorn" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Vaughan Williams/Lloyd, pp. 56-57, "John Barleycorn" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Copper-SoBreeze, pp. 216-217, "John Barleycorn" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. OLochlainn 89, "The Barley Corn" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. Morton-Maguire 13,13A, pp. 32,105,160-32,105,160-162, "John Barleygrain" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
7. Hodgart, p. 156, "Sir John Barleycorn" (1 text)
8. MacSeegTrav 101, "John Barleycorn" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Flanders/Brown, pp. 46-48, "John Barleycorn" (1 text plus some excerpts, 1 tune)
10. BBI, ZN282, "As I went through the North Country"
11. DT, JBARLEY* BARLEY1
12. Roud #164
13. BI, ShH84