The Lusty Young Smith
Lyrics and music traditional
Performed by Queen Anne's Lace on Faire...To Stormy Weather

A lusty young smith at his vice, stood a-filing,
His hammer laid by but his forge still a-glow.
When to him a buxom young damsel came smiling,
And asked if to work in her forge he would go.

With a jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle.
With a jingle bang, jingle bang, jingle hi ho.

"I will," said the smith, and they went off together,
Along to the young damsel's forge they did go.
They stripped to go to it, 'twas hot work and hot weather.
They kindled a fire and she soon made him blow.

Her husband, she said, no good work could afford her.
His strength and his tools were worn out long ago.
The smith said, "Well mine are in very good order,
And now I am ready my skill for to show."

Red hot grew his iron, as both did desire,
And he was too wise not to strike while 'twas so.
She said, "What I get I get out of the fire,
So prithee, stike home and redouble the blow."

Six times did his iron, by vigorous heating,
Grow soft in her forge in a minute or so,
But there it were hard and yet beating and beating,
The more it was softened, it hardened more slow.

When the smith rose to go, quoth the dame full of sorrow:
"Oh, what would I give could my husband do so.
Good luck with your hammer, come hither tomorrow,
And pray won't you use it once more ere you go!"

Background from Marc Gunn: This is a 17th century English song first appearing in Thomas D'urfey's Wit and Mith: Pills to Purge Melancholy. I learned this song from a tape of the Irish Breakdown my mother gave me. Their version was different from that which I learned at Renaissance Faires and thank goodness. Most of the other versions I've heard have used "Jingle, bang, jingle" as their chorus. Boy, is that annoying! Okay, one exception. Dallas' Queen Anne's Lace puts the "jingles" and the "bang jingles" all in the right place as they jingle their breasts. It's very amusing to watch and really fits the chorus.

If there is anything I've missed, any information that you know to be incorrect, or if there is a song you've heard on the podcast that you would like to see included, please do not hesitate to contact me at lyrics@renaissancefestivalmusic.com.