{"id":27660,"date":"2025-07-01T10:16:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=27660"},"modified":"2025-07-01T10:16:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:16:52","slug":"baa-baa-baa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/baa-baa-baa\/","title":{"rendered":"Baa Baa Baa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The Lawyer and the Sheep Stealer
<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1882<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/composer<\/td>Walter Greenaway \/ Vincent Davies<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN30179<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Jolly John Nash<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
unknown singer accompanied by Billy Rash on Melodeon ; England : Cambridgeshire ; 1960<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
I'll sing you a story, which p'r'aps you all know, 
About the sheepstealer a long time ago,
Who was caught in the act, and in prison he lay, 
When a cunning old lawyer came to him one day; 
To pay him his price the man did agree,
Says the lawyer I'll tell you now how to get free, 
You must look at the Judge in,a soft vacant way, 
And when he speaks.,to you, look silly and say -
Baa! baa! baa!<\/em>

Said the man with a grin, when the plan he did hear, 
Trust me I'll look silly enough, never fear,
I'll make t'owd Judge rayther open his eyes,
And the Jurymen all scratch their yeds in surprise; 
All right said the lawyer, and thought of his fee, 
You will play your part very well I can see,
And the jailors all wondered, and couldn't tell why,
For all night they thought they could hear a sheep cry_
Baa! baa! baa!<\/em>

The next day was fixed for his trial to take place, 
He soon was found guilty, 'twas such a clear case, 
So silence was called, not a sound could you hear, 
As the Judge began speaking in tones so severe, 
Prisoner, you see what you've come to at last, 
What have you to say before sentence is passed,
But the prisoner who stood slowly wagging his head, 
Just looked at the Judge very silly, and said \u2014
Baa! baa! baa!<\/em>

There was a tremendous commotion in court, 
The prisoner was silly, so every one thought, 
And the jailors declared he could not be right,
For they swore he had baa'd like a sheep all the night, 
Said the Judge the poor man is a fool I can see,
He must be discharged, so let him go free,
And the prisoner who stood looking round him so shy, 
As they led him away began loudly to cry_
Baa! baa! baa!<\/em>

When he got outside the old lawyer was there, 
Ha, bravo! said he,you did well I declare, 
From laughing I hardly knew how to refrain, 
But don't let them catch you at that game again; 
Now as I'm in a hurry to get off you see,
Just be quick as you can and hand over my fee, 
But the man stood and looked in a most silly way, 
Grinned at the old lawyer, and slyly did say -
Baa! baa! baa!<\/em>
<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n
A hit in the early 1880s for Jolly John Nash.<\/a> The  song was written for him by Walter Greenaway and Vincent Davies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was collected from the singing and playing of traditional musicians in 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n