> Steeleye Span > Songs > Who's the Fool Now? / Well Done Liar!

Who's the Fool Now? / Wha's Fu' / Well Done Liar!

[ Roud 473 ; Ballad Index WB022 ; trad.]

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior sang Who's the Fool Now? in 1968 on their first duo album Folk Songs of Old England Vol. 1. The record's sleeve notes comment:

The first printed version of this song appeared in Deuteromelia which was the second part of Pleasant Roundelayes, Delightful Catches, Freeman's Songs published by Thomas Ravenscroft of the Seven Dials in 1609. The theme is the degradation of drink, the master drinking out of the can and telling tall stories, whilst his servant drinking from the cup mocks him. In verse 2 the “Man in the Moon” is King Henry VIII and the man standing in St. Peter's shoes is the Pope. To clout in Old English means to mend; thus it was unlikely so see Henry VIII patching up his differences with the Pope as it was to see a cheese eat a rat.

And Steeleye Span—at that time not with Tim Hart and Maddy Prior any more, but with Gay Woods, vocals, percussion; Peter Knight, violin, vocals; Tim Harries, bass, keyboards; Bob Johnson, guitar, vocals; Dave Mattacks, drums, percussion—recorded a variant of this song called Well Done Liar! with words adapted by Bob Johnson. This recording was released on their CD Bedlam Born. Bob Johnson commented in the album's sleeve notes:

This song comes from the sixteenth century and is thought to be a satire on those who tell wonderful stories “to make other idiots laugh and wise men to cry “Who's the fool now?” ” As such, it is a reflection of the way in which I have perceived my role on stage over the past 28 years; that is to say, as a teller of wonderful stories. Thank you for listening.

Robin and Barry Dransfield sang Who's the Fool Now? in 1970 on their first album, The Rout of the Blues.

The Clutha sang this song as Wha's Fu' in 1974 on their Topic album Scots Ballads, Songs & Dance Tunes.

Lyrics

Tim Hart and Maddy Prior's Who's the Fool Now?

Oh, Martin said to his man, fie, man, fie,
Martin said to his man, who's the fool now?
Oh, Martin said to his man, fill thou the cup and I the can.
Thou hast well drunken man, who's the fool now?

I saw the man in the moon, fie, man, fie,
I saw the man in the moon, who's the fool now?
I saw the man in the moon, clouting of St. Peter's shoen.
Thou hast well drunken, man, who's the fool now?

I saw the hare chase the hound, fie, man, fie,
I saw the hare chase the hound, who's the fool now?
I saw the hare chase the hound, twenty miles above the ground.
Thou hast well drunken, man, who's the fool now?

I saw a mouse chase the cat, fie, man, fie,
I saw a mouse chase the cat, who's the fool now?
I saw a mouse chase the cat, saw the cheese eat the rat.
Thou hast well drunken, man, who's the fool now?

Oh, Martin said to his man, fie, man, fie,
Martin said to his man, who's the fool now?
Oh, Martin said to his man, fill thou the cup and I the can.
Thou hast well drunken man, who's the fool now?

Steeleye Span's Well Done Liar!

I saw a snail drive a nail
I saw a snail drive a nail
Well done liar!

I saw a hare chase a hound
Twenty miles above the ground
Well done liar!

Chorus:

Who's the fool now?
Tell me who's the fool now?
So fill the cup and I the can
Who's the fool now?

I saw the man in the moon
A-wearing of St. Peter's shoen
I saw a wren kill a man
With a dagger in his hand
Well done liar!

Chorus