Stourbridge Fair Songtext
von Man the Lifeboats

Let me spin you all a story
From many moons ago
For the feast of the holy cross
They gathered for a show
There were gypsies from the marshes
And fairies from the moor
Artisans and farmhands
The rich folk and the poor


If you had the money
You could buy most anything
From all corners of existence
They came a-bartering
And for the penniless
The homeless
The aged and the ill
Well you′d better go off thieving
So you could get your fill
Welcome to the centre of the universe my dear
There's fire in the heavens
And carnage in the air
And I ain′t ever seen a beauty
Like the girl that I saw there
Dancing on the common
At Stourbridge Fair

Well it's harvest time again boys
It's time to reap and sow
The orchard is a-heaving
With lovers don′t you know
They′re smoking pipes of peace
And chasing dragons on the heath
And in the parish of St Mary
They wear nothing underneath

Well it's not Saturnalia
But it′s a solid number two
Take this prism Mr Newton
You won't believe what it can do
But I′ve no use for trinkets
Ornaments or silk
As the parson pours a whisky
In another pail o' milk


Welcome to the centre of the universe my dear
There′s fire in the heavens
And carnage in the air
And I ain't ever seen a beauty
Like the girl that I saw there
Dancing on the common
At Stourbridge Fair

Ah professor Farmer
I thought I'd find you here
I′m reading ancient history
And I thought I′d bend your ear
I'm stuck at the bit where Euclid had a mad idea
And I need some inspiration
So lets have another beer

Good evening Father Patrick
The pleasure is all mine
Of course I′d like to join you
For a cup of holy wine
The lepers must be delighted
With all the money rolling in
Unless of course those boys of yours
Have spent it all on gin

I'm sorry Mrs Baker
I don′t mean to interrupt
But I could take your daughter's hand
Cause your land ain′t up to much
A more honest upstanding gentleman
You will never find
Meet me in the cathouse
If you should change your mind

Welcome to the centre of the universe my dear
There's fire in the heavens
And carnage in the air
I ain't ever seen a beauty
Like the girl that I saw there
Dancing on the common
At Stourbridge Fair