The Watersons sang Country Life on their 1975 Topic record For Pence and Spicy Ale, their first album with Martin Carthy in the group. This track was also included in the World Music Network anthology The Rough Guide to English Roots Music.

 

“The Country Life” sung by the Watersons

 

Lyrics

The Country Life

[GIF Score]

Lyrics

Country Life

chorus:
I like to rise when the sun she rises,
early in the morning
And I like to hear them small birds singing,
Merrily upon their layland
And hurrah for the life of a country boy,
And to ramble in the new mowed hay.

1. In spring we sow at the harvest mow
   And that is how the seasons round they go
   but of all the times choose I may
   I'd be rambling through the new mowed hay.

2. In summer when the summer is hot
   We sing, and we dance, and we drink a lot
   We spend all night in sport and play
   And go rambling in the new mown hay

3. In autumn when the oak trees turn
   We gather all the wood that's fit to burn
   We cut and stash and stow away
   And go rambling in the new mown hay

4. In winter when the sky's gray
   we hedge and ditch our times away,
   but in summer when the sun shines gay,
   We go ramblin' through the new mowed hay.

5. Oh Nancy is my darling gay
   And she blooms like the flowers every day
   But I love her best in the month of May
   When we're rambling through the new mown hay

6. I like to hear the Morris dancers
   Clash their sticks and drink our ale
   I like to hear those bells a-ringing
   As we ramble in the new mown hay

Recorded by Watersons - For Pence and Spicy Ale