(It Was A) Lover and His Lass
Lyrics by William Shakespeare

It was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o’er the green corn-field did pass
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

This carol they began that hour,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
How that a life was but a flower,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

And therefore take the present time,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
For love is crowned with the prime
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, Hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.