This is a poem by Rudyard Kipling from the book Puck of Pook's Hill. The tune we sing here is penned by the great Peter Bellamy. #savethebees!
lyrics
Bees! Bees! Hark to your bees!
Hide from your neighbours as much as you please,
But all that has happened, to us you must tell,
Or else we will give you no honey to sell!
A maiden in her glory,
Upon her wedding-day,
Must tell the bees a story,
Or else they'll fly away.
Fly away - die away -
Dwindle down and leave you!
But if you never grieve your bees,
Your bees will never grieve you...
Bees! Bees! Hark to your bees!
Hide from your neighbours as much as you please,
But all that has happened, to us you must tell,
Or else we will give you no honey to sell!
Marriage, birth and buryin',
News across the sea,
All you're sad or merry in,
You must tell the bees.
Tell 'em going in an' out,
Where the Fanners fan,
'Cause the bees are just about
As curious as a man...
Bees! Bees! Hark to your bees!
Hide from your neighbours as much as you please,
But all that has happened, to us you must tell,
Or else we will give you no honey to sell!
Don't you hide where the trees are,
When the lightnings play,
Nor don't you hate where bees are,
Or else they'll pine away.
Pine away - dwine away -
Anything to leave you!
But if you don't deceive your bees,
Your bees'll not deceive you...
Bees! Bees! Hark to your bees!
Hide from your neighbours as much as you please,
But all that has happened, to us you must tell,
Or else we will give you no honey to sell!
credits
from Rise Aurora,
released December 1, 2016
Words by Rudyard Kipling. Music by Peter Bellamy.
Arranged by Rowan Piggott
Rosie is a folk singer/songwriter from Midhurst, West Sussex. Having grown up surrounded by traditional music, her voice
possesses a naturalness and maturity, bringing "a ruby-richness to lyrics new and old". (Folk Radio UK)
Rosie is currently touring with her trio, The Wilderness Yet....more
supported by 14 fans who also own “Bee-Boy's Song”
Rosie's voice is so pure and sweet, yet so rich and full of character. And when the three of them sing together (as on "Old Brock"), it's really magical. Their special music is certainly What Holds The World Together for me. John Fisher
Adapting their calculated standards into a raw, live setting, the radical UK folk duo rework six highlights from their spellbindincatalogue. Bandcamp New & Notable Dec 7, 2022