Name: The Brisk Lad
Duration: P00H02M26S
Description: I got this from Mike Waterson's self-titled solo album (I've not quite lifted the whole thing into my repertoire, but it's close). As Mike sings it, it's on a knife edge between bravado and desperation. I'm not sure I can manage to tread such a narrow path and tend to come down more on the 'desperation' side of things, but then I always was scared of heights.

The Brisk Lad

from Isolation Sessions #2 by Piers Cawley

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I got this from Mike Waterson's self-titled solo album (I've not quite lifted the whole thing into my repertoire, but it's close). As Mike sings it, it's on a knife edge between bravado and desperation. I'm not sure I can manage to tread such a narrow path and tend to come down more on the 'desperation' side of things, but then I always was scared of heights.

lyrics

I am a brisk lad and my fortune's quite bad
Indeed I am wondrous poor
But I do intend my whole life for to mend
I shall build an house down on the moor, my brave boys
I shall build me an house down on the moor

My father he do keep fat oxen and sheep
And a neat little nag on the downs
And in the middle of the night when the moon's shining bright
There's a number of jobs to be done, my brave boys
There's a number of jobs to be done

Yes I'll rove around in some other man's ground
I shall take a fat yow from the flock
And with the aid of my knife I shall shorten it's life
And I'll carry it home on my back, my brave boys
I shall carry it home on my back

Then my children shall pull the skin from the wool
And I'll carve it up to the bone
And when the constable do come I'll stand there with my gun
And I'll swear all I have is my own, my brave boys
I shall swear all I have is my own

For I am a brisk lad and my fortune's quite bad
Indeed I am wondrous poor
But I do intend my own life for to mend
I shall build me an house down on the moor, my brave boys
I shall build me an house down on the moor

credits

from Isolation Sessions #2, released September 4, 2020
Trad. arr. Cawley

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Piers Cawley Doncaster, UK

A singer for as long as he can remember, Piers (he/they) sings Old Songs with a clarity and conviction that makes them as fresh as paint.

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