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about
"John Barleycorn" [Roud 164], a traditional English and Scottish folk song, tells of the brutal treatment and murder of its namesake; the personification of barley used to make ale and whisky. Each stage of Barleycorn's life and death - being sown and reaped, roasted in the kiln, crushed between millstones, thrown in the mashing tun - corresponds to stages of the brewing process.
The story has travelled through many creative hands, from poet Robert Burns to novelist Jack London to comedy anthology show Inside No. 9, and remains popular among folk revival artists and pub landlords alike. Different versions portray Barleycorn as variously vengeful, intoxicating (much to his killers' misfortune) or heroic, whose potency brings happiness and joy to his drinkers by causing them to forget their woes.
The personification invokes the sinister, ritualistic aspect of legendary British folk rituals (the popularly-recognisable 'wicker man'), but can be interpreted as a joyful drinking song to be sung in the ale house, celebrating the death-and-rebirth cycle of the harvest. Cruel Mother version infuses the folk tale with their signature doom riffs and driving drums to evoke the bouncing rhythm of classic drinking anthems.
Although a metaphor rather than strictly a murder ballad, John Barleycorn is one of composer Becky's favourite folk ballads as it can be adapted and interpreted in many different ways. With its harvest cycle imagery suggestive of ancient rituals, it's simultaneously fun, joyful, satirical, mysterious, sinister and disturbing. And of course it relates to one of the band's shared pastimes - drinking beer! - and we all love a good drinking song!
lyrics
There was three men come from the east, and they were all a-dry,
They made a vow, a solemn vow, John Barleycorn should die,
They ploughed the land, they laid him down, put clods upon his head
And there they sang around his grave, John Barleycorn was dead
Then once into the ground he lay, and rain began to fall
The sun shone on, they left him there, til he were growing tall
They hired some men with sickles sharp to cut him at the knee
With forks and prongs they stabbed his heart and bled him bitterly
Oh, John Barleycorn, Death to the ancient Corn God
Oh, John Barleycorn, Cut down for the earth
Oh, John Barleycorn, Death to the ancient Corn God
Oh, John Barleycorn, Cut down for the earth
Then from the field they packed him up and took him in the cart
And with great sticks they beat his bones ‘til flesh did fall apart
They threw John Barleycorn into the kiln to roast his bones
But worse of all the miller crushed his head between two stones
They put him in the mashing tun to scold him through and through
But Barleycorn ran out below and he became strong brew
So sing this song and fill your pint of poor John Barleycorn
As for our thirst he gave his life and now he’ll be reborn
Oh, John Barleycorn, Death to the ancient Corn God
Oh, John Barleycorn, Cut down for the earth
Oh, John Barleycorn, Death to the ancient Corn God
Oh, John Barleycorn, Cut down for the earth
credits
released December 5, 2023
Becky Loughead - vocals, bass
James Chester - vocals, guitar
Kirstie Summers - guitar
David Garner - violin
Daniel Speight - drums
Formed within the tolling of the Bow Bells in East London, doom metal band Cruel Mother take their lyrical inspiration from
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