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The German Musicianer 
The German Musicianer 
I'm a poor married man and I'm near broken-hearted My wife she has left me and she's gone away We had a misfortune, so she and I parted Now I'll tell you what happened to her the other day 
Women are weak, they should mind their possessions I think now with grief, mad me it will send For she's gone away with a German Musicianer Who goes about crying: Pianos to mend 
cho: Fol-the-rol, fol-the-rol, fol-the-rol, laddie All sorts of tunes and things he could play There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle And this to my wife the old German did say. 
It happened one day this old German Musicianer Came through our streets crying: "Pianos to mend" My wife's piano being out of condition Straightway the boy for the old German did send. 
He knocked at the door and he said most politely "I think, ma'am, it's here you are needing repairs Please, ma'am, I've called to mend your piano." "All right," said my wife: "Will you please walk upstairs." 
She took him upstairs, showed him her piano And with the old German seemed greatly amused, And when he had seen it, he said to my Hannah, I think, ma'am, your music's not very much used. 
He touched it, he handled it, both over und under Sharp as a needle, and light as a cork; With all sorts of tools he pulled it asunder And rattled away with his old tuning fork. 
When I came home she told me the story And said the old German had been there all day He'd worked very hard to mend her piano And do what she would he'd not taken her pay. 
I thought it was strange when she told me the story 
And said the old German was ever so kind Would you ever believe that this old German sausage Before going away left his trade-mark behind? 
I swre and I tore at my darling wife Hannah With grief and with rage I'm sure no one can tell I told her to hop it and take her piano And likewise to take the old German as well 
So come all young married men, don't take too much spooning For all women want is to handle your pelf So if ever your wife's piano wants tuning Just take my tip, boys, and tune her yourself. 
From Folksongs of Britain and Ireland, Kennedy Collected from Harry Cox, 1956