One man went to mow is a fantastic song for little kiddywinks to exasperate tired parents. I mean when you get as far as "Thirty-nine men went to mow, went to mow a meadow, thirty-eight men, thirty-seven men, thirty-six men, thirty-five men, Mum is having her second nervous breakdown and Dad has long vanished to the pub.
This very easy childish version that I learned either from my mother or at St. Stephen's School, Worcester is a far cry from the version entitled "One man shall mow my meadow" found in Cecil J. Sharp's 80 English Folk Songs. In his notes Old Cecil says that it was popular and that he had even heard soldiers singing it. One day I fully intend to bring this more interesting version back to life.

Lyrics