mad tom

from the album escondida, the one and only jolie holland

To see Mad Tom of Bedlam
Ten thousand miles I've travelled
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
To save her shoes from gravel

It's well that we sing bonney boys
Bonney mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonney
For they all go bare, and they live in the air
And they want no drink nor money

I went down to Satan's kitchen
For to break my fast one morning
And there I got souls popping hot
All on the spits a-turnin'

It's well that we sing bonney boys
Bonney mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonney
For they all go bare, and they live in the air
And they want no drink nor money

They' spirits got hot as lightning
Did on that journey guide me
The sun did shake and the pale moon quake
Wherever they did spy me

Yet it's well that we sing bonney boys
Bonney mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonney
For they all go bare, and they live in the air
And they want no drink nor money

My staff has murdered giants
And my pack a long knife carries
For to slice mince pies from children's thighs
From which to feed the faeries

It's well that we sing bonney boys
Bonney mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonney
For they all go bare, and they live in the air
And they want no drink nor money

Tonight I'll go a murderin'
The man in the moon to a powder
His dog I'll shake and his staff I'll break
And I'll howl a wee bit louder

It's well that we sing bonney boys
Bonney mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonney
For they all go bare, and they live in the air
And they want no drink nor money

To see Mad Tom of Bedlam
Ten thousand miles I've travelled
Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes
To save her shoes from gravel

It's well that we sing bonney boys
Bonney mad boys
Bedlam boys are bonney
For they all go bare, and they live in the air
And they want no drink nor money

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jolie holland
• beautiful music
• be good tanyas
• cat power

[MadTomOfBedlam]

@okdora i invented the deep fried bacon wrappedsteak and two eggs breakfast ball. and i perform this song regularly, obviously not this version or as popularly as this here lady, but nonetheless. also i would like it to be noted that i was a big fan of the be good tanyas, i saw them at thirsty ear and thoroughly enjoyed it, i just dont care for this rendition of this song.

[okdora]

@MadTomOfBedlam Jolie rocks effortlessly.  What have you done that's cool lately?

[bobdogstar]

yes, it is English. Poor Tom o' Bedlam was a probably fictional inmate of the worlds first insane assylum in London, founded 1337. In Bethlehem hospital conditions were very bad. They used to charge the public a penny to visit and poke the inmates with sticks... and this was popular with thousands attending. The song is ancient too - beggars across the country used to claim to be 'poor Tom o' Bedlam' as a sympathy ploy - yet the hospital had less than 30 beds.

[rugshort]

@MadTomOfBedlam Your comment is rubbish.

[MadTomOfBedlam]

no, actually it is english, hence all the references to Bedlam a famous english insane asylum, it was written in the early modern period of england, and this is a fucking sucky version, this chick wants to be cool way too bad

[xasthurisamazing]

still not english!! thats the main thing eh b'y!! lol

[maryelsigan]

@xasthurisamazing SCOTTISH ;)

[xasthurisamazing]

this is an irish song, what th hell is this?

[MovieMentalist]

When I go to heaven, Jolie will be performing everyday. It's funny to think I first heard her on a hip-hop record.