The Barley Mow - Lyrics

Lyrics

The verses of "The Barley Mow" wish good luck to various sizes of vessels of alcoholic beverages, and lastly to the barley mow, a venerable reserve of one of beer's key ingredients. Later verses supplement this list with roles and occupations associated with beer, from brewing, to distribution, to serving in public houses, to drinking. Each verse wishes good luck to a new subject, which is then added to the beginning of the litany recited in the second line of the refrain.

The song has several variations. One version begins thus:

First verse

Here's good luck to the pint pot

Good luck to the barley mow

Jolly good luck to the pint pot

Good luck to the barley mow

First refrain

Oh the pint pot, half a pint, gill pot, half a gill, quarter gill, nipperkin, and a round bowl

Here's good luck (good luck!), good luck to the barley mow

Second verse

Now here's good luck to the quart pot

Good luck to the barley mow

Jolly good luck to the quart pot

Good luck to the barley mow

Second refrain

Oh the quart pot, pint pot, half a pint, gill pot, half a gill, quarter gill, nipperkin, and a round bowl

Here's good luck (good luck!), good luck to the barley mow

Eleven verses later, this ultimate stanza and refrain conclude this version of the song:

Thirteenth verse

Now here's good luck to the company

Good luck to the barley mow

Jolly good luck to the company

Good luck to the barley mow

Thirteenth refrain

Oh, the company, brewer, bookie (or cooper), slavey, drayer, daughter, landlady, landlord, barrel, half-barrel, gallon, half-gallon, quart pot, pint pot, half a pint, gill pot, half a gill, quarter gill, nipperkin, and a round bowl

Here's good luck (good luck!), good luck to the barley mow

The 12 terms between landlord and round bowl are English units—particularly units used to measure the volume of alcoholic beverages. These are sung in descending order from largest (barrel) to smallest (round bowl). Round bowl (sometimes sung brown bowl) indicates either a humble, wooden bowl, or a person's hands cupped together into the shape of a bowl.

Company refers to the party of people gathered together singing the song. A slavey is a female servant. A drayer is a person who transports heavy loads of goods (such as barrels of beer) in a type of horse-drawn cart called a dray. Daughter refers to the barmaid or serveuse in a family-owned public house.