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The Man-and-Woman Dancing (The Holly and the Ivy)

[John Kirkpatrick]

John Kirkpatrick and Greta Howell sang his song The Man-and-Woman Dancing (The Holly and the Ivy) on his 1994 album Earthling.

Lyrics

John Kirkpatrick and Greta Howell sing The Man-and-Woman Dancing (The Holly and the Ivy)

Chorus (repeated twice after each verse):
The holly and the ivy
They could not agree
The ivy and the holly
Who should have the mastery

Holly grows so tall and strong as tall as any tree
And ivy’s heart is deeper, oh deeper than the sea.

Holly and his merry men, they can dance in hall
And ivy and her women can outdance the merry men all

Holly bears a berry as red as any rose
And ivy’s berries are black, oh as black as any sloes

Holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn
And ivy has a smooth leaf to smooth the prickle down

Holly he knelt down and begged, “Do me no villainy”
And ivy she knelt down and begged, “Oh you do none to me”