The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
On the fourteenth of May at the dawn of the day
With my gun on my shoulder to the woods I did stray
In search of some game if the weather proved fair
To see could I get a shot at the bonny black hare
Oh, I met a young girl there with her face as a rose
And her skin was as fair as the lily that blows
I says "My fair maiden, why mumble you so?
Can you tell me where the bonny black hare do go?"
Oh, the answer she gave me, her answer was "No
But it's under me apron they say it do go
And if you'll not deceive me I vow and declare
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
Well, I laid this girl down with her face to the sky
And I took out my ramrod and my bullets likewise
I says "Lock your legs round me and dig in with your heels
For the closer we get, oh, the better it feels"
The birds they were singing in the bushes and trees
And the song that they sang was "Oh, she's easy to please"
I felt her heart quiver and I knew what I'd done
Says I "Have you had enough of my old sporting gun?"
Oh, the answer she gave me, her answer was "Nay
It's not often young sportsmen like you come this way
And if your powder is willing and your bullets play fair
Why don't you keep firing at the bonny black hare?"
"Oh, my powder is wasted and my bullets all gone
My ramrod is limp and I cannot fire on
But I'll be back in the morning and if you are still here
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
With my gun on my shoulder to the woods I did stray
In search of some game if the weather proved fair
To see could I get a shot at the bonny black hare
Oh, I met a young girl there with her face as a rose
And her skin was as fair as the lily that blows
I says "My fair maiden, why mumble you so?
Can you tell me where the bonny black hare do go?"
Oh, the answer she gave me, her answer was "No
But it's under me apron they say it do go
And if you'll not deceive me I vow and declare
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
Well, I laid this girl down with her face to the sky
And I took out my ramrod and my bullets likewise
I says "Lock your legs round me and dig in with your heels
For the closer we get, oh, the better it feels"
The birds they were singing in the bushes and trees
And the song that they sang was "Oh, she's easy to please"
I felt her heart quiver and I knew what I'd done
Says I "Have you had enough of my old sporting gun?"
Oh, the answer she gave me, her answer was "Nay
It's not often young sportsmen like you come this way
And if your powder is willing and your bullets play fair
Why don't you keep firing at the bonny black hare?"
"Oh, my powder is wasted and my bullets all gone
My ramrod is limp and I cannot fire on
But I'll be back in the morning and if you are still here
We'll both go together to hunt the bonny black hare"
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Bonny Black Hare Lyrics as written by Jim Moray . Traditional
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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