Strike it up, Tabor

Song Meaning

This is a rollicking, almost chaotic scene of communal revelry, likely a May Day celebration. The opening lines immediately set a tone of eager anticipation and reward, with the narrator commanding "Tabor" to "Strike it up" and "pipe us a favour," promising payment for the musician's "labour." The narrator's own intention is to "spend my shoe-soul / To dance about the Maypole," emphasizing a wholehearted, unrestrained commitment to the festivities. The energy is high, described through a cascade of active verbs: "Leap and skip, hop and trip / Turn about in the rout," painting a picture of uninhibited movement until physical exhaustion sets in. The lyrics then shift to a more specific, perhaps bawdier, set of interactions within the dance. "Lusty Dick Hopkin" is urged to "Lay on with thy napkin," a phrase that, coupled with the mention of "stitching" and "dodkin" (a small coin), hints at either a frugal celebration or perhaps a more suggestive undertone to the proceedings. The mention of "Martin of Compton" saving the "Morris" suggests a community effort or a specific dance tradition being upheld. The dialogue that follows, "Pretty Jill, stand you still / Dapper Jack means to smack," introduces a playful, possibly flirtatious, dynamic, culminating in a playful accusation: "How now, fie fie fie, you dance false." The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their dense, active language and the vivid, albeit fragmented, snapshots of a lively folk gathering. The rapid-fire verbs and the shift from general revelry to specific character interactions create a sense of immediate immersion. The slight ambiguity in phrases like "Lay on with thy napkin" and the quick, almost teasing dialogue add layers of potential meaning, suggesting that beneath the surface of simple merriment, there's a complex social dynamic at play. The writing captures the boisterous, slightly unpolished spirit of a community letting loose.