Billy Barlow

1. Let's go hunting, says Risky Rob
Let's go hunting, says Robin to Bob
Let's go hunting, says Dan'l to Joe
Let's go hunting, says Billy Barlow

2. What shall we hunt? says Risky Rob
What shall we hunt? says Robin to Bob
What shall we hunt? says Dan'l to Joe
Hunt for a rat, says Billy Barlow

3. How shall we get him? says Risky Rob
How shall we get him? says Robin to Bob
How shall we get him? says Dan'l to Joe
Borrow a gun, says Billy Barlow

4. How shall we haul him? says Risky Rob
How shall we haul him? says Robin to Bob
How shall we haul him? says Dan’l to Joe
Borrow a wagon, says Billy Barlow

5. How shall we divide him? says Risky Rob
How shall we divide him? says Robin to Bob
How shall we divide him? says Dan'l to Joe
Hack him to pieces, says Billy Barlow

6. I'll take shoulder, says Risky Rob
I'll take side, says Robin to Bob
I'll take back, says Dan'l to Joe
Tail bone mine, says Billy Barlow

7. How shall we cook him? says Risky Rob
How shall we cook him? says Robin to Bob
How shall we cook him? says Dan'l to Joe
Each as you like it, says Billy Barlow

8. I'll broil shoulder says Risky Rob
I'll fry side, says Robin to Bob
I'll boil ham, says Dan'l to Joe
Tail bone raw! says Billy Barlow


This Southwestern ballad is found in Alan Lomax’s “Folksongs of North America” and was sung by Pete Seeger and others, with some variations in lyric and timing. An old English version describes a quintet shooting a cutty wren with bows and arrows. It was a song of protest by the hungry British peasantry. In most American versions, a squirrel, rat, or other small animal replaces the cutty wren.