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Adieu to Bon County / Farewell to Yorkshire

[ Roud 15553 ; Ballad Index LxA178 ; trad.]

Gavin Davenport sang Farewell to Yorkshire in 2013 on his Haystack album The Bone Orchard. He noted:

This began as a couple of versions of Adieu to Bon County and moved a bit closer to home, taking in parts of Spencer the Rover en route.

Kirsty Bromley sang Eat Drink and Be Jolly (Adieu to Bon County) on her 2015 album Time Ashore. She noted:

A traditional song Adieu to Bon County with an additional first verse by Gavin Davenport. An upbeat song with a fairly miserable storyline—a perfect combination. Also known as Farewell to Yorkshire.

Benji Kirkpatrick sang Adieu to Bon County in 2016 on Faustus’ Westpark album Death and Other Animals. They noted:

Learnt from American Ballads and Folk Songs by John & Alan Lomax, published in 1934. As sung by Allen G. Wayt, collected by Sam P. Bayard.

Lyrics

Kirsty Bromley sings Eat Drink and Be Jolly

In Yorkshire near Rotherham I lived in contentment,
Loved a young girl and I told her my mind.
My tender lover she being some rover,
In anger my parents to her proved unkind.

Chorus (after each verse):
Eat, drink and be jolly and care not for folly,
Drown away sorrows in bottles of wine.
Pass it to the boys in those full flowing bumpers
And play on thy fiddle to pass away time.

It’s a great separation my parents have caused me
By baring my spite so their favour was won.
It’s a great separation, likewise a vexation,
And they’ll be sorry for what they have done.

And adieu to Bon County I’m bound for to leave you
To seek my heart’s fortune in some foreign land.
Happy we may be at our next meeting
And upon that day we may join heart and hand.

Farewell to my friends and my dear old companions,
Likewise the girl that I’ll not see again.
This world is wide and I’ll range it in pleasure
And care not for those who’ve laid scorn out so plain.

My portion is small and I now do confess it,
What little I have it is all of my own.
I might have had longer to spend it in pleasure
If my cruel parents had left me alone.

Faustus sing Adieu to Bon County

lt’s a great separation my friends they have caused me,
By hearing their spite that my favour was won.
lt’s a great separation, likewise a vexation,
And they shall be sorry for what they have done.

Chorus (after each verse):
Eat, drink and be jolly and care not for folly,
And drown away sorrow in a bottle of wine.
Pass it to the boys in full-flowing bumpers,
And play on the fiddle to pass away time.

Farewell to Bon County, I’m bound for to leave you,
And seek my heart’s fortune in some foreign land.
Where bottles and glasses are my greatest comfort,
And when we do meet we will join heart and hand.

Farewell to my friends and my good old neighbours,
Likewise to the girl I will never see more.
This world it is wide and I’ll spend it in pleasures,
I care for no one that won’t care for me.

My fortune is small so freely I own it,
What little I have it is all of my own.
I might have lived longer to enjoy it with pleasure,
lf my poor friends had have let me alone.

I’ve money aplenty to bear my expenses,
And when it’s all gone I’ll chop wood and get more.
When death it comes on me I’ll freely go with it,
Pay up my last dues and go with it home.

Acknowledgements

The lyrics are from Faustus’ Bandcamp page with corrections by Garry Gillard for the actual singing of Benji Kirkpatrick.