Merrily rolls the mill-stream on

General information

Lyricist: George Colman

Settings by composers

• George Alexander Macfarren SATB
• Samuel Reay ATTB

Texts and Translations

English text

Merrily rolls the mill-stream on,
Merrily goes the mill,
And merry tonight shall be my song,
As ever the gay lark's trill.
While the stream shall flow, and the mill shall go,
And the garners are bravely stored;
Come all who will, there's a welcome still
At the joyful miller's board.
Merrily rolls the mill-stream on,
Merrily goes the mill,
And merry tonight shall be my song,
As ever the gay lark's trill.

Well may the miller's heart be light,
Well may his song be gay,
For the rich man's smile and the poor man's prayer
Have been his for many a day;
And they bless the name of the miller's dame,
In cots where the lowly mourn,
For want and woe at her presence go,
And joy and peace return.
Merrily rolls…

Fair is the miller's daughter too,
With her locks of golden hair,
With her laughing eye and her sunny brow,
Still better is she than fair. She has lightened toil with her winning smile,
Let her sing the song he has loved so long,
And the miller's heart is glad.
Merrily rolls…