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The Goose and the Common
[ Roud - ; trad.]
The Goose and the Common is a 17th century protest song against English enclosures.
The Claque sang The Goose and the Common in 2008 on their WildGoose CD Sounding Now. They noted:
The late Martin Bloomer took the well-known late medieval verse, added a chorus, tune and extra stanzas to make The Goose and the Common, a song from the time of the early enclosures of common land to accommodate sheep. The last verse has a lesson for societies that accept their bad lot, blindly and advocates fighting back!
The Askew Sisters sang Goose & Common on their 2019 CD Enclosure. They noted:
Hazel was inspired to put this song together by a talk in her local park which celebrated the 170th anniversary of the Chartists marching on Kennington Common to gain better voting rights for working people. What stayed with her most was discovering that the current park was only gifted to the people of Kennington on the condition that it have a fence around it, to prevent any future protests and stop it being a public right of way. It reminded us of current struggles over the privatisation of public spaces and resources, as well as this old rhyme condemning the land enclosures. We really like the power and simplicity of the words and how they feel starkly relevant in today’s society. The earliest reference to it that we can find is from The Gentleman’s Mathematical Companion in 1816, where it’s noted as being seen on a handbill in Plaistow protesting a Bill for the enclosure of Epping Forest, but its origins may well be much older. Hazel wrote a tune for the words and the whole song fell into place once Emily added some driving cello.
The Teacups sang The Goose in 2020 on their third and final album, In Which…. They noted:
Dating from the seventeenth century, these two verses still strike a chord today with their message of inequality. Alex [Cumming] found these lyrics online and composed the melody for our version.
The Wilderness Yet sang The Goose & the Common on their 2024 CD Westlin Winds. They noted:
We decided to write a melody for this short 18th century protest rhyme about land rights and privatisation. While setting the words we found that 5/4 seemed to be the most fitting meter; also seeming to add to the anti-establishment message and give the song the feel of a rhythmic protest chant. With the poverty gap widening and staggering wealth inequality in the UK, this song seems to be regrettably apt for our times…
Lyrics
The Claque sing The Goose and the Common
The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common,
But turns the bigger robber loose
Who steals the common from off the goose.
Chorus (after each verse):
Whose is the Kingdom, the power and the glory?
For ever and ever, will it be the same old story?
The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own,
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who take things that are yours and mine.
The poor and wretched don’t escape
If they conspire the law to break.
This must be so, but they endure
Those who conspire to make the law.
The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common,
And geese will still a common lack
Till they go and steal it back.
The Askew Sisters sing Goose & Common
The law condemns the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common,
But leave the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from off the goose.
The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own,
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who take things that are yours and mine.
(repeat first verse)
The poor and wretched don’t escape
If they conspire the law to break.
That must be so, but they endure
Those who conspire to make the law.
(repeat first verse)
The law condemns the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common,
But geese will still a common lack
Until they go and steal it back.
The Wilderness Yet sing The Goose & the Common
They hang the man and flog the woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
But leave the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from off the goose
The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who take things that are yours and mine
The poor and wretched don’t escape
If they conspire the law to break
This must be so but they endure
Those who conspire to make the law
The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
And geese will still a common lack
Until they go, and steal it back
Links
See also the Union Songs page The Goose and the Common.