Jim the Carter Lad

Collected by Bob Copper in about 1954 from Harold 'Jim' Swain in Angmering, Sussex: see Chapter Ten, pp. 90-95, of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix for these words.

Smack, crack, goes the whip, I whistle and I sing,
I sit upon my waggon, I was happy as a king,
My horse is always willing and me I'm never sad,
There's none could lead a jollier life than Jim the Carter Lad.

And he was a jolly waggoner, a jolly waggoner was he
There's none all in this country so gay as he.
And I am O, so simple, so simple as I seem
I'll smack my whip and whistle as I drive my team.

Chorus
Smack, crack, goes the whip, I whistle and I sing,
I sit upon my waggon, I was happy as a king,
My horse is always willing and me I'm never sad
There's none could lead a jollier life than Jim the Carter Lad.

I was a jolly waggoner, a jolly waggoner was I,
I walked all in this land so gay as they,
My waggon wheels are turning and my horses' bells are ringing
And there's none could lead a jollier life than Jim the Carter Lad.

Chorus