Cold and Raw the North Wind Doth Blow

Original Full Version: “Cold and Raw the North Wind Doth Blow”

(As commonly attributed to Thomas D’Urfey, c. 17th–18th century)

Cold and raw the north wind doth blow,

Bleak in the morning early;

All the hills are covered with snow,

And winter’s now come fairly.

When Mary and I sat down to talk,

Cold and raw was the weather;

Our elbows they were both on the board,

And out hands were join’d together.

And if you’ll believe me, my pretty young lass,

My heart was stolen completely,

Not with your beauty or your fine gown,

But your conversation sweetly.

Then Mary, sweet Mary, if thou wouldst be true,

And join in loving cheerly,

Then I’ll be thine through frost and snow,

Through winter’s storm and yearly.

Notes on This Version

• The early versions often had as many as 6–10 stanzas, varying slightly in wording depending on the publisher or region.
• It was originally sung to a well-known traditional tune called “Cold and Raw”, a melody also referenced by Henry Purcell in 1692 when he used it in The Fairy Queen (an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
• Over time, only the first quatrain (4 lines) was preserved and repurposed as a nursery rhyme due to its seasonal tone and simple rhythm.