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Wild Garlic and the May

by Me & Mr Jones

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about

Do you care about your country? But are you heartily sick of the image of St George and his bloody flag? Of the do-gooding warrior of Christianity? Of the damsel in distress? Of the wanton destruction of protected reptilian wildlife?

Well, fear not, because alternative symbols of an older, kinder, greener England are available to one and all: Cordelia, Gogmagog, Rooster Byron and Robin Goodfellow.

Three of the band's members were privileged to take part last year in a production of Jez Butterworth's fabulous play, "Jerusalem". So, it may not be entirely coincidental that some of the images in this song are derived therefrom...

lyrics

The Damsel came unto us, all of her own free will
And Will the Poet dozed betimes ‘neath Arden’s quiet hill
And ardent lovers meet at dusk and lovers know the way:
The path among anemones, wild garlic and the may.

They come to us for birthing; they come to us to die;
To lie with sweet Titania and fight Vili and Vé
And once upon a dreamtime, an ass did come to bray
His heart out at the primroses, wild garlic and the may

We’re Thirty-Three Greek Maidens, we’re Albion’s mixed blood
We’re Lear and we’re Cordelia. We are Good King Lud.
We’ll party with the pothead, the misfit and the fay
We’ll drown our cares in nightshade, wild garlic and the may

And giants lie a-sleeping beneath this springtime sod
And we will share our table with any pagan god
But woe betide the Holy Fool that dares to take the way:
The Faerie Road to slumber, wild garlic and the may.

Bring out St. George! Bring him from the Town!
For we are the Forest: our banner green and brown.
We are the Dragon and we wear Good Robin’s crown
We’ll cleave his bloody cross in twain, we’ll take that *$!@## down
May and wild garlic: the heady scent of may.
Jack in Green will claim his own on this St George’s Day.

credits

released October 27, 2020
Vocals: Louise Sweeney and Dave Banks
Acoustic synthesiser: John Belli
Cajon: Rob Dean
Guitars and acoustic bass: Dave Banks
Mixed and mastered by Steve Swallow

Music and lyrics © David Banks 2017.
Featuring fragments of the melody by Hubert Parry (1848-1918)

Released on the Trousers! label, catalogue number Tro-012

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Me & Mr Jones Chesterfield, UK

The increasingly innaccurately named "Me and Mr Jones" are Rob, Louise, John, Dave and Mr Jones himself.

We supply a combination of percussion, harmony, "acoustic synthesiser" and guitar. We value great songwriting and have an ear for resurrecting the the occasional long-forgotten classic cover. ... more

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