Widecombe Fair Songtext
von Show of Hands

It was early dawn when we met out on the hillside
On our way to Widdecombe Fair
To drink ourselves dry, make a big noise there
Six Devon lads with a younger boy

Whose mother had said, "Promise me now you′ll watch for him
He's never slept out of home before
And you know too well there′ll be trouble in store"
I gave her my word and we crossed the moor

It was growing dark, we stopped at the inn, when we saw her
Fair-faced in the candle-light
Such a fine sight with her long black hair
Young Billy stared, and she stared right back
But the landlord said she's spoken for, he said, "Leave me here alone
I'll meet you tomorrow, on your way back home
At the cross-ways, at noon on the Whiddon Down Road
You go, and I′ll stay, you boys go, and I′ll stay"


I said take my watch and my chain, we all hit the road again
Four miles to the fairground, we had a fine time there
Next day came, we waited in the rain
At the crossroads, but the boy never came

I said you go ahead, I returned to the inn
But the landlord said that the last thing seen was a boy and a girl
Out on the moor that was all he knew, and he showed me the door
I called and I cried, God knows I tried
Until the long night came, his mother flew at me
She called me names, scratched my face
Said I was too blame, and asked would
She ever see her sweet, sweet son again

Well a year went by without one sign
I'm back at the inn to see what I′d find
And the wind whistled cold on the moor that night
I thought I saw a couple in the pale moonlight

The landlord said, "It's you again," from his pocket hung down my watch and chain
Tom I sat down on a stone and I cried
Knowing full well that the young lad died


Tom, Tom, lend me your grey mare
I want to go back to Widdecombe fair
With Bill and Jan, Peter and Dan, Harry and Pete, on the moors we′ll meet
All along down along out along lee
All along down along out along lee