(2004 - 2016) An 11 piece band that play(ed) arrangements of English tradit… Read Full Bio ↴(2004 - 2016) An 11 piece band that play(ed) arrangements of English traditional music.

They released one Ep, E.P.onymous in October 2004, and five albums, Burlesque in October 2006, Matachin in October 2008, Hedonism in October 2010, Broadside in October 2012 and Revival in June 2014.
http://www.bellowhead.co.uk/releases.html

They announced in 2015 that the 2016 tour would be the last.
www.bellowhead.co.uk/home/item/142-thats-all-folks.html

Band Members ...
Jon Boden - lead vocals and fiddle
John Spiers - melodeon & concertina
Benji Kirkpatrick - bouzouki, guitar, mandolin, tenor banjo
Paul Sartin - Fiddle, oboe and vocals
Rachael McShane - Cello, fiddle, vocals
Ed Neuhauser - Sousaphone, Helicon & Tuba
Pete Flood - percussion
Andy Mellon - trumpet & flugelhorn
Brendan Kelly - soprano & tenor saxes, bass clarinet
Justin Thurgur - trombone
Sam Sweeney - Fiddle, Bagpipes
www.bellowhead.co.uk/band.html

Old Dun Cow
Bellowhead Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Some mates and I in a public house
Were playing dominoes last night
When all of a sudden in the pot-man came
With his face all chalky white
"What's up?" says Brown. "Have you seen a ghost?"
"Have you seen your Aunt Mariah?"
"Me Aunt Mariah be blown," said he.
"The bloomin' pub's on fire!"

Oh there was Brown, upside down
Knocking back the whiskey on the floor
"Booze, booze," the firemen cried
As they came knocking at the door
Oh don't let 'em in till it's all mopped up
Somebody shouted "MacIntyre!"
And we all got blue blind paralytic drunk
When the Old Dun Cow caught fire

Old Johnson rushed to the port wine tub
And gave it just a few hard knocks
He started taking off his pantaloons
Likewise his shoes and socks
"Hold on," said Tibbs, "If you want to wash your feet
There's a tub of old ale here
Don't wash your feet in the port wine tub
When we've still got some old stale beer"

Oh there was Brown, upside down
Knocking back the whiskey on the floor
"Booze, booze," the firemen cried
As they came knocking at the door
Oh don't let 'em in till it's all mopped up
Somebody shouted "MacIntyre!"
And we all got blue blind paralytic drunk
When the Old Dun Cow caught fire

Just then there came such an awful crash
Half the bloomin' roof gave way
We were doused with a fireman's hose
But still we were all gay.
So we got some sacks, and some old tin tacks
And we bunged ourselves inside
And we all got drinking good old Scotch
'Til we was bleary-eyed

Oh there was Brown, upside down
Knocking back the whiskey on the floor
"Booze, booze," the firemen cried
As they came knocking at the door
Oh don't let 'em in till it's all mopped up
Somebody shouted "MacIntyre!"
And we all got blue blind paralytic drunk
When the Old Dun Cow caught fire

Fire! Fire!
Fire! Fire!
Fire! Fire!
Fire! Fire!

And we all got blue blind paralytic drunk
When the Old Dun Cow caught fire

Overall Meaning

"Old Dun Cow" is a well-known folk song from England that tells the tale of a pub-goer’s wild night out that went awry when the pub caught fire. The song is written in a jovial tone and tells the humorous story of a group of friends who were playing dominoes in a pub. Suddenly, the pot-man arrives and informs them that the pub has caught fire. The friends, however, remained unfazed and continue to drink their alcohol, despite the fact that the fire brigade was trying to put out the flames.

The lyrics of the song are filled with witty and sarcastic humor. The lyrics describe a number of humorous events that took place during the fire, such as the old Johnson knocking on the port wine tub and taking off his pants and shoes. In another verse, the lyrics describe the group stuffing themselves into sacks and successfully continuing to drink their scotch despite the fact that the pub was still on fire.

Line by Line Meaning

Some mates and I in a public house Were playing dominoes last night When all of a sudden in the pot-man came With his face all chalky white
A group of friends were playing dominoes in a pub, when the pot-man came in suddenly with a pale face.

"What's up?" says Brown. "Have you seen a ghost?" "Have you seen your Aunt Mariah?" "Me Aunt Mariah be blown," said he. "The bloomin' pub's on fire!"
Brown asks the pot-man if he has seen a ghost or his Aunt Mariah, but the pot-man reveals that the pub is on fire.

Old Johnson rushed to the port wine tub And gave it just a few hard knocks He started taking off his pantaloons Likewise his shoes and socks "Hold on," said Tibbs, "If you want to wash your feet There's a tub of old ale here Don't wash your feet in the port wine tub When we've still got some old stale beer"
Old Johnson hits the port wine tub and starts undressing. Tibbs reminds Johnson that there is a tub of old ale for washing his feet and not to use the port wine tub, as the pub still has some old stale beer.

Just then there came such an awful crash Half the bloomin' roof gave way We were doused with a fireman's hose But still we were all gay. So we got some sacks, and some old tin tacks And we bunged ourselves inside And we all got drinking good old Scotch 'Til we was bleary-eyed
The roof collapses, and the group is soaked with a fireman's hose. Despite this, they remain upbeat and duck inside sacks using old tin tacks, continuing to drink Scotch until they're completely drunk.

Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! And we all got blue blind paralytic drunk When the Old Dun Cow caught fire
The fire continues to rage, and everyone gets incredibly drunk, despite the danger of the situation.

Contributed by Adeline D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS