Did you ever hear tell of the farmers that live among the hills Where everyone's a "Sovereign" and owns the land they till Where all the girls are beautiful and all the boys are strong O, 'tis my delight on a summer's night to sing the farmer's song, O, 'tis my delight on a summer's night to sing the farmer's song 'Tis here the tall and manly "Green Mountain Boys" are seen So called because the Mountains and not the Boys are green They will always fight to win the right or to resist the wrong O, 'tis my delight ... 'Tis here the best and fairest of Yankee girls are caught With every grace and form of face that e'er a lover sought And every art to win his heart and hold it long and strong O, 'tis my delight ... 'Tis here the Morgan horses and Black Hawk steeds abound For grace and beauty, strength and speed, their equals can't be found They will always "go it fleetly" and always "come it strong" O, 'tis my delight ... 'Tis here the true "Merinos" of pure imported stock Are often seen to range the green in many a noble flock Their forms are large and beautiful, their wool is fine and long O, 'tis my delight ... You've often read of the wonders of ancient Rome and Greece And of Jason's expedition to get the golden fleece [Well Jarvis] got the fleece away and brought the sheep along / [orig: Alonzo's] O, 'tis my delight ... And now a health to the shearers, and many joyous years Who with a will and ready skill propel the busy shears With hearts sincere and conscience clear, and voices loud and strong O, 'tis my delight ... And now success to Bingham, and to all his shepherd kin / [orig: all true shepherd men] May heaven keep themselves and sheep 'til shearing comes again / [orig: himself] And then may we be there to see and help the sport along O, 'tis my delight ... Did you ever hear tell of the farmers that live among the hills Where everyone's a "Sovereign" and owns the land they till Where all the BOYS are beautiful and all the GIRLS are strong / Andy Davis improvement! O, 'tis my delight ...
history: "The Spanish Sheep Craze That Forever Changed Vermont" [New England Historical Society]
notes: Song text and history, The Vermonter (Nov. 1907, p.325) [Google Books]
notes: Song text and Saxe bio, The New Green Mountain Songster (1939) [UCLA]
recording: "The Lincolnshire Poacher", John Roberts and Tony Barrand [YouTube]
notes: "The Lincolnshire Poacher" song history and discography [Mainly Norfolk]