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Oh, say, gentle maiden, may I be your lover?
Condemn me no longer to moan and to weep;
Struck down like a hawk, I lie wounded and bleeding,
Oh, let down your drawbridge, I'll enter your keep.
Enter your keep nonie nonie, enter your keep nonie nonie,
Let down your drawbridge, I'll enter your keep.
Alas, gentle errant, I am not a maiden,
I'm married to Sir Oswald, that cunning old Celt;
He's gone to wars for twelve months or longer,
And he's taken the key to my chastity belt.
Chastity belt nonie nonie, chastity belt nonie nonie,
Taken the key to my chastity belt.
Fear not, gentle lady, for I know a locksmith,
To his shop we will go, on his door we will knock;
And try to avail us of his technical knowledge,
And see if he's able to unpick your lock.
Unpick your lock nonie nonie, unpick your lock nonie nonie,
See if he's able to unpick your lock.
Alas, sir and madam, to help I'm unable,
My technical knowledge is to no avail;
I can't find the secret to your combination,
For the cunning old bastard has fitted a Yale.
Fitted a Yale nonie nonie, fitted a Yale nonie none,
The cunning old bastard has fitted a Yale.
I come from the wars with dire news of disaster,
A terrible mishap I have to confide;
As my ship was a passing the Straits of Gibraltar,
I carelessly dropped the key over the side.
Over the side nonie nonie, over the side nonie nonie,
Carelessly dropped the key over the side.
Alas and alack, I am locked up forever.
Then up spoke the page boy, "Leave it to me;
If you will allow me to enter your chamber,
I'll open it up with me duplicate key."
Duplicate key nonie nonie, duplicate key nonie nonie,
Open it up with me duplicate key.
In his CSU Fresno Web site Drinking Songs, John Patrick writes: This is a modern bawdy folksong that tries to imitate the Elizabethan style song. It enjoyed some popularity among rugby players in the 1960's and at folk festivals in the UK. The earliest I have been able to document this song is from 1956/57 at an RAF party. It may be of WWII RAF currency.
A variant was recorded by Ryan's Fancy (Ryan's Fancy Live ©1975, Audat Records).
