John Barleycorn
There were three men came out of the west, their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die
They've plowed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead
They've let him lie for a very long time, 'til the rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them all
They've let him stand 'til Midsummer's Day 'til he looked both pale and wan
And little Sir John's grown a long long beard and so become a man
They've hired men with their scythes so sharp to cut him off at the knee
They've rolled him and tied him by the way, serving him most barbarously
They've hired men with their sharp pitchforks who've pricked him to the heart
And the loader he has served him worse than that
For he's bound him to the cart
They've wheeled him around and around a field 'til they came onto a pond
And there they made a solemn oath on poor John Barleycorn
They've hired men with their crabtree sticks to cut him skin from bone
And the miller he has served him worse than that
For he's ground him between two stones
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl and his brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl proved the strongest man at last
The huntsman he can't hunt the fox nor so loudly to blow his horn
And the tinker he can't mend kettle or pots without a little barleycorn
João Cevada
Três homens vieram do oeste, buscando a sorte
E esses três homens fizeram um voto solene
João Cevada deve morrer
Araram, semearam, e o atormentaram
Jogaram terra sobre sua cabeça
E esses três homens fizeram um voto solene
João Cevada estava morto
Deixaram-no deitado por muito tempo, até que as chuvas do céu caíram
E o pequeno Sir John levantou a cabeça e surpreendeu a todos
Deixaram-no em pé até o Dia de São João, até que ele ficou pálido e fraco
E o pequeno Sir John deixou crescer uma longa barba e se tornou um homem
Contrataram homens com suas foices afiadas para cortá-lo no joelho
Rolaram-no e amarraram-no pelo caminho, tratando-o de forma brutal
Contrataram homens com garfos afiados que o feriram no coração
E o carregador o tratou ainda pior
Pois o prendeu à carroça
Rodaram-no em um campo até chegarem a um lago
E lá fizeram um voto solene sobre o pobre João Cevada
Contrataram homens com bastões de espinheiro para arrancar sua pele do osso
E o moleiro o tratou ainda pior
Pois o moeram entre duas pedras
E o pequeno Sir John e a caneca marrom e sua bebida no copo
E o pequeno Sir John e a caneca marrom provaram ser o homem mais forte no final
O caçador não consegue caçar a raposa nem tocar seu chifre tão alto
E o ferreiro não consegue consertar panelas ou potes sem um pouco de cevada
Composição: Steve Winwood / Jörgen Elofsson