Back and Side go Bare



Back and side go bare, go bare,
      Both foot and hand go cold;
    But, belly, God send thee good ale enough,
      Whether it be new or old.

    I cannot eat but little meat,
      My stomach is not good;
    But sure I think that I can drink
      With him that wears a hood.
    Though I go bare, take ye no care,
    I am nothing a-cold;
  I stuff my skin so full within
    Of jolly good ale and old.
      Back and side go bare, go bare,
    Both foot and hand go cold;  
  But, belly, God send thee good ale enough,  
    Whether it be new or old.

  I love no roast but a nutbrown toast,
    And a crab laid in the fire;
  A little bread shall do me stead,
    Much bread I not desire.
  No frost nor snow, no wind, I trow,
    Can hurt me if I would,
  I am so wrapt, and throughly lapt
    Of jolly good ale and old.
      Back and side go bare, go bare,  
    Both foot and hand go cold;  
  But, belly, God send thee good ale enough,  
    Whether it be new or old.

  And Tib my wife, that as her life
    Loveth well good ale to seek,
  Full oft drinks she, till ye may see
    The tears run down her cheek.
  Then doth she troll to me the bowl,
    Even as a maltworm should;
  And saith,"Sweetheart, I took my part
    Of this jolly good ale and old."
      Back and side go bare, go bare,  
    Both foot and hand go cold;  
  But, belly, God send thee good ale enough,  
    Whether it be new or old.

  Now let them drink, till they nod and wink,
    Even as good fellows should do;
  They shall not miss to have the bliss
    Good ale doth bring men to.
  And all poor souls that have scoured bowls,
    Or have them lustily troll'd,
  God save the lives of them and their wives,
    Whether they be young or old.
      Back and side go bare, go bare,
      Both foot and hand go cold;
      But, belly, God send thee good ale enough,
      Whether it be new or old.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 14, 2023

1:46 min read
129

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCB xdedabxBABCB xfxfxdbBABCB xgxgxdxbABCB ehxhxbxbABCB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,846
Words 354
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 12, 12, 12, 12

William Stevenson

William Stevenson (1530–1575) was an English clergyman and presumed playwright of the early English language comedy Gammer Gurton's Needle. Born in Durham, England, he studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1553, his Master of Arts degree in 1560 and his Bachelor of Divinity degree, also in 1560. Account books at Christ's College list him in 1550–1553 and again in 1559–1560 as involved in putting on plays, though they do not mention Gammer Gurton's Needle explicitly. He became a prebend at Durham Cathedral in 1561. more…

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