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Strawberry Fair is an English folk song (Roud Folk Song Index 173).

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The song was collected by H. Fleetwood Sheppard in Broadstone, Devon, in 1891. The text may have been re-written by Sabine Baring Gould and Fleetwood Sheppard.

Lyrics

As I was going to Strawberry Fair,
Singing, singing, Butter-cups and Daisies
I met a maiden taking her ware,
Fol-de-dee!
Her eyes were blue and golden her hair,
As she went on to Strawberry Fair,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-li-do,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-dee.

"Kind Sir, pray pick of my basket!" she said,
Singing, singing, Butter-cups and Daisies
"My cherries ripe, or my roses red,
Fol-de-dee!
My strawberries sweet, I can of them spare,
As I go on to Strawberry Fair."
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-li-do,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-dee.

I want to purchase a generous heart,
Singing, singing, Butter-cups and Daisies
A tongue that neither is nimble or tart.
Tol-de-dee!
An honest mind, but such trifles are rare
I doubt if they're found at Strawberry Fair.
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-li-do,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-dee.

The price I offer, my sweet pretty maid
Singing, singing, Butter-cups and Daisies
A ring of gold on your finger displayed,
Tol-de-dee!
So come- make over to me your ware,
In church today at Strawberry Fair.
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-li-do,
Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-dee.

Versions

• A version was recorded by Anthony Newley (Decca F11295, 1960, "Strawberry Fair / A Boy Without a Girl") which reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart. The beginning is the same as the traditional version, but then the rest is altered for humorous effect, for example: I told her straight / I want a girl with a generous heart / (Singing, singing buttercups and oojahs) / Without a tongue that is wicked or smart / (Foldadee) / And an honest mind but these are rare / I doubt If I'll find 'em at this crummy old fair / (Rifle, Rifle, Tolderiddleay)". In the same year, Newley also performed a shortened version of this arrangement in episode 5 of his surreal comedy show The Strange World of Gurney Slade.
• In a 1968 episode of Round the Horne, Rambling Syd Rumpo (played by Kenneth Williams) parodied this song as "Goosenadgers Fair" ("As I was going to Goosenadgers Fair, / Singing, singing, loomers on my posset… / Singing, singing, nadger Julie Felix / Singing, singing, riddle Simon Dee...")

References

• Sabine Baring Gould and H. Fleetwood Sheppard, Songs of the West, 1905.

External links

• MIDI file

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