Thornaby Woods - Steeleye Span

In Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire

Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire

Three game-keepers' houses stood three-square

About a mile from each other they were

Their orders they were to look out for the deer

Long, long the day

Me and the dogs went out one night

The moon and stars were shining bright

O’er hedges, ditches, fields and stiles

With my three dogs running close by me heels

To catch a fat buck down in Thornaby fields

Long, long the day

That very first night, I had bad luck

For one of me very best dogs got shot

He came to me all bloody and lame

Right sorry was I for to see the same

And not being able to follow the game

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

I looked at his wounds and found them slight

'Twas done by some keeper out of spite

I’ll take a right stick all in me hand

And I’ll search the woods till I find that man

I’ll tan his old hide, right well, if I can

Long, long the day

Then I went home and went to bed

And Limping Jack went out in me stead

He searched the woods around at length

'Til he found a buck rough lying dead the ground

'Twas my little dog that gave him his death wound

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

He got a butcher to skin the game

And likewise another to sell the same

The very first joint that he offered for sale

It was to an old woman who sold bad ale

She had us all up in Nottingham gaol

Long, long the day

The Nottingham assizes are over and past

And we three chaps got free at last

The bucks and does shall never roam free

For a poacher’s life is the life for me A poacher I will always be Long, long the day

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

Long, long the day

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods

In Thornaby Woods