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Jockey / Bring Your Fiddle

[ Roud 13309 ; VWML CJS2/10/1575 ; Bodleian Roud 13309 ; GlosTrad Roud 13309 ; trad.]

John Tams and Shirley Collins recited the dialogue of Bring Your Fiddle, “a pastoral dialogue taken from a printed broadsheet”, in 1976 on Ashley Hutchings and others’ album Son of Morris On.

Cathy Tattersfield and Jess Arrowsmith sang Jockey (Bring Your Fiddle) on TatterSmith’s 2025 album New Laid Eggs. Cathy noted:

Mrs Elizabeth Smitherd (Smithers) would apparently only sing the first verse of this song to Cecil Sharp in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire [VWML CJS2/10/1575, 1908] , or he chose to only note the first verse. When I found the broadsides that matched on GlosTrad and a second version on the Bodleian website, I could see why. Not only was it full of innuendo, but the woman thanked her assailant for his unwanted attention. I’ve rewritten it enough (altering just two verses) for me to celebrate a woman’s ability to change her destiny. If you’re not happy with this you can choose to sing the original, but I won’t want to listen to it! As far as I know Sharp left it unpublished, but I think it’s worth saving because of the incredible tune.

It was called The Fiddle in several broadsides, and even just The Sex (in a version published in 1758 by Henry Roberts) to remove any ambiguity about the subject covered by the lyrics!

Lyrics

Cathy Tattersfield and Jess Arrowsmith sing Jockey (Bring Your Fiddle)

As Jockey on one summers morn was walking with his Molly,
And as together they did walk, the loon was most unlucky,
He rolled her in his gentle arms, and kissed her in the bushes,
Until at length her face became a wreath of modest blushes.

“Is this the way to win my heart by tearing of my laces?
I think you act a clownish part by these rude embraces,
The like of which I never saw so I pray young man be civil,
Or else without any more a do I’ll kick you to the devil.”

“What kick your Jockey?” he replied, “I think you’re very cruel,
Come sit you down with me awhile and let me kiss my jewel,
Those pretty little sparkling eyes and lips as red as rubies,”
He to her said, but she replied, “Be gone, thou worst of boobies.

“I can’t nor won’t come pleasure you, nor should I have to bear it,”
She cried out, “You have spoilt our fun, why you can wait I’ll swear it.”
“My dear,” said he, “I’ll wait for thee, don’t think me coarse and fickle”,
And then without any more a do, young Jockey tuned his fiddle.

He played her such a merry tune he charmed all her senses,
She said, “Be gone thou silly loon, I pardon all offences,
My cheeks you have with blushes filled, my heart with wreaths of laughter,
I’ll tell my mother, yes that I will, how you have charmed her daughter.”

“What kiss and tell?” young Jockey said, “I’m sure there’s no confession.
;You told me straight, you told me true, there was no transgression.”
“O no,” said she, “I’ll only say that you listened and were civil,
But the very next time you come this way, be sure and bring your fiddle.”