| Play/Download Music File John Renfro Davis |
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| The earliest printed copy of this tune is found in Thomas Durfey's Wit and Mirth: or, Pills to Purge Melancholy (Volume in 1720) as The London Prentice. It was popular in England, Ireland and Scotland. For another version see Blow the Candles Out.
Variants and alternate titles include: The London Apprentice and The Jolly Boatsman (a variant in Kentucky). |
It's of a young apprentice Who went to court his dear The moon was shining bright-e-ly, The stars were twinkling clear When he went to his love's window To ease her of her pain And she quick-e-ly rose and let him in And went to bed again. My father and my mother In yonder room do lay They are embracing one another And so may you and I They are embracing one another Without a fear or doubt Saying: Take me in your arms, my love, And blow the candle out My mother she'd be ang-e-ry If she should come to know My father he'd be angry too, To prove my overthrow I wouldn't forfeit five guineas Now that they should find me out Saying: Take me in your arms, my love, And blow the candle out. O when your baby it is born You may dandle it on your knee And if it be a baby boy Then name it after me For when nine months are over My apprenticeship is out I'll return and do my duty And blow the candle out. Now six months they were over, Six months and a day He wrote his love a letter, That he was going away He wrote his love a letter, Without a fear or doubt Saying he never should return again To blow the candle out. Come all you pretty young local girls A warning take by me And don't be quick to fall in love With everyone you see For when they're in their prenticeship They'll swear their time is out Then they'll leave you, as mine left me, To blow the candle out. |
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From Folksongs of Britain and Ireland See Bibliography for full information. |
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