Mick Haywood's Song Wordbook

Batley Years

Leeds Years Batley Years
Painting of hunstman on a horse jumping a fence with hounds

Tally-ho the hounds! 19th century painting

Doctor Mack


I first heard this hunt song sang at Dewsbury Folk Club by Bob Auty in the early 1970s. It was an instant hit with me as it is set to the tune "The Vicar of Bray" which I sang at school while growing up.

A version of the song has been collected in Northern Ireland where it is known as "The Hunting Priest". The Barnsley duo Derek & Dorothy Elliott sang it on their 1972 album of the same name where it was called "Tally Ho the Hounds".
Leslie Garside the Huntsman of the Holme Valley Beagles 1951- 1961 can be heard singing it on their 1975 record "A fine Hunting Day". Will Noble the builder and dry stone waller and formerly of The Holme Valley Tradition can be heard singing it on his solo 2017 compact disc "It’s Gritstone for Me", Veteran Records VT161. He is joined on the record by his son Cuthbert and daughter Lydia, who are both dry stone wall building champions in their own right.


Doctor Mack

Here Doctor Mack no more enjoys the burden of me song, sir
I'll tell you the like the priest enjoys is constitution strong, sir
It's his delight to drink all night his cares in punch to drown, sir
And in the morn to join the horn and Tally ho the hounds, sir
And tally-ho, and tally-ho, and tally-ho the hounds sir
And in the morn to join the horn and tally-ho the hounds sir.

It’s every day he can afford to dine on boil and roast, sir
And then as great as any lord he’ll drink his favourite toast, sir
He laughs and winks at them that drinks and them that are not bound, sir
And he lifts his glass and lets it pass to tally-ho the hounds, sir
And tally-ho, and tally-ho, and tally-ho the hounds sir
He takes his glass and lets it pass to tally-ho the hounds, sir.

It’s every time he goes to mass the priest puts on his boots, sir
And if a fox that way should pass he will follow in pursuit, sir
He nimbly leaps o'er hedge and ditch to him there are no bounds, sir
And if he can he'll lead the van to tally-ho the hounds sir
And tally-ho, and tally-ho, and tally-ho the hounds sir
And if he can he'll lead the van to tally-ho the hounds sir.

It happened on Saint Herod's day as he was going to mass, sir
He heard the music of the hounds and he saw bold Reynard pass, sir
He dropped his book his flock forsook and threw away his gown, sir
He mounted his horse to hunt the fox and tally-ho the hounds sir
And tally-ho, and tally-ho, and tally-ho the hounds sir
He mounted his horse to hunt the fox and tally-ho the hounds sir.

It happened he’d a pair to wed bold Reynard passed in view, sir
He drew the surplice o'er his head and bid the pair adieu, sir
They both did pray that he might stay for they were but half-bound, sir
So he said that night to bed they might and tally-ho the hounds, sir
And tally-ho, and tally-ho, and tally-ho the hounds sir
So he said that night to bed they might and tally-ho the hounds, sir.

This priest he had a honest heart he’d neither friend nor arm, sir
The sprightly music of the horn his senses did him charm, sir
He ne’er oppressed or poor distressed his fame I will renown to
He thinks no crime at any time to tally-ho the hounds, sir
And tally-ho, and tally-ho, and tally-ho the hounds sir
He thinks no crime at any time to tally-ho the hounds, sir.

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Mick Haywood is a traditional folk singer & folk song collector who has run and organised folk clubs and festivals for many years. He now lives in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

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