This
is a selection of restored solstice carols, these are not personal versions
or parodies but restorations of the carols back to what might have been
their original versions; Pagan Fertility Dance Songs. We're still looking
for the dances to go with them.
Our modern day carols probably evolved
from a tradition of pre-Christian sung fertility dances, which is believed
to have survived up to the 14th Century in this country. The
dances are believed to have been similar in format to the branle (pronounced
brawl) - Old French circle dances and Breton - style Andro or processional
line dances.
There are lurid tales of debauched
revelry and huge processions dancing from town to town, often lead by
a naked woman. These would almost certainly be connected to the Germano
- Celtic rite of Yule on winter solstice, celebrated as Saturnalia by
the Romans. The Wassails come from a distinct Anglo-Saxon tradition, also
connected with fertility. "Waes Heil" means good health
Many of these versions are the work
of Norman Iles, to whom I am indebted, for his lifetime's work in searching
out and restoring these songs and many others to their original meaning
and form. My work has merely been to try to create performable versions
of these tunes and add to the growing, living folk tradition of which
we are all a very important part.
Chorus: Nowell sing we, both all and
some,
The sun unconqueréd is come.
He's risen up in love and joy,
Flames out his favour from the sky,
His being brings us gaiety, Both all and some, both all and some.
Out of the womb of deepest night,
He's sprung with growing warmth and light,
To cure disease and put us right, Both all and some, both all and some.
The saving sun to us was sent,
To bliss us brought, from blackness bent,
Or else to death we down had went, Both all and some, both all and some.
Oh, he will shine with love and light,
In furrows fair his pennon strike,
The earth is stirred with lust for life, Both all and some, both all and some.
Praise to the sun for our comfort,
He's guided us to join his sport,
We'll hold our happiness in his sort, Both all and some, both all and some.
The old year now away has fled
The new year it has enteréd
Let us now our fears downtread
And joyfully all appear - o
Let's merry be this day
And let us now both dance and play
Kiss, love, cast cares away
To welcome in the New Year
The first day of the year we keep
And we shall never wail or weep
We will good fortune reap
And live with merry cheer - o
Houses now are crowned with thorn
With berry and with ivy - corn
We'll uphold the Wassail horn
To welcome in the New Year
And now with New Year gifts, each
friend
His letter doth the other send
We will our comfort lend
And spare not of our gear - o
Like a snake cast off your skin
And to fresh fellow feelings win
Living so you shall begin
To welcome in the New Year
Ivy is the best of trees, Come, bear thy berries. She's the tree that doth men please, Come, bear thy berries. She's worth more than all the town,
Gold, jewels or king's crown,
Still more without a gown, Come, bear thy berries.
Ivy is the best of trees, Come, bear thy berries.
She's the tree that doth men please, Come, bear thy berries.
She is kind and soft of speech,
Love's language she doth teach,
To him who can them reach, Come, bear thy berries.
Ivy is the best of trees, Come, bear thy berries.
She's the tree that doth men please, Come, bear thy berries.
Evergreen and always young,
Smooth joys are round her hung,
I'd prove what I have sung, Come, bear thy berries.
Ivy is the best of trees, Come, bear thy berries.
She's the tree that doth men please, Come, bear thy berries.
She has berries brown or black,
They show where there's no lack,
Bear them, and hold not back, Come, bear thy berries.
Brothers and sisters now lend me your
ears
Why do we celebrate this time of year?
Some say those feet did in ancient time
Walk upon pastures much closer to home
Chorus: Hey and a hey, carol away,
Let's raise the rafters on midwinter's day
Some brought him frankincense, myrrh
and gold
Some bought his effigy and know not what they sold
Some bought the empire and paid for their sins
Some brought in armies to do the heathens in
Chorus
Abbots and monks of yestertime
Lay down your books now, and share out the wine
Lay down your quarrels and sheath up your swords
This is no way to worship your lord
Put down your guilt and your unholy fears
Love loves love, and that's all there is
Chorus
And let us remember on this winter's
day
Why we make merry and carol and play
Some say a child in Bethlehem born
Some say we wait for the sun to return
Some say the sun was the son of the sun
Some say the Mabon, I've nearly begun
Now make ye merry, gentlemen
Let winter not dismay
For the sure sun does now return
Upon this very day
To keep us all from dark and cold
He has not gone away
Chorus: O tidings of comfort and
joy,
Comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy!
Now make ye merry, ladies
Let darkness not affright
For the sure sun does now return
So strong and bold and bright
To keep us all from dark and cold
He has his manly might
Now make ye merry, bachelors
Let need not numb your mind
For the sure sun does now return
In fire and flesh and wine
To keep us all from dark and cold
He has a way to find
Now make ye merry, maidens
Let damp not spoil your lay
For the sure sun does now return
You'll dance upon the hay
To keep us all from dark and cold
He'll give you what you pray
Now make ye merry, children
Let fear not you beguile
For the sure sun does now return
You'll eat and play and smile
To keep us all from dark and cold
There's presents for each child
Now to the sun sing praises
All you within this place
And like a loving company
Each other do embrace
The heart felt time of the New Year
Is drawing on apace
Wassail, and wassail, all over the
town!
The cup it is white, and the ale it is brown;
The cup it is made of the good ashen tree,
And so is the malt of the best barley:
Chorus: For its your wassail, and
its our wassail!
And its joy be to you and a jolly wassail!
O master and miss's, are you all
within?
Pray open the door and let us come in:
O master and miss's, a sitting by the fire,
Pray think upon poor trav'llers, a trav'lling in the
mire:
O where is the maid with the silver
headed pin,
To open the door and let us come in?
O master and missus, it is our desire
A good loaf and cheese, and a toast by the fire:
There was an old man and he had an old
cow,
And how for to keep her he didn't know how,
He built up a barn for to keep his cow warm,
And a drop or two of cider will do us no harm.
No harm boys/girls ,harm: No harm
boys/girls ,harm
And a drop or two of cider will do us no harm!
The girt dog of Langport he bunt his
long tail,
And this is the night we go singing wassail;
O master and missus, now we must be gone;
So bless all in this house 'til we do come again:
When she danced on the waters and the
wind was her horn
The lady laughed and every thing was born
And when she lit up the sun and the light gave him birth
The lord of the dance then appeared on earth
Chorus: Dance, dance, wherever you
may be,
For I am the lord of the dance said he,
And I'll live in you if you live in me,
For I am the lord of the dance said he.
I danced in the morning when the world
was begun
I dance in the moon, in the stars and the sun
I follow the darkness by the soil of the earth
I join in the singing that gave me birth
I dance in the circle when the flames
leapt up high
I dance in the fire and I never, never die
I dance in the waves on the bright summer sea
I am the lord of the wave mystery
I sleep in the kernel and I dance in
the rain
I dance in the wind and through the waving grain
And when you cut me down, I care not this pain
In the spring I'm lord of the dance again
They cut me down but I leapt up high
I am the light that will never,never die
I live in you if you live in me
I am the lord of the dance said he
I dance on the sabbat, you dance out
the spell
I dance and sing that everyone be well
And when the dancing's over don't think I'm gone
To live is to dance, so I dance on and on
He bare him up, he bare him down; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, He bare him to an orchard brown; The falcon hath borne my make away.
Down in yon forest there stands a hall; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, It's covered all over with purple and pall; The falcon hath borne my make away.
In that hall there stands a bed; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, It's covered all over with gold so red; The falcon hath borne my make away.
And in that bed there lieth a knight; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, His wounds did bleed both day and night; The falcon hath borne my make away.
By that bedside there kneeleth a may; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, And she weepeth both night and day; The falcon hath borne my make away.
Under that bed there runs a flood; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, The one half runs water , the other runs blood; The falcon hath borne my make away.
Upon the bedpost the moon shines
bright; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, To bring in the honey- dew this very night; The falcon hath borne my make away.
And by the bedsaide there standeth a
stone; Lulley, lulley, lulley, lulley, The ancient mysteries written thereon; The falcon hath borne my make away.
Maré bring your rounded drum
With your long flute Robin come
When we hear them play as one
Turelurelu, patapatapan
When we hear them play as one
Then the year will be well begun!
Thus the men (folk) of olden days
Lov'd the uprising sun to praise
Now we hear both flute and drum
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Now we hear both flute and drum
Surely we too must do the same!
Sun and moon have now become
More at one than flute and drum
When we hear them play as one
Turelurelu, patapatapan
When we hear them play as one
Together let us come!
This
is a selection of restored solstice carols, these are not personal versions
or parodies but restorations of the carols back to what might have been
their original versions; Pagan Fertility Dance Songs. We're still looking
for the dances to go with them.