Lyrics
(English folk song)
1. Here’s a health to the jolly blacksmith, the best of all fellows,
Who works at his anvil while the boy blows the bellows.
Which makes my bright hammer to rise and to fall,
Here’s to old Cole* and to young Cole and to old Cole of all.
Refrain
Twankydillo, twankydillo, twankydillo, dillo, dillo, dillo,
A roaring pair of bagpipes made of the green willow.**
2. If a gentleman calls his horse for to shoe,
He makes no denial of one pot or two,
For it makes my bright hammer to rise and to fall,
Here’s to old Cole and to young Cole and to old Cole of all. Refrain
3. Here’s a health to King Charlie and likewise his queen,
And to all the royal little ones where’er they are seen,
Which makes my bright hammer to rise and to fall,
Here’s to old Cole and to young Cole and to old Cole of all. Refrain
* Some versions have “colt,” “foal,” or “goat.”
** This line is a corruption of “A roaring pair of blowpipes (i.e. bellows) bound round with green willow.” Willow branches are still bound around the leather at the nozzle of the forge bellows to protect it from the fire. (source)
See also
- Country: England
- Subject: blacksmiths
- Form: AB
- Harmony: chords I, IV, V
- Meter: 3
- Scale: major
- PDF of song with chords
- MIDI file
- Listen to the melody