Songs > Bedlam Boys

This can also be done in D minor by replacing the D major chords with D minor and the F#m with an F major chord

           D                      C
For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam
       D          C               D
Ten thousand miles I’ve traveled
        D                       C
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
           D          C               D
For to save her shoes from gravel.

    Chorus:

         D              F#m                    C
Still I sing bonny boys, bonny mad boys
D          C           D
Bedlam boys are bonny
              D                           C
For they all go bare and they live by the air
              D           C            D
And they want no drink nor money.

I went down to Satan's kitchen
For to get me food one morning
And there I got souls piping hot
All on the spit a-turning

And there I took up cauldren
Where boiled ten thousand harlets
Though full of flame I drank the same
To the health of all such varlets

My staff has murdered giants
My bag a long knife carries
For to cut mince pies from children's thighs
And feed them to the fairies

The spirits white as lightening
Would on me travels guide me
The stars would shake
And the moon would quake
Whenever they espied me

And when that I'll be murdering
The Man in the Moon to the powder
His staff I'll break, his dog I'll shake
And there'll howl no demon louder

No gypsy, slut or doxy
Shall win my mad Tom from me
I'll weep all night, with stars I'll fight
The fray shall well become me

So drink to tom o’bedlam
Go fill the seas in barrels
I’ll drink it all well brewed with gall
And maudlin drunk we’ll quarell

For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam
Ten thousand years I have traveled
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
For to save her shoes from gravel.

Additional lyrics:

Now I repent that ever
Poor Tom was so Disdain'd
My wits were lost when him I cross't
Which makes me go thus chain'd

My horn is made of thunder
I stole it out of heaven
The rainbow there is this I wear
For which I thence was driven

And now that I have gotten
A lease than doomsday longer
To live on earth with some in mirth
Ten whales shall ease my hunger