The Rigs of the Time

Originale

La versione di Sandy Denny, da un concerto del 1972

THE RIGS OF THE TIME No wonder that butter be a shilling a pound, Seeing the rich farmers' daughters how they ride up and down If you ask them the reason they'll say, “Oh alas! There's a French war, and the cows have no grass.” Singing, honesty's all out of fashion These are the rigs of the time, Time, my boys These are the rigs of the time. O the next is a publican, I must bring him in, He charges four pence a quart - he thinks it no sin. When he do bring it in, the measure is short: The top of the pot is popped off with the froth. Singing, honesty's all out of fashion These are the rigs of the time, Time, my boys These are the rigs of the time. Now the very best plan that I can find Is to puff them all off in a high gale of wind And when they get up, the cloud it will burst, And the biggest old rascal come tumbling down first. Singing, honesty's all out of fashion These are the rigs of the time, Time, my boys These are the rigs of the time.

RIGS OF THE TIME It's of an old butcher, I must bring him in. Charges four pence a pound, and thinks it no sin. Puts his thumb on the scale which makes it go down, And swears it's good weight yet it lacks half a pound. All sing... Chorus (after each verse): Honesty 's all out of fashion These are the rigs of the time Time, me boys, These are the rigs of the time Now it's next to the baker, I must bring him in. Charges tuppence a loaf and he thinks it no sin. When he do bring it in, is not bigger than your fist, And the top of the loaf is all covered in yeast All sing... Now it's next to the landlord, well I must bring him in. Charges tuppence a pint and he thinks it no sin. When he do bring it in, now the measure it is short And the top of the pot it is all covered in froth. All sing... Now the best of all plans that comes to me mind Is to set them all off in a high gale of wind And when they go up, oh, the cloud it will burst And the biggest old rascal come tumbling down first Singing...