The Derby Ram – Easy Piano Sheet Music

Here’s a wonderful easy piano sheet music arrangement of the folk song The Derby Ram from MakingMusicFun.net. It’s arranged for the advancing/Level 4 piano student and is available for digital download in PDF format.

The Derby Ram | Easy Piano Sheet Music

About The Derby Ram

The “Derby Ram” is a traditional English folk song that tells the story of an enormous, mythical ram.

The song’s origins can be traced back to at least the early 19th century, though it may have roots in even older folk traditions. The song is considered a classic English folk ballad, with numerous regional variations and lyrical differences existing across different parts of the UK.

The basic narrative of the song revolves around the discovery and capture of an enormous ram, typically described as being the size of a hill or mountain. The lyrics detail the ram’s massive size and physical attributes, often in exaggerated, humorous terms.

Today, the “Derby Ram” continues to be performed and recorded by contemporary folk musicians such as:

• Peter, Paul, and Mary
• Ewan MacColl
• Judy Collins
• The Watersons
• Martin Carthy
• The Chieftains
• The Kingston Trio

Lyrics of The Derby Ram

As I came in by Derby,
T’was on a market day,
I spied the biggest ram sir
That ever was fed on hay

And indeed me lads, it’s true me lads,
I never was known to lie,
And if you’d have been in Derby
You’d have seen it same as I

This ram was fat behind sir,
This ram was fat before,
And ever’time its hooves to the ground
They covered an acre or more

And indeed me lads, it’s true me lads,
I never was known to lie,
And if you’d have been in Derby
You’d have seen it same as I

The space between this ram’s horns
Was built so mighty wide,
That a coach foot six could go betwixt
With a footman by the side

And indeed me lads, it’s true me lads,
I never was known to lie,
And if you’d have been in Derby
You’d have seen it same as I

This ram he had a tail, sir
That reached down into Hell,
And ever’time he waggled it
It rang the fireman’s bell

And indeed me lads, it’s true me lads,
I never was known to lie,
And if you’d have been in Derby
You’d have seen it same as I

The singers of this song, sir
We’re called “Sweeney’s Men”,
Another couple o’ pints, sir
And we’ll sing it for you again

And indeed me lads, it’s true me lads,
I never was known to lie,
And if you’d have been in Derby
You’d have seen it same as I

Now if you don’t believe me, sir
And if you think I lie,
Just ask the folks in Derbyshire,
They’re better liars than I

And indeed me lads, it’s true me lads,
I never was known to lie,
And if you’d have been in Derby
You’d have seen it same as I

About the Composer of The Derby Ram

There is no single, definitive composer credited with writing “The Derby Ram” folk song. Like many traditional folk ballads, the origins and authorship of “The Derby Ram” are unclear, as the song has evolved over time through oral tradition and regional variations.

“The Derby Ram” is considered a classic English folk song with a history dating back at least to the 19th century, if not earlier. The narrative and lyrics of the song have been passed down and adapted by countless anonymous folk singers and storytellers across different parts of the United Kingdom.

Over time, different versions of the song emerged, with local singers and musicians putting their own spin on the lyrics and melody. This natural process of folk transmission and variation is what has preserved “The Derby Ram” as a living, evolving folk standard.

So while we cannot point to a single composer, “The Derby Ram” stands as a quintessential example of a traditional English folk song whose origins lie in the collective, anonymous creativity of generations of folk musicians and storytellers. Its enduring popularity is a testament to the organic, communal nature of folk music traditions.

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