Drink Up Thy Zider

As you’re probably not interested in lunch with my aunt and mowing the lawn, here’s some Somerset Trivia for you. You can use in your next pub quiz night if you happen to be at the Butcher’s Arms on a Friday evening.

Somerset is well known for many things, including (hard) cider and The Wurzels, a band started by Adge Cutler back in the 70s. They were immensely popular, mainly for being total…wurzels (a mango-wurzel is sort of a turnip, and the term wurzel is used interchangeably with yokel). They sang in Somerset dialect (pronounce Somerset “Zummerrzet”, and sort of speak with a pirate accent – ooh ARRRR!) and about topics of local interest. Songs like “I am a cider drinker,” “I’ve got a brand new combine harvester”, and “Drink up thy Zider” were HUGE hits in my youth. “Combine Harvester” was remixed as a dance hit a few years ago, and I think even made it to the States. The Wurzels are sort of Bristol City’s Football Club mascot, and whenever BCFC scores a goal, the whole crowd sings “Drink up thy zider.”