It Was a Lover (and His Lass)
As performed by Three Quarter Ale
on their self titled album, Three Quarter Ale
Lyrics by William Shakespeare
Music and Arrangement by Three Quarter Ale



It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o'er the green corn-field did pass
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folk would lie,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That how a life was but a flower,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

And therefore take the present time,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
For love is crowned with the prime
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Background from Daniel Womack: Originally a poem by William Shakespeare entitled "It Was a Lover and His Lass which first shows up, to my knowledge, in a manuscript in 1600. A version of this song is sung in Shakespeare's "As You Like It". I have seen this poem put into various arrangements. Thomas Morley wrote one of the earliest versions of a lute ayre to these words. I've heard operatic versions, choral arrangements (men, women or combined), versions for a lute trio and many more. You can even hear Gene Wilder softly singing a few lines of this song while bicycling in the Inventing Room in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971). I have to admit, of all the arrangements I've heard, the one performed by Three Quarter Ale is by far my favorite.