This article is about the song. For the album, see All Around My Hat (album… Read Full Bio ↴This article is about the song. For the album, see All Around My Hat (album).
"All Around My Hat (song)"

The song "All Around my Hat" (Round 567, Laws P31) is of nineteenth century English origin.[citation needed] In an early version, dating from the 1820s, a Cockney costermonger vowed to be true to his fiancee, who had been sentenced to seven years transportation to Australia for theft and to mourn his loss by wearing green willow sprigs in his hatband for "a twelve-month and a day," in a traditional symbol of mourning.

In Ireland, Peadar Kearney adapted the song to make it relate to an Republican lass whose lover has died in the Easter Rising, and who swears to wear the Irish tricolour in her hat in remembrance.

All Around My Hat
Steeleye Span Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All around my hat I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day
And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
It's all for my true love who's far, far away

Fare thee well cold winter and fare thee well cold frost
Nothing have I gained but my own true love I've lost
I'll sing and I'll be merry when occasion I do see

He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he

The other night he brought me a fine diamond ring
But he thought to have deprived me of a far better thing
But I being careful like lovers ought to be
He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he

And all around my hat I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day
And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
It's all for my true love who's far, far away

Here's a half a pound of reasons, and a quarter pound of sense
A small sprig of time and as much of prudence
You mix them all together and you will plainly see
He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he

And all around my hat I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day
And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
It's all for my true love who's far far away

All around my hat I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day
And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
It's all for my true love who's far, far away

All around my hat I will wear the green willow
And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day

And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
It's all for my true love who's far, far away

Overall Meaning

"All Around My Hat" is a traditional folk song from England, often performed by Steeleye Span. The lyrics seem to be telling a story of a woman who has lost her true love but still wears a green willow on her hat, symbolizing her devotion to him. The green willow is a symbol of mourning and sadness, suggesting that the woman is still grieving over the loss of her love. She wears it for a full year, as a symbolic commitment to her love.

The lyrics also suggest that the woman's love was false and that he deceived her. The second verse seems to be a rebuke of her former love, with the singer expressing her happiness and freedom from him. The third verse suggests that her former love gave her a diamond ring but that she values her true love more than material possessions. The fourth verse suggests that the woman has learned a valuable lesson about love and relationships, mixing "reasons" and "sense" to create "prudence."

Overall, the song seems to be a lament for a lost love that was not true or honest, while also celebrating the woman's ability to move on and find happiness without him.

Line by Line Meaning

All around my hat I will wear the green willow
I will wear a green willow wreath all around my hat.

And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day
I will wear the willow wreath for a year and a day.

And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it
If someone asks me why I am wearing the wreath,

It's all for my true love who's far, far away
I will reply that I am wearing it for my distant, true love.

Fare thee well cold winter and fare thee well cold frost
Goodbye to the cold winter and frost.

Nothing have I gained but my own true love I've lost
I have gained nothing but have lost my own true love.

I'll sing and I'll be merry when occasion I do see
I will sing and be merry when the opportunity arises.

He's a false deluding young man, let him go farewell he
My lost love is a deceitful young man, I bid him farewell.

The other night he brought me a fine diamond ring
Recently he gave me a beautiful diamond ring,

But he thought to have deprived me of a far better thing
But he intended to take away something more valuable.

But I being careful like lovers ought to be
But I am cautious as lovers should be.

Here's a half a pound of reasons, and a quarter pound of sense
Here is some advice: have reasons and use common sense.

A small sprig of time and as much of prudence
Take a small amount of time and use good judgement.

You mix them all together and you will plainly see
If you combine them, you will understand clearly.