John Barleycorn
Let me tell a tale of my father's kin
For his blood runs through my veins
No man's been born that could best John Barleycorn
For he's suffered many pains
He's suffered many pains
We've buried him well beneath the ground
And they've covered over his head
And these men from the west did solemnly attest
John Barleycorn was dead
John Barleycorn was dead
But the warm spring rains came a-pouring down
And John Barleycorn arose
And upon that ground he stood without a sound
Till he began to grow
Till he began to grow
They've hired a man with a knife so sharp
For to cut him through the knees
And they've pitched Barleycorn and tied him down with thorn
And served him barbarously
They've served him barbarously
And they've hired some men with crabtree sticks
For to beat him high and low
And the skin on his back they then began to smack
Till the place began to blow
The place began to blow
And they've ground his bones in between two stones
And they've served him worse than that
For they've tossed him into an oaken mashing bin
And sealed him in a vat
They've sealed him in a vat
But John Barleycorn proved the stoutest man
Though they did all that they could
So raise up your horn and praise to Barleycorn
And we shall drink his blood
Yes, we shall drink his blood!
João Cevada
Deixa eu contar a história da família do meu pai
Pois seu sangue corre nas minhas veias
Nenhum homem nasceu que pudesse vencer João Cevada
Pois ele sofreu muitas dores
Ele sofreu muitas dores
Nós o enterramos bem fundo na terra
E cobriram sua cabeça
E esses homens do oeste atestaram solenemente
João Cevada estava morto
João Cevada estava morto
Mas as quentes chuvas da primavera começaram a cair
E João Cevada ressurgiu
E sobre aquela terra ele ficou em silêncio
Até que começou a crescer
Até que começou a crescer
Eles contrataram um homem com uma faca bem afiada
Para cortá-lo pelos joelhos
E amarraram Cevada e o prenderam com espinhos
E o trataram barbaramente
Eles o trataram barbaramente
E contrataram alguns homens com varas de espinheiro
Para bater nele de cima a baixo
E a pele das costas dele começaram a estourar
Até que o lugar começou a inchar
O lugar começou a inchar
E moeram seus ossos entre duas pedras
E o trataram pior que isso
Pois o jogaram em um tonel de carvalho
E o selaram em um barril
Eles o selaram em um barril
Mas João Cevada provou ser o homem mais forte
Embora fizessem tudo que podiam
Então levantem seus chifres e façam um brinde a Cevada
E nós beberemos seu sangue
Sim, nós beberemos seu sangue!