all around my hat

One of my favorite wicked willowy songs is "All Around My Hat", from a 1975 album by the same name by Steeleye Span. The album was their eighth and highest charting, reaching number 7 on the UK charts, and staying on the charts for six months. It briefly made the band a household name in England. In the United States it became the band's first album to chart, reaching number 143.

The song "All Around my Hat" is of nineteenth century English origin. In an early version, dating from the 1820s, a Cockney costermonger* vowed to be true to his fiancee, who was sentenced to seven years transportation to Australia for theft, and to mourn his loss by wearing green willow sprigs in his hatband for "a twelve-month and a day," as traditional symbol of mourning. In Ireland, Peadar Kearney adapted the song to relate to an Republican lass whose lover had died in the Easter Rising, and who swears to wear the Irish tricolour in her hat in remembrance.

*Costermonger (had to look it up; rare in these parts)
Function: noun
Etymology: costard + monger
Date: 1514
British : a hawker of fruit or vegetables

This song is dedicated to the charming Michael of Shouting at Westminster Streetlights, who sent it to me some time back. So, Mick, if you're out there, this one's for you. xx

It's impossible to listen to this one quietly, so turn your volume way up!

All Around My Hat, Steeleye Span version

all around my hat i will wear the green willow
and all around my hat for a twelve month and a day
and if any one should ask me the reason why i'm wearing it
it's all for my true love who's far, far away.

fare thee well cold winter and fare thee well cold frost
nothing have i gained but my own truelove i've lost
i'll sing and i'll be merry when occassion i do see
he's a false deluding young man let him go farewell he

other night he brought me a fine diamond ring
but he thought to have deprived me of a far better thing
but i being careful like lovers ought to be
he's a false deluding young man let him go farewell he and

all around my hat i will wear the green willow
and all around my hat for a twelve month and a day
and if any one should ask me the reason why i'm wearing it
it's all for my true love who's far, far away.

quarter pound of reasons and a half a pound of sense
a small sprig of time and as much of prudence
you mix them all together and you will plainly see
he's a much deluding young man let him go farewell he and

all around my hat i will wear the green willow
and all around my hat for a twelve month and a day
and if any one should ask me the reason why i'm wearing it
it's all for my true love who's far, far away.

all around my hat i will wear the green willow
and all around my hat for a twelve month and a day
and if any one should ask me the reason why i'm wearing it
it's all for my true love who's far, far away.

photo from Flickr