Rock Αναφορές ΙΙΙ: John Barleycorn Must Die

(Διασκευές του John Barleycorn θα βρείτε στa άλμπουμ “John Barleycorn Must Die” των Traffic, “Below The Salt” των Steeleye Span, στο “Frost and Fire” των Waterson και στο “Byker Hill” του Martin Carthy.)
Οι διαφορές στον στίχο από διασκευή σε διασκευή, είναι ελάχιστες. Σας δίνω την πρώτη. Και αυτήν θα αναλύσω.



”John Barleycorn Must Die”

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(trad. arr. Winwood)

There were three men came out of the west
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die.

They've ploughed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head,
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead.

The let him lie for a very long time
Till the rains from Heaven did fall,
And little Sir John sprung up his head
And so amazed them all.

They've let him stand till Midsummer's day,
Till he looked both pale and wan.
And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard
And so become a man.

They've hired men with the scythes so sharp,
To cut him off at the knee,
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist,
Serving him most barb'rously.

They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
Who pricked him through the heart
And the loader, he has served him worse than that,
For he's bound him to the cart.

They've wheeled him around and around a field,
Till they came unto a barn,
And there they made a solemn oath
On poor John Barleycorn

They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks,
To cut him skin from bone,
And the miller, he has served him worse than that,
For he's ground him between two stones.

And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
And his Brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
Proved the strongest man at last

The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox
Nor so loudly to blow his horn,
And the tinker, he can't mend kettle nor pots
without a little barley corn

Ανάλυση

Η ιστορία του John Barleycorn

Θα πρέπει να αντιληφθούμε, ότι ο John Barleycorn δεν είναι άνθρωπος αλλά δημητριακό. Barley σημαίνει κριθάρι και corn είναι γενικώς τα δημητριακά.
Στην Αγγλία corn είναι το σιτάρι, στις ΗΠΑ το καλαμπόκι και στην Σκωτία η βρώμη.
Στην Ιρλανδία, Barley-corn σημαίνει ο σπόρος του Κριθαριού.
Πρόκειται για ένα παλιό Κέλτικο παραδοσιακό τραγούδι που αφορά όλη την διαδικασία που ακολουθείται για την απόσταξη του αλκοόλ.
Σπορά, Θέρισμα, ¶λεσμα και Απόσταξη προκειμένου να φτάσουμε στο επιθυμητό αποτέλεσμα.

"There were three men came out of the west
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die."

Ο John Barleycorn καταζητείται από τρεις άντρες που έχουν ορκιστεί ότι ο John Barleycorn πρέπει να πεθάνει.

"They've ploughed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head,
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead. "

Όταν τον βρίσκουν, παίρνουν ένα αλέτρι, σκάβουν το χώμα και τον θάβουν ζωντανό. (Σπορά)

"The let him lie for a very long time
Till the rains from Heaven did fall,
And little Sir John sprung up his head
And so amazed them all."

Την άνοιξη όμως ο John Barleycorn ανασταίνεται μέσα από το έδαφος. (Βλάστηση)

"They've let him stand till Midsummer's day,
Till he looked both pale and wan.
And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard
And so become a man. "

Μετά από λίγο ο John Barleycorn γίνεται μεγάλος και δυνατός, Βγάζει ακόμα και γένια. (Τα άγανα του κριθαριού.)

"They've hired men with the scythes so sharp,
To cut him off at the knee,
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist,
Serving him most barb'rously."

Προσλαμβάνουν άντρες με κοφτερά δρεπάνια που τον κόβουν στο γόνατο, (Θερισμός. Είναι χαρακτηριστικό ότι με ελαφριά κλίση του σώματος, το δρεπάνι κόβει τα δημητριακά στο ύψος του γόνατου.)

"They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks,
Who pricked him through the heart
And the loader, he has served him worse than that,
For he's bound him to the cart.

They've wheeled him around and around a field,
Till they came unto a barn,
And there they made a solemn oath
On poor John Barleycorn

They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks,
To cut him skin from bone,
And the miller, he has served him worse than that,
For he's ground him between two stones."

Τον δένουν σε ένα κάρο, τον χτυπάνε, ξεχωρίζουν τα κόκαλα από τη σάρκα και τον τρίβουν ανάμεσα σε δύο πέτρες. (¶λεσμα)

"And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
And his Brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl
Proved the strongest man at last

Στο τέλος όμως, ο John Barleycorn νικάει τους αντιπάλους του και για να αποδείξει ότι είναι δυνατότερος απ’ αυτούς, μεταλλάσσεται σε αλκοόλ.
(Απόσταξη)