Eli the Barrow Boy

"Eli the Barrow Boy" was written by Colin Meloy of American indie rock band The Decemberists, and originally released on their 2005 album *Picaresque*. The Longest Johns have covered it with some frequency in their livestreams, and released a video cover on YouTube on 12 April 2023.

### Factoids

A **barrow boy** was a street vendor who would sell various goods out of a wheelbarrow.

A **tamarack** is a type of larch tree native to Canada and the northeastern United States.

Andy covered this song in the For Want of Rain project.

## Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams; they more or less follow the original version.

>
> Eli the barrow boy, of the old town
>
> Sells coal and marigolds and he cries out
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> All down the day
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>
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> Below the tamaracks he is crying
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> Corn cobs and candle wax for the buying
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> All down the day
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>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> Would I could afford to buy my love a fine robe
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> Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
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> But she is dead and gone and lying in a pine grove
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> And still I push my barrow all the day
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> Still I push my barrow all the day
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>
>
> Eli the barrow boy, when they found him
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> Dressed all in corduroy, he had drowned in
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> The river down the way
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>
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> They laid his body down in a churchyard
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> But still when the moon is out, with his pushcart
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> He calls down the day
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>
>
> {Chorus 2}
>
> Would I could afford to buy my love a fine gown
>
> Made of gold and silk Arabian thread
>
> But I am dead and gone and lying in a church ground
>
> And still I push my barrow all the day
>
> Still I push my barrow all the day
>
>
>
> I must push my barrow all the day
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> I must push my barrow all the day
>
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Gig Videos

* Falmouth International Shanty Festival (22 Jun 2018)
* Shrewsbury Folk Festival (28 Aug 2021)

#### Full Band Streams

* TLJ Christmas Party!! (18 Dec 2019)
* (New Merch) I'm Goin' Off the Rails on a Crazy Stream (14 Oct 2020)
* All Aboard the Stream Locomotive (2 Jun 2021)
* Amazing Technicolor Stream-coat!! (7 Jul 2021)
* It's The Most Wonderful Stream of the Year (22 Dec 2021)
* Blue Stream of Death! (29 Jun 2022)
* Stream me up Scotty! (23 Aug 2022)
* Streamworks (18 Jan 2023)
* Do Androids Stream of Electric Sheep (3 Aug 2023)
* Little Stream of Horrors (25 Oct 2023)
* Big Announcement Stream (22 Nov 2023)
* It Was Christmas Stream Babe (20 Dec 2023)

#### Chill Streams

* JD & Andy Chilltime - 13/01/2020
* JD & Andy Chilltime - 27/01/2020
* Welcome to the Chilldome! Playing mostly folk music... - 20/04/2020
* More chilled than a sack of penguins with Andy & JD - 27/04/2020

#### Gaming Streams

* Adventures on the Sea of Thieves with Andy and JD (29 Aug 2018)
* Sea of Sings! Let's ride the waves like majestic manatees! - 17/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's get boaty! - 20/07/2020
* 4 Sloops 4 Furious - 04/09/2020
* Singing you say? On the sea you say? Sea of Sings! - 12/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with KroTukk! SHANT! - 3/11/2020
* Let's get splashy - 18/12/2020
* Sea of Sings! Pirate malarkey afoot! - 15/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Yarr? - 01/02/2021
* Sea of Sings - It's boat time - 22/02/2021
* Give it away, give it away, give it away now! | Sea of Sings - 15/03/2021
* Streamy time sails with friends and song! - 23/04/2021
* It's Monday, Monday, Singing and Sailing on Monday! - 26/04/2021
* Roll on up, roll on down. We all get songs in Streaming Town - 31/05/2021
* Sing what you want 'cause a streamer is free, You Are A Streamer! - 02/08/2021
* STREAM Stream stream... - 27/09/2021
* Too many gosh darned BUCKETS!!!! ... - 18/10/2021