I have been listening to that gorgeous song and I�m amazed by the polyphony not yet observed by me in English songs.
This is what I managed to make out by my non-native ear and with some help of His Majesty, Google.
There were three kings come from the West
Their victory to try;
And they have taken a solemn oath,
John Barleycorn should die.
/I do not understand anything here, sorry/
They took a plough and ploughed him in,
Laid clods all on his head ;
And they had taken a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.
/the magic chorus, had to give up on it ://
They let him lie for a full fortnight,
till dew on him did fall
And Barleycorn sprung up again,
And back (???) amazed them all.
/same chorus ://
They let him stand till mid summer day
till he looked (about???) pale and wan ;
Then Barleycorn he �s grown a beard
And so become a man.
/same unintelligible chorus ://
Then they sent men with scythes so sharp
To cut him off at knee�
And then poor Johnny Barleycorn
They served in barbarousiie.
/the DAMN chorus, NATIVES HELP US OUT :/
�
and it goes again. .... This is where I gave up. �
