album, “Sillion”, Johnny Flynn wrote the song “Barleycorn” which heavily references the character John Barleycorn. In the 2014 album "One and All, Together, For Home", Winterfylleth interprets the Robert Burns version of the poem. Metaphorical usage and appearances in popular culture "John Barleycorn" has been used as a symbol or a slang term for alcohol, and its association with alcohol has been used in various areas of life. Several pubs in the South of England are called "John Barleycorn", in locations including Harlow, Southampton and Reading. Jack London's 1913 autobiographical novel John Barleycorn takes its name from the song and discusses his enjoyment of drinking and struggles with alcoholism. In the climax of the Inside No. 9 episode 'Mr King', the song is performed by a class of schoolchildren as they prepare to ritualistically sacrifice their teacher for their harvest festival. See also Corn dolly Harvest References Sources The Function of Song in Contemporary British Drama by Elizabeth Hale Winkler On line book British Folk Music – John Barleycorn "John Barleycorn: The evolution of a folk-song family", Peter Wood, Folk Music Journal, Vol. 8 no. 4, 438-455. External links "John Barleycorn revisited", essay by Peter Wood, British folk music scholar, 2004 A pleasant new Ballad to sing both Euen and Morne, / Of the bloody murther of Sir John Barley-corne, 1624?, English Broadside Ballad Archive. English folk songs Songs about fictional male characters Songs about alcohol Traffic (band) songs Beer culture Murder ballads