The Foggy, Foggy Dew

Words & Music:

Traditional English (ca. 1815)

 

There are also Irish & American versions.  Benjamin Britten wrote a version of it and you will find traces of that in the music to Monty Python's "The Lumberjack Song".

 

     D                   G          E

When I was a bachelor, I lived all alone,

  A                      D

I worked at the weaver's trade.

        D                       G            E

And the only, only thing that I did that was wrong

       A                D

Was to woo a fair young maid.

  A                D               A                  D

I wooed her in the wintertime, and part of the summer too.

        D                       G            E

And the only, only thing that I did that was wrong

       A                              D

Was to keep her from the foggy, foggy dew.

 

One night she knelt close by my side

When I was fast asleep.

She threw her arms around my neck

And then began to weep.

She wept, she cried, she tore her hair, ah, me, what could I do?

So all night long I held her in my arms

Just to keep her from the foggy, foggy dew.

 

Again I'm a bachelor, I live with my son,

We work at the weaver's trade.

And every single time I look into his eyes,

He reminds me of the fair young maid.

He reminds me of the wintertime, and part of the summer too,

And the many, many times that I held her in my arms,

Just to keep her from the foggy, foggy dew.