Twelve Days of Christmas - New Year’s Eve

Day 7 - The Moon Shines Bright (The Bellman's Song)

The Moon Shines Bright is a carol much in use in the midland and western counties of England. A shorter version was issued by the Seven Dials printers and likewise on west-country broadsides under the title of The Bellman. In the Seven Dials copy the fourth line of the first verse runs, "And hark! the bellman of the night." The functionary known in bygone times as the Bellman was a kind of night watchman, who, in addition to his staff and lantern, carried a bell, and at a certain period of the year was wont to arouse the slumbering inhabitants of the town to listen to some such effusion as that which is given below. For this service (?!) he looked for some gratuity at Christmas. (from the Hymns and Carols of Christmas)

1. The moon shines bright and the stars give light

A little before the day

Our Lord, Our God, he called on us

   [And hark! the bellman of the night]

And bid us awake and pray!

2. Awake, Awake! good people all

Awake and you shall hear

The Lord our God, died on the cross

For us he loved so dear

3. O fair, O fair Jerusalem,

When shall I come to thee?

When shall my sorrows have an end,

Thy joy that I may see?

4. The fields were green as green could be,

When from His glorious seat,

Our Lord, our God, he watered us,

With His heavenly dew so sweet.

5. And for the saving of our souls

Christ died upon the cross,

We ne'er shall do for Jesus Christ

As he has done for us.

6. For the life of a man is but a span,

And cut down in its flower,

We are here to-day, and to-morrow gone,

We are all dead in an hour. [a creature of an hour]

7. O pray teach your children, man

The while that you are here;

It will be better for your souls,

When your corpse lies on the bier.

8. To-day you may be alive, dear man 

Worth many a thousand pound;

To-morrow may be dead, dear man,

And your body be laid under ground.

9. With one turf at your head, O man,

And another at your feet;

Thy good deeds and thy bad, O man,

Will all together meet.

10. My song is done, I must be gone,

I can stay no longer here;

God bless you all, both great and small,

And send you a happy (joyful) New Year!

First, a very classic rendition . . .

The Moon Shines Bright - Magdalen College Choir

   [verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10]

. . . next, a much more folk-like performance . . .

The Moon Shines Bright - Coope, Boyes, Simpson

   [verses 1, 2, 5, 6, 10]

 . . . and a solo version with all ten verses . . . 

The Bellman's Carol (The Moon Shines Bright) - Baltimore Consort

. . .  an organ prelude reflection on the tune . . .

Prelude on The Moon Shines Bright - Robin Milford, composer; Andrew Seivewright, organ

. . . and lastly, as is often the case, a modern version inspired by the ancient words . . .

The Bellman's Song - Malcolm Archer, composer

   [verses 1, 2, 3, 5, 6]

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 6 - To Shepherds As They Watched

This carol sent me down a surprisingly deep rabbit hole as I tried to come up with some interesting things to say about it. The basics are straightforward . . .

The original hymn, Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schar (From Heaven Came a Host of Angels), was written by Martin Luther in 1532, based on readings from the Bible in Luke ii. 10, 11, and Matthew, ii. 6. Luther apparently wrote these verses because his first Christmas hymn, the fifteen stanza Vom Himmel hoch o Engel kommt (From heaven above, O angels, come) was considered too long. The verses celebrate Christ's birth with "glad tidings," the arrival of the Christ-child as Savior, and an invitation to all to come to the manger. Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schar is one of only two hymns preserved in Luther’s own handwriting.

1) Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schar,

     From heaven came a host of angels,

erschien den hirten offenbar;

     appearing openly to the shepherds;

sie sagten ihn’: „Ein Kindlein zart,

     they said to them: "A tender child,

das liegt dort in der Krippen hart.

     lies there in the hard manger.

2) zu Bethlehem, in Davids Stadt,

     In Bethlehem, in David's city,

wie Micha das verkündet hat,

     as Micah has prophesied,

es ist der herre Jesus Christ,

     it is the Lord Jesus Christ,

der euer aller Heiland ist.

     who is the Savior of you all.

3) Des sollt ihr alle fröhlich sein,

     Therefore, you should all be joyful,

daß Gott mit euch ist worden ein.

     that God has become one with you.

Er ist geborn eu’r Fleisch und Blut,

     He is born of your flesh and blood,

eu’r Bruder ist das ewig Gut.

     your brother is the eternal Good.

4) Was kann euch tun die Sünd und Tod?

    What can sin and death do to you?

Ihr habt mit euch den wahren Gott;

    You have the true God with you;

laßt zürnen Teufel und die Höll,

    let the devil and hell rage,

Gottes Sohn ist worden eu’r Gesell.

    God's Son has become your companion."

5) Er will und kann euch lassen nicht,

     He will and can never leave you,

setzt ihr auf ihn eu’r Zuversicht;

     if you place your trust in Him;

es mögen euch viel fechten an:

     many may fight against you:

dem sei Trotz, der’s nicht lassen kann.

     defy him who cannot desist.

6) Zuletzt müßt ihr doch haben recht,

     In the end you must prevail,

ihr seid nun worden Gotts Geschlecht.

     you have now become God's offspring.

Des danket Gott in Ewigkeit,

     Therefore thank God for all eternity,

geduldig, fröhlich allezeit.

     patient and joyful at all times.

It is set to the tune Puer nobis nascitur from the 1582 collection Piae Cantiones (Pious Songs), and the two most famous and widely used harmonizations of the hymn are by Michael Praetorius (1609) and George Ratcliffe Woodward (1910).

Puer nobis nascitur (chant)

Puer nobis nascitur - Montreal Compline Choir

Puer nobis nascitur (Michael Praetorius) - Gabrielli Consort

Next we turn to the English version of Luther's hymn, or should we say, one of the English versions, and one that follows the original very closely. This is the 1854 translation by Richard Massie, To Shepherds As They Watched By Night (below). Here's where my search got tangled and messy. One would think that Massie's fine translation would receive some outstanding performances online. That is not the case as of Christmas 2025. There are a number of "pop" and "contemporary" sounding versions using Massie's words, but no performances by professional choirs. And the only videos presenting the lovely George Ratcliffe Woodward harmonization are by a number of pianists who recorded the arrangement in lieu of a full choir.

1. To shepherds as they watched by night

Appeared a host of angels bright;

Behold the tender Babe, they said,

In yonder lowly manger laid.

2. At Bethlehem, in David's town,

As Micah did of old make known;

'Tis Jesus Christ, your Lord and King,

Who doth to all salvation bring.

3. Oh, then rejoice that through His Son

God is with sinners now at one;

Made like yourselves of flesh and blood,

Your Brother is the eternal God.

4. What harm can sin and death then do?

The true God now abides with you.

Let hell and Satan rage and chafe,

Christ is your Brother--ye are safe.

5. Not one He will or can forsake

Who Him his confidence doth make.

Let all his wiles the Tempter try,

You may his utmost powers defy.

6. Ye shall and must at last prevail;

God's own ye are, ye cannot fail.

To God forever sing your praise

With joy and patience all your days.

To Shepherds As They Watched By Night - George Ratcliffe Woodward harmonization; Andrew Remillard, piano

All this searching then led me to other recordings of choirs singing the same music, but to different texts. Which then steered me to producing a list of other texts that use the 16th century tune as an underlay - some English transformations of Luther's original ideas, and others quite unrelated to Luther's words or Christmas at all . . . even though Puer nobis nascitur is a medieval Christmas carol. Here's what I found:

Hymns using the tune Puer nobis nascitur, from Piae Cantiones (1582):

 - A Little Child the Savior Came

 - All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord

 - As Angels Joyed with One Accord

 - As It Fell Upon a Night

 - Come Join with Me

 - Come, Thou Redeemer of the Earth

 - Creating Spirit, Holy Lord

 - Creator of the Stars of Night

 - Emmanuel, We Sing Thy Praise

 - Epiphany of Wisdom's Dawn

 - Father in Heav'n, Who Lovest All

 - Good News from Heaven the Angels Bring

 - Jesus Christ the Lord is Born

 - Joy Dawned Again on Easter Day

 - The Lord Whom Earth and Sea and Sky

 - My Song Forever Shall Record (Psalm 89)

 - My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord

 - O Father, Listen to Our Prayer

 - O God, You Are My God Alone

 - O Lord of Hosts, Almighty King

 - O Lord, Thy People Gathered Here

 - O Love Divine, Who's Constant Beam

 - O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High

 - O Splendor of God's Glory Bright

 - O That I Could Forever Dwell

 - O Thou Whose Gracious Presence Shone

 - On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry

 - That Easter Day with Joy was Bright

 - These Treasured Children

 - Thou Lord of Hosts, Whose Guiding Hand

 - 'Tis Winter Now, the Fallen Snow

 - To Shepherd's as They Watched by Night

 - Unto Us a Boy is Born

 - Unto Us is Born a Son

 - The Virtue of Humility

 - We Are But Little Children Poor

 - We Praise Thee, God, for Harvests Earned

 - What Star is This, with Beams So Bright

Here's one of the best performances that I could find, by a choir singing the music of Puer nobis nascitur and the words What Star is this, with Beams So Bright

The Redeemer Choir

1. What star is this, with beams so bright,

More lovely than the noonday light?

’Tis sent to announce a newborn king,

Glad tidings of our God to bring.

2. ’Tis now fulfilled what God decreed,

“From Jacob shall a star proceed;”

And lo! the eastern sages stand

To read in heav’n the Lord's command.

3. O Jesus, while the star of grace

Impels us on to seek thy face,

Let not our slothful hearts refuse

The guidance of thy light to use.

4. To God the Father, heav’nly Light,

To Christ, revealed in earthly night,

To God the Holy Spirit raise

An endless song of thankful praise!

And here's a beautiful organ prelude on the same tune . . . 

Prelude on To Shepherds As They Watched By Night - Paul Manz, composer; Yasmin Phillip, organ

And LASTLY(!), a fine version of a variation on the Puer nobis nascitur tune (in 4/4 time instead of 3/4 time) and to the words As It Fell Upon A Night

arr. by Katherine K. Davis - Duqeusne University Chamber Singers

1. As it fell upon a night

In the winter weather,

Angels bright in starry height

Began to sing together.

2. Shepherds sleeping on the plain

Woke to see the glory,

All amazed they stood and gazed

And heard the angels’ story.

3. Unto you a child is born

In a manger lowly,

Humble, He, yet born to be

The King of Love most holy.

4. In a manger now He lies,

ox and ass before Him;

All the world at last shall come

to worship and adore Him.”

5. Though it be a winter night,

Love is still appearing!

Through the sound of war and woe

that song we still are hearing.

6. Happy angels from afar,

Cease your singing never!

In excelsis gloria!

Forever and forever.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 5 - В Віфлеємі новина (News in Bethlehem)

News in Bethlehem is a Transcarpathian Christmas carol. Transcarpathia is a unique, multicultural region in western Ukraine, situated south of the Carpathian Mountains, known for its blend of Ukrainian, Hungarian, Slovak, and other European cultures, distinct cuisine, castles, and historical status as part of various states, now forming Ukraine's westernmost oblast, bordering Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. It's characterized by its varied landscapes, unique dialect, and rich heritage influenced by its crossroads location, distinct from other Ukrainian lands due to its mountain isolation.

The carol tells this story: In Bethlehem, News! The Virgin gave birth to a Son, gave birth in grace. The immaculate Virgin is the Mother Mary. She laid him in the manger in a stable in Bethlehem. Joseph comforts the Virgin and helps Mary to swaddle. Glory to God and praise Him. The nativity scene has come: Angels come from heaven, with the Son of God, and they glorify Mary. In the dark night, a strange light strikes the eyes – a bright star showing where Mary has given birth to the Child Jesus. Not far away, shepherds grazed their flock in the valley. They travel to the manger to see Mary and her Child.

In Bethlehem today the news:

The Most Pure Virgin gave birth to a Son,

|: Swaddled in a manger, among the cattle,

The God rested on the hay, unclothed. :| (2X)

Already the Cherubim sing glory,

The angelic choirs of the Lord soar,

|: The poor shepherd carries what he can,

To bestow gifts on the Child of God. :|

And the bright star of the world cries out:

The Messiah brings joy, happiness!

|: To Bethlehem, all of you, hasten now,

Welcome God in the poor Child! :|

Following the light of the star somewhere from the east

Three lords of princely lineage come,

|: Gold, gifts, incense, myrrh

At once with a pure heart they bring as an offering. :|

Mary, the Mother of her Son, cherishes her Son,

Joseph, the old man, warms the swaddling clothes,

|: And the King of the universe in winter and pain

Blesses us for a better fate. :|

Dear Jesus, we are not rich,

We cannot give you gifts of gold,

|: But we bring a gift more precious than peace,

This is the faith of the heart, this is sincere love. :|

Look with a sincere eye, O Son of God,

On our land, on Ukraine,

|: Send her a great gift from heaven,

So that she may glorify You forever and ever. :|

News in Bethlehem - Ternopil Theological Greek-Catholic Seminary

News in Bethlehem - Honored Academic Transcarpathian Folk Choir

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 4 - Coventry Carol (Lullaby Carol)

This carols is one of many songs and hymns that relate to the Feast Day of the Holy Innocents, December 28th. The Coventry Carol - also know as the Lullaby Carol - is an English Christmas carol dating from the 16th century. It was traditionally performed in Coventry, England as part of a mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play depicts the Christmas story as described in Matthew, Chapter 2 in the Bible. The carol references the Massacre of the Innocents, in which Herod ordered all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem to be killed, and takes the form of a lullaby sung by the mothers of the doomed children. The oldest known text of the carol was written down by Robert Croo in 1534, and the oldest known melodic setting dates from 1591.

The words of the carol focus on grief, lamentation, and the human cost of Herod’s decree, using simple, repetitive language to evoke emotional intensity. Lines such as Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child function as a cradle song, blending tenderness with tragedy. This juxtaposition of lullaby and lament highlights the vulnerability of the infant Jesus and the surrounding suffering, deepening the carol’s emotional resonance and theological reflection on the contrast between human sin and divine salvation. (thanks to  Hymnallibrary.com)

Refrain

Lully, lulla

Thou little tiny Child

By by, lully, lullay

O sisters too,

How may we do,

For to preserve this day?

This poor Youngling

For Whom we do sing

By by, lully, lullay?  (Refrain)

Herod the king,

In his raging,

Chargèd he hath this day

His men of might,

In his own sight,

All young children to slay.  (Refrain)

That woe is me,

Poor Child for Thee!

And ever morn and may,

For thy parting

Neither say nor sing,

By, by, lully, lullay.

Coventry Carol - The Anúna Collective (arr. Michael McGlynn)

Coventry Carol - Voces8 U.S. Scholars (arr. by Barnaby Smith)

. . . and another version by composer Kenneth Leighton

Coventry Carol - King's College Choir

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 3 - Patapan

Burgundy is the region in eastern France which is one of France's prime areas for the development of noëls (carols). Much of the carol activity in Burgundy came from the pen of the French lawyer and poet Bernard de la Monnoye (1641-1728), the carol poet laureate of Burgundy. Several of his Christmas poems are still in print today. All of Monnoye's carols, written in the Burgundian dialect, were composed around 1700 and set to folk tunes, though some of the music may have been written by Monnoye himself. The carol Patapan was first published in his collection Noël borguignon (1700) with the title Guillô, pran ton tamborin (Willie, Bring Your Little Drum). The carol revolves around the birth of Jesus, and is told from the perspective of children playing simple instruments (flutes and drums), with onomatopoeic sounds mimicking the sounds of the instruments - "patapan" mimics the sound of the drum, "tu-re-lu-re-lu" the flute. 

The carol features two boys, Guillô (Willie) and Robbin, who are taught to praise God and rejoice at the birth of Christ by playing upon the drum and flute. Willie and Robin were common characters in old French carols (like Peter, Mary, Jack and Jill in English nursery rhymes), and the praise they give is symbolic of the village community as a whole giving praise to God. It has been translated numerous times into English (see here), each giving its own take on the original text.

Here's the first verse in the original Burgundian dialect (with a literal English translation):

Guillô, pran ton tamborin / William, take your drum

Toi, pran tai fleute Robbin / You, take your flute, Robin

Au son de ces instruman / To the sound of these instruments

Turelurelu, patapatapan / Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pata-pata-pan

Au son de ces instruman / To the sound of these instruments

Je diron Noei gaiman / I will say Christmas cheerfully

And now the full carol, in modernized French, again with a literal English translation:

Guillaume, prends ton tambourin

     William, take your tambourine,

Toi, prends ta flûte, Robin

     You, Robin, take your flute.

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Turelurelu, patapatapan

     Turelurelu, patapatapan,

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Je dirai Noël gaîment

     I will joyfully sing of Christmas.

C'était la mode d’autrefois

     It was the custom of old,

De louer le Roi des rois

     To praise the King of Kings,

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Turelurelu, patapatapan

     Turelurelu, patapatapan,

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Il nous en faut faire autant

     We must do the same.

Ce jour le diable est vaincu

     This day the devil is vanquished,

Rendons-en grâce à Jésus

     Let us give thanks to Jesus.

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Turelurelu, patapatapan

     Turelurelu, patapatapan,

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Faisons la nique à Satan

     Let us defy Satan.

L'homme et Dieu sont plus d’accord

     Man and God are more in accord,

Que la flûte et le tambour

     Than the flute and the drum;

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Turelurelu, patapatapan

     Turelurelu, patapatapan,

Au son de ces instruments

     To the sound of these instruments,

Chantons, dansons, sautons en

     Let us sing, dance, and leap for joy!

Here, now, is the English version used in David Conte arrangement:

Willie bring your little drum;

Robin bring your flute and come;

And be merry while you play,

Tu-re-lu-re-lu, Pa-ta-pa-ta-pan.

And be merry while you play,

On this joyful Christmas day!

When the men of olden days

To the king of Kings gave praise,

On the fife and drum did play,

Tu-re-lu-re-lu, Pa-ta-pa-ta-pan.

On the fife and drum did play,

On this joyful Christmas day!

God and man today become

More in tune than fife and drum;

So be merry while you play,

Tu-re-lu-re-lu, Pa-ta-pa-ta-pan.

So be merry while you play,

Sing and dance this Christmas day!

Pat-a-pan - Atlanta Master Chorale (arr. by David Conte)

And yet another translation, which is used in the next two videos:

Willie take your little drum,

With a whistle Robin come,

When we hear the fife and drum,

Tu-re-lu-re-lu, Pa-ta-pa-ta-pan.

When we hear the fife and drum

Christmas should be frolicsome.

So the people in those days (Thus the men of olden days)

Loved the King of Kings to raise,

When they hear the fife and drum,

Tu-re-lu-re-lu, Pa-ta-pa-ta-pan.

When they hear the fife and drum,

All the children soon will come. (Sure our children won't be dumb!)

God and man are now become

More at one than fife and drum

When you hear the fife and drum,

Tu-re-lu-re-lu, Pa-ta-pa-ta-pan.

When you hear the fife and drum,

Dance and make the village hum.

Pat-a-pan - Quadriga Consort

Pat-a-pan - Yura Lytkin & Friends

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 2 - There is no rose

Lucy Walker (b. 1998) is quickly establishing her place as one of Britain’s foremost emerging compositional voices. Her vibrant choral writing has been described as "full of light and beautifully crafted." Walker is passionate about making music - especially choral music - accessible and inclusive, and her compositions and her work teaching other upcoming musicians reflects this mission. Walker’s setting of There is no rose flows between swells of emotion and warm chromatic inflections in the Latin refrains. The piece captures the natural emphases of the anonymous 15th century text, seamlessly moving between irregular and simple time signatures. (from Oxford University Press)

Alleluia . . .

There is no rose of such virtue;

As is the rose that bare Jesu;

Alleluia.

For in this rose contained was

Heav’n and earth in little space;

Res miranda! [Wonderful thing!]

And by that rose we may well see

that he is God in persons three,

Pari forma. [Equal in form]

Now leave we all this worldly mirth,

And follow we this joyful birth.

Transeamus [Let us follow]

Allelula!

There is no rose - The Oxford Choir

Twelve Days of Christmas - Christmas Day

Christmas Day - The Virgin’s Slumber Song (Max Reger)

Some songs written especially for Christmas become so well known that they eventually are thought of as folk songs. The Virgin’s Slumber Song (Maria Wiegenlied) is an example of just the opposite turn of events. Originally a folk-song melody to the words Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild, this graceful air was taken by the German composer Max Reger and transformed in 1912 into an art song, Maria Wiegenlied.  Edward Teschemacher supplied an English translation of this lovely song, which echoes part of Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild: the Virgin Mary singing to her Baby while He sleeps. The rhythm of both melody and accompaniment suggests the cradle gently rocking. (notes from William L. Simon, Reader’s Digest Merry Christmas Songbook)

Maria sitzt im Rosenhag

     Dear Mary sits in rosy bow'r

Und wiegt ihr Jesuskind

     And rocks the Jesus child

Durch die Blätter leise

     Softly through the golden leaves

Weht der warme Sommerwind

     Drifts a breezes so gentle and mild.

Zu ihren Füßen

     At her feet 

Singt ein buntes Vögelein

     Sings a bird all gold and bright

Schlaf, Kindlein, süße

     Sleep, dear One, sweet, sweet one

Schlaf nun ein!

     Sleep good night!

Hold ist dein Lächeln

     Lovely is your gentle smile

Holder deines Schlummers Lust

     Telling of your slumber blessed

Leg dein müdes Köpfchen

     Lay your tired head so close

Fest an deiner Mutter Brust!

     Lay it on your mother's breast!

Schlaf, Kindlein, süße

     Sleep, dear One, sweet, sweet one

Schlaf nun ein!

     Sleep good night!

The Virgin’s Slumber Song - Sissel Kyrkjebø, soprano

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 1 - Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head

The Appalachian carol Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head was collected John Jacob Niles in Hardin County, central Kentucky in the early 20th century. Like so many other folk carols and hymns, the song’s origins predate by many decades its collection and publication. This gentle lullaby is sometimes titled alternatively The Manger Cradle Song, as the lyrics of the refrain take the form a soothing serenade to the sleeping Christ Child on that first Christmas night. (notes thanks to PBS)

Refrain

Jesus, Jesus, rest your head.

You has got a manger bed.

All the evil folk on earth

Sleep in feathers at their birth.

Jesus, Jesus, rest your head.

You has got a manger bed.

Have you heard about our Jesus?

Have you heard about his fate?

How his mammy went to the stable

On that Christmas Eve so late?

Winds were blowing, cows were lowing,

Stars were glowing, glowing, glowing.  Refrain

To the manger came the Wise Men.

Bringing gifts from hin and yon,

For the mother and the father,

And the blessed little Son.

Milkmaids left their fields and flocks

And sat beside the ass and ox.  Refrain

Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head - John Jacob Niles, voice & dulcimer

Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head - Seraphic Fire (arr. by Patrick Dupré Quigley)

Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head - The Westminster Choir

Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head - Worcester Cathedral Choir (arr. by A. Warrell)

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 2 - Don Oíche Ud i mBeithil (That Night in Bethlehem)

There are few Irish Christmas songs as beloved and evocative as Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil - a hauntingly beautiful carol that captures both the tenderness and mystery of Christmas Eve. The song tells the story of Christ’s birth through the lyrical beauty of the Irish language. The origins of Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil are somewhat mysterious. While many assume it is an ancient carol, the earliest known written versions date from the 17th or 18th century. However, its style and phrasing suggest it may have originated as part of Ireland’s oral folk tradition, passed down through generations of singers and storytellers before being written down. It is a staple of Irish Christmas celebrations, sung at midnight Mass, school concerts, and carol services throughout the country. More about the song . . . here

Don oíche úd i mBeithil / I sing of a night in Bethlehem

beidh tagairt faoi ghréin go brách / A night as bright as dawn

Don oíche úd i mBeithil / I sing of that night in Bethlehem

gur tháinig an Briathar slán / The night the Word was born

Tá gríosghrua ar spéartha / The skies are glowing gaily

's an talamh 'na chlúdach bán / The earth in white is dressed

Féach Íosagán sa chléibhín / See Jesus in the cradle

's an Mhaighdean 'Á dhiúl le grá / Drink deep in His mother's breast

Ar leacain lom an tsléibhe / And there on a lonely hillside

go nglacann na haoirí scáth / The shepherds bow down in fear

Nuair in oscailt gheal na spéire / When the heavens open brightly

tá teachtaire Dé ar fáil / And God's message rings out so clear

Céad glóir anois don Athair / Glory now to the Father

sa bhFlaitheasa thuas go hard / In all the heavens high

Is feasta fós ar sa thalamh / And peace to His friends on earth below

d'fheara dea-mhéin' siocháin / Is all the angels cry

Don Oíche Ud i mBeithil - Eabha McMahon

Don Oíche Ud i mBeithil - Celtic Women

Don Oíche Ud i mBeithil - Patrick Dexter, cello

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 3 - Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild (Mine)

The text for this carol derives from Joseph, lieber Joseph mein, a verse from fourteenth or fifteenth century Germany. One of the earliest appearances of Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild was as a lullaby sung by the Virgin Mary in a Mystery Play that flourished around Leipzig, Germany, in the early 1500s. The borrowed tune used was originally sung to a Latin text full of joy, Resonet in Laudibus (Let Our Praises Resound), dating from as early as the 14th century. Before that time, carols and other religious songs were danced and sung to primitive tunes and graceless texts. But a new awareness of beauty in worship swept through Europe in the 1500s, thanks in part to the Reformation, and melodies took on an ingratiating texture, while beautiful and evocative texts issued from the pens of genius poets. (notes from William L. Simon, Reader’s Digest Merry Christmas Songbook, 1981)

"Joseph, Dearest Joseph mine,

Help me cradle the Child divine.

God reward thee and all that’s thine,

In paradise," so prays the mother Mary.

Chorus

He came among us at Christmas time

At Christmas time in Bethlehem

Men shall bring him from far and wide,

Love’s diadem - Jesus, Jesus;

Lo, he comes and loves and saves and frees us.

"Gladly dear one, Lady mine

Help I cradle this Child of thine."

"God’s own light on us both shall shine,

In paradise," as prays the mother Mary.  Chorus

Peace to all that have goodwill!

God, who heaven and earth doth fill,

Comes to turn us away from ill,

And lies so still within the crib of Mary.  Chorus

Resonet in laudibus - Aurora Camerata

Resonet in laudibus cum iucundis plausibus

   Let praises ring out and joyful acclaim

Sion cum fidelibus: Apparuit quem genuit Maria.

   To Zion's faithful the Child born of Mary has appeared.

Gaudete, gaudate, Christus Natur hodie!

   Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is born!

Gaudete, gaudate, ex Maria Virgine.

   Rejoice, rejoice, from the Virgin Mary.

Pueri concinite, nato regi psallite,

   Let us sing together to the child,

   Let us sing to the newborn King

Voce pia dicite, Apparuit quem genuit Maria.

   and with the pious ones say:

   The Child born of Mary has appeared.

Gaudete, gaudate . . .

Sion lauda Dominum Saluatorem omnium,

   O Zion, praise the Lord, the Savior of mankind,

Virgo parit Filium. Apparuit quem genuit Maria.

   He who cleanses sin.

   The Child born of Mary has appeared.

Gaudete, gaudate . . .

Sancta tibi Trinitas, Os omnium gratias

   Give thanks to the holy trinity

   Let our voices give thanks

Resonet altissimas. Apparuit quem genuit Maria.

   And give the greatest praise.

   The Child born of Mary has appeared.

Gaudete, gaudate . . .

Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild - The Westminster Choir

Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mild - The Dale Warland Singers

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 4 - The Friendly Beasts

This song originally hails from a 12th century Latin song Orientis Partibus which first appeared in France and is usually attributed to Pierre de Corbeil, Bishop of Sens (died 1222). The tune is said to have been part of the Fete de l’Ane (The Donkey’s Festival), which celebrated the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt and was a regular Christmas observance in Beauvais and Sens, France in the 13th century. During the mass, it was common for a donkey to be led or ridden into the church. The words and tune were designed to give thanks for the ass on which Mary rode. Each verse was sung, and finished with the chorus "Hail, Sir donkey, hail." It was a solemn affair, but the tune became very popular in 17th and 18th century Germany.

Orientis partibus adventavit asinus

     From eastern parts a donkey came

pulcher et fortissimus, Sarcinis aptissimus

     Beautifu and strong, fit for loads

Hez, Sir Asnes, hez! / Hey, Sir Donkey, hey!

Saltu vincit hinnulos damas et capreolos

     He leaps over young males and bucks

super dromedarios velox madianeos

     Over the swift dromedaries of Midian

Hic in collibus Sychen iam nutritus sub Ruben

     Here on the hills of Sychen, brought up under Ruben

transiit per Jordanem saliit in Bethlehem

     He has crossed the Jordan and leapt into Bethlehem

Dum trahit vehicula multa cum sarcinula

     While he draws fully loaded carts

illius mandibula dura terit pabula

     His jaw grinds surely grinds the fodder

Cum aristis, hordeum comedit et carduum

     With ears he eats barley and thistles

triticum ex palea segregat in area

     He separates wheat from chaff on the threshing floor

Amen dicas, asine Iam satur ex gramine

     Amen, you donkey now full with grass

amen, amen itera aspernare vetera

     Amen, amen repeat the ancient aspersions

The song emigrated to England in the 12th century, where it began to take on its modern character. It is for this reason that some sources will give the origin of this song as England. The tune has been arranged in both 4/4 time (by Richard Redhead) and 3/4 time (Ralph Vaughan Williams). Robert Davis (1881-1950) apparently wrote the words that we normally associate with this tune in the 1920s. The first publication was in 1934. The Friendly Beasts is also known by the titles The Song of the Ass, or The Donkey Carol, or The Animal Carol and The Gift of the Animals. (a big thank you! to the Hymns and Carols of Christmas for all these detailed notes)

Jesus our brother, kind and good

Was humbly born in a stable rude

And the friendly beasts around Him stood,

Jesus our brother, kind and good.

"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown,

"I carried His mother up hill and down;

I carried her safely to Bethlehem town."

"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

"I," said the cow all white and red

"I gave Him my manger for His bed;

I gave him my hay to pillow his head."

"I," said the cow all white and red.

"I," said the sheep with curly horn,

"I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;

He wore my coat on Christmas morn."

"I," said the sheep with curly horn.

"I," said the dove from the rafters high,

"I cooed Him to sleep so He would not cry;

We cooed him to sleep, my mate and I."

"I," said the dove from the rafters high.

Thus every beast by some good spell,

In the stable dark was glad to tell

Of the gift he gave Immanuel,

The gift he gave Immanuel.

"I," was glad to tell

Of the gift he gave Immanuel,

The gift he gave Immanuel.

Jesus our brother, kind and good.

Orientis Partibus - New London Consort

The Friendly Beasts - St. Olaf Choir (arr. by R. Scholz)

The Friendly Beasts - Vocal Essence Ensemble (Robert Farlee, composer)

The Friendly Beasts - Burl Ives

The Friendly Beasts - BlindPigAndTheAcorn (Paul and Pap)

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 5 - Blessed Be That Maid Marie

Blessed Be That Maid Marie is an old English Christmas carol hailing the birth of Christ. The singers bless the Virgin, rejoicing that after thousands of years the day of Jesus' birth has finally arrived. This hymn is believed to have originated as early as the 15th century and is of unknown authorship. It employs both old English and Latin texts. Blessed Be That Maid Marie has also appeared with the titles Blyssid Be Yt Mayde Mary and Blyssid be that mayde Mary. The music derives from William Ballet's Lute Book - a collection of manuscripts dating from as early as 1590, and containing popular lute and viol pieces, as well as ballad tune arrangements.

Blessed be that Maid Marie;

Born He was of her body;

Very God ere time began,

Born in time the Son of man.

Refrain

Eya! Ihesus hodie

Natus est de Virgine.

In a manger of an ass

Jesus lay and lulled was;

Born to die upon the Tree

Pro peccante homine. Refrain

Sweet and blissful was the song

Changed of the Angel throng,

"Peace on earth," Alleluya.

In excelsis gloria. Refrain

Fare three Kings from far-off land,

Incense, gold and myrrh in hand;

In Bethlehem the Babe they see,

Stelle ducti lumine. Refrain

Make we merry on this fest,

In quo Christus natus est;

On this Child I pray you call,

To assoil and save us all. Refrain

Blessed Be That Maid Marie - The Cambridge Singers

Blessed Be That Maid Marie - Choir of Kings College, Cambridge (arr. Stephen Cleobury)

Blessed Be That Maid Marie - Trond Bengtson, lute (from William Ballet's Lute Book, setting and variations by Allan Alexander)

. . . and I couldn't help but add a number of other settings by composers who were inspired by these same beautiful words:

Blessed Be That Maid Marie - NTU Chorus (Korea) / Stephen Main, composer

Blessed Be That Maid Marie - arr. M. Zuccante

Blessed Be That Maid Marie - Amy Bebbington, composer

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 6 - O Sanctissima (Oh, How Joyfully)

O Sanctissima is a Roman Catholic hymn in Latin, seeking the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and often sung in various languages on her feast days. The earliest known publication occured in London (1792), presenting it as a traditional song from Sicily. All early collectors implied an Italian origin, sometimes more specifically with the title The Sicilian Mariner's Prayer. Yet there is no early Italian publication of the melody, and no original source or date has been confirmed for this simple, yet beautiful melody or its poetic text. German poet Johann Gottfried Herder is said to have heard the hymn on a trip to Italy in 1788, and some years later - in 1807 - he published a German translation of it entitled O du fröhliche" (O, how joyfully). 

O Sanctissima O Piissima / O most holy, o most loving

Dulcis Virgo Maria / Sweet Virgin Mary

Mater amata intemerata / Beloved Mother, undefiled

Ora ora pro nobis / Pray, pray for us

Tota pulchraes O Maria / All beautiful, O Mary

Et macula non est in te / And without stain are you

Mater anmata intemerata / Beloved Mother, undefiled

Ora ora pro nobis / Pray, pray for us

Sicut lilium inter spinas / Like a lily among thorns

Sic Maria inter filias / So is Mary among her daughters

Mater amata intemerata / Beloved Mother, undefiled

Ora ora pro nobis / Pray, pray for us

In miseria in angustia / In our misery along the narrow path

Ora Virgo pro nobis / Pray for us, Virgin Maria

Pro nobis ora in mortis hora / 

Ora ora pro nobis / Pray, pray for us

O Sanctissima - Daughter's of St. Paul

O Sanctissima - Musica Cordis (arr. by Beethoven)

O Sanctissima - Bing Crosby, from the Bells of St. Mary's

And one last version . . . same text, but set by composer Paul Mealor

O Sanctissima - University of Aberdeen Chamber Choir

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 7 - Up Good Christen Folk

Up Good Christen Folk is based on a medieval song that was part of a collection compiled in Finland and first published in Sweden in 1582 as Piae Cantiones (Pious Songs). This collection contains Latin songs that were sung at that time in cathedral schools in Finland, many of which are still part of the repertoire of Swedish and Finnish choirs today. In 1853 a copy of Piae Cantiones was given to the composer John Mason Neale by G. J. R. Gordon, Her Majesty's Envoy and Minister at Stockholm. Neale then passed the book along to choirmaster Thomas Helmore. Helmore adapted the carol melodies and Neale either paraphrased the carol lyrics into English or wrote entirely new verses. Twelve revised selections from Piae Cantiones were then published as Carols for Christmastide (1853). In 1901 one of these carols was arranged for choir by the composer George Ratcliffe Woodward - who also provided the English text - and Up Good Christen Folk, as we know it today, appeared for the first time in The Cowley Carol Book (1902).

The carol is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ asking the “good Christen folk” to get up and listen to the bells ringing to welcome and adore him. (notes from FeeNotes.com)

Ding-dong, ding:

Ding-a-dong-a-ding:

Ding-dong, ding-dong:

Ding-a-dong-ding.

Up! good Christen folk, and listen

How the merry church bells ring,

And from steeple

Bid good people

Come adore the new-born King:

Tell the story how from glory

God came down at Christmastide,

Bringing gladness,

Chasing sadness,

Show'ring blessings far and wide.

Born of mother, blest o'er other,

Ex Maria Virgine,

In a stable

('Tis no fable),

Christus natus hodie.

Up Good Christen Folk - Choir of King's College, Cambridge

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 8 - Behold That Star (An Original Jubilee Carol by Thomas Washington Talley)

Dr. Thomas W. Talley, a Tennessee native, taught chemistry and biology at Fisk University from 1903–42, after earning his high school education, an AB in 1890, and a master’s degree in 1893 at Fisk. He later chaired the chemistry department there for 25 years. After earning a Doctor of Science degree at Walden University in 1899, he did postdoctoral work at Harvard, completed a dissertation at the University of Chicago later in his life, and completed several scientific publications during his career.

As an undergraduate, he joined the Fisk Jubilee Singers with a love and commitment to performance and knowledge of Black musical traditions that lasted his entire life. This love of Black traditional music led him to collect the texts of Black rural traditional music (some with musical notation) throughout Tennessee in his later life. Published in 1922, his groundbreaking work, Negro Folk Rhymes, was the first collection of African American secular folk music, the first folklore collection compiled by a Black scholar, and the first serious collection of folksongs of any type from Tennessee. In addition, Dr. Talley produced the first significant collection of folk narratives from African American rural communities across Tennessee, which remained unpublished until 1993. (From Notable Folklorists of Color)  

Sometime in the early 1920s Florence Hudson Botsford invited Talley to contribute a song to her collection, Folk Songs of Many Peoples (1921-22). In response he sent her his original composition entitled Behold That Star. Talley’s song entered the Christmas music repertoire and was widely reprinted in anthologies. On November 30, 1958, the piece was performed on a national broadcast by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, with Leontyne Price singing. By this time the song had become so pervasive that Talley's name had been detatched from it, and Bernstein announced that he regretted that he did not know who had composed the song. And in the liner notes to his album Traditional Christmas Songs (1967), Pete Seeger writes that Behold That Star was "composed by a black musician [not named] in Tennessee about 1930." As we've stated above, Talley's original words and music for the spiritual were published in 1922 in Botsford's Folk Songs of Many Peoples, Volume 2, p. 50.

Refrain

Behold that star!

Behold that star up yonder,

Behold that star!

It is the star of Bethlehem.

There was no room found in the inn.

   It is the star of Bethlehem.

For Him who was born free from sin.

   It is the star of Bethlehem. Refrain

The wise men travelled from the East.

   It is the star of Bethlehem.

To worship Him, the Prince of Peace.

   It is the star of Bethlehem. Refrain

A song broke forth upon the night.

   It is the star of Bethlehem.

From angel hosts all robed in white.

   It is the star of Bethlehem. Refrain

Glory to God, world without end,

   It is the star of Bethlehem.

And peace on earth, good will to men.

   It is the star of Bethlehem. Refrain

Behold That Star - Marian Anderson

Behold That Star - Martin Hargrove, bass voice

Behold That Star - Rhythmuschor Fridolfing

Twelve Day of Christmas

Day 9 - The Truth Sent from Above

The Truth Sent from Above is an English folk carol of unknown authorship, usually performed at Christmas. During the first part of the 20th century a number of English folk song collectors (people who traveled throughout England, Scotland, Wales and all their respective counties),located people who still sang songs that had come down to them by tradition, notated them, and eventually published - and therefore, preserved - these folk songs for all future generations. The texts collected for The Truth Sent from Above were all very similar. However, there were a number of variations on the tune used to sing the carol, based on the region were it was collected (mainly in Shropshire and Herefordshire). Cecil Sharp, England's most prolific folk music and dance collector, who collected and notated over 5000 English folk tunes, notated an eight stanza version of the carol from a Mr. Seth Vandrell and Mr. Samuel Bradley of Donnington Wood in Shropshire. He also found that a longer version of The Truth Sent from Above existed in a locally printed carol book. Composer Ralph Vaughan Williams (also an avid folk song advocate and collector) obtained a different version of the carol at King's Pyon, Herefordshire in July 1909 with help from Ella Mary Leather, the Herefordshire folklorist who had first collected it from the local oral tradition. This version, which contains only four stanzas, is therefore sometimes referred to as the Herefordshire Carol.

This is the truth sent from above,

The truth of God, the God of love,

Therefore don't turn me from your door,

But hearken all both rich and poor.

The first thing which I do relate

Is that God did man create;

The next thing which to you I'll tell

Woman was made with man to dwell.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes,

Till God the Lord did interpose;

And so a promise soon did run

That he would redeem us by his Son

And at that season of the year

Our blest Redeemer did appear;

He here did live, and here did preach,

And many thousands he did teach.

God grant to all within this place

True saving faith, that special grace,

Which to His people doth belong;

And thus I close my Christmas song.

The Truth Sent from Above - The Gesualdo Six

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 10 - Deck the Halls

Today's carol is as un-religious as you can get, and its origins are even further removed from what we normally associate with the holiday season. The lyrics for Deck the Halls derive from the Welsh verse Nos Galan (New Year's Eve) by John Jones (1810-69), poet and architect, who went by the bardic name Talhaiarn. Talhaiarn's verse was rendered (not really translated) into English by Thomas Oliphant around 1866. Here is the original Welsh verse, and a literal English translation:

Nos Galan / New Year’s Eve (original Welsh verse)

Goreu pleser ar nos galan / The best pleasure on new year's eve

Tŷ a thân a theulu diddan / Is house and fire and a pleasant family

Calon lân a chwrw melyn / A pure heart and blonde ale

Pennill mwyn a llais y delyn/ A gentle song and the voice of the

                                                                                           harp

And here is Thomas Oliphant's English rendering:

Deck the hall with boughs of holly, Fa, la, la, la ...

'Tis the season to be jolly, Fa, la, la, la ...

* Fill the meadcup, drain the barrel , Fa, la, la, la ...

Troll the ancient Christmas carol, Fa, la, la, la ...

* See the flowing bowl before us, Fa, la, la, la ...

Strike the harp, and join in chorus, Fa, la, la, la ...

Follow me in merry measure, Fa, la, la, la ...

While I sing of beauty's treasure, Fa, la, la, la ...

Fast away the old year passes, Fa, la, la, la ...

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa, la, la, la ...

* Laughing quaffing all together, Fa, la, la, la ...

Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa, la, la, la ...

* when the carol was published in the Pennsylvania School Journal (Dec 1877) these lines were changed so that there was no reference to drinking!

As can be seen, the English lyrics bear almost no relation to the Welsh, but are evocative of pagan traditions, such as "Yule logs" and homes decorated with holly - the tradition of decorating the home on the first day of winter goes back to the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Druids.

Turning to the tune of Deck the Halls, it is also of Welsh origin, dating back to at least the sixteenth century. One of the earliest appearances of the tune in print is from two editions (1784 & 1794) of harpist Edward Jones' Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards. The lyrics in Jones' edition - though also called Nos Galan (New Year's Night) - had nothing to do with Christmas or any New Years celebrations, but of love:

Oh! How soft my Fair one's bosom! Fa, la, la, la . . .

Oh! How sweet the grove in blossom! Fa, la, la, la . . .

Oh! How blessed are the blisses  Fa, la, la, la . . .

Words of love and mutual Kisses  Fa, la, la, la . . .

The tune belongs to the Welsh canu penillion tradition, and harkens back to the earliest meaning of the word carol: a dance. Here, the dancers would dance in a ring around the harpist. The verses would be extemporized, and a participant would drop out when he or she would fail to sing a new verse (thus a kind of "forfeits" game). Originally, the harpist would play the "answering bars" (Fa la la la la la, etc.), but these nonsense syllables were substituted when harpers began to disappear. And the line "Troul the ancient Yuletide carol" may refer to repeatedly singing verses to this tune, or to sing loudly or boldly.

Lastly, according to one source, the tune's popularity by the 18th century was so widespread that it was incorporated by Mozart and Haydn into one of their works.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa, la, la, la ...

’Tis the season to be jolly, Fa, la, la, la ...

Don we now our gay apparel, Fa, la, la, la ...

Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol, Fa, la, la, la ...

See the blazing Yule before us, Fa, la, la, la ...

Strike the harp and join the chorus, Fa, la, la, la ...

Follow me in merry measure, Fa, la, la, la ...

While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa, la, la, la ...

Fast away the old year passes, Fa, la, la, la ...

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa, la, la, la ...

Sing we joyous all together, Fa, la, la, la ...

Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa, la, la, la ...

Deck the Halls - The Saltzburg Childrens Choir

Deck the Halls - Bing Crosby

Deck the Halls - Carlson School of Management Flash Mob

Twelve Day of Christmas

Day 11 - Watchman, Tell Us of the Night

Watchman, Tell Us of the Night is a beloved Christian hymn about hope and the coming of Jesus. The poem, written in 1825 by John Bowring (1792-1872), is a dialog between a Traveler and the Watchman. The Traveler asks for news of the night, and the Watchman answers, describing a glorious star heralding the dawn of God's promised day. "This hymn evokes a vivid childhood memory. Two men with deep, sonorous voices sang this song at the Christmas Eve midnight service each year for as long as I can remember. The church was dark, the watchman's solitary lantern giving the only light in a hushed sanctuary. The watchman stood at the altar, and the traveler slowly made his way down the aisle, as the two sang the question-reply verses to each other. It was hard to miss the symbolism of the lonely traveler making his way to the One Who provides light to a dark world." (from the website Hymns and Carols of Christmas)

This poem is known in two memorable settings: an 1831 version by the American composer Lowell Mason; and a music setting that uses the famous tune, Aberystwyth, written by Welsh composer Joseph Parry (in the late 1800s) which perfectly captures the anticipation of the Messiah's arrival.

1. Watchman, tell us of the night,

    What its signs of promise are.

Traveler, o'er yon mountain's height,

    See that glory beaming star.

Watchman, does its beauteous ray

    Aught of joy or hope foretell?

Traveler, yes - it brings the day,

    Promised day of Israel.

2. Watchman, tell us of the night;

    Higher yet that star ascends.

Traveler, blessedness and light,

    Peace and truth its course portends.

Watchman, will its beams alone

    Gild the spot that gave them birth?

Traveler, ages are its own;

    See, it bursts o'er all the earth.

3. Watchman, tell us of the night,

    For the morning seems to dawn.

Traveler, darkness takes its flight,

    Doubt and terror are withdrawn.

Watchman, let thy wanderings cease;

    Hie thee to thy quiet home.

Traveler, lo! the Prince of Peace,

    Lo! the Son of God is come!

Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night (Mason) - William Appling Singers

Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night (Mason) - Lillian Ember, piano

Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night (Charles Ives, based on Mason) - William Parker & Dalton Baldwin

Ives also used Mason's tune in his Symphony No. 4

Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night (Parry) - Choir of St. Peter-in-Chains Chapel, Fort Loudon, PA

Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night (Parry) - CJ Renzi, guitar

Twelve Days of Christmas

So here we are again, another winter, another holiday season, another time to enjoy the beautiful words and music this season has inspired. Off we go . . . 

Day 12 - Here We Come A-wassailing (Here We Come A-Caroling)

In her book Ancient English Christmas Carols, Edith Rickert writes that Here We Come A-wassailing  "embodies the Saxon phrases used in pledging. The former of these has survived in the refrain of the carol (Wassail, Wassail, Out of the Milk Pail), which is otherwise highly religious. In the seventeenth century the wassail was a definite institution - the carrying about of a bowl of spiced ale from house to house to drink healths in expectation of a contribution." The wassail bowl itself was a hearty combination of hot ale or beer, apples, spices and mead, just alcoholic enough to warm the tingling toes and fingers of the singers. This carol dates from at least the mid 19th century, but is probably much older. The a- in "a-wassailing" is an archaic intensifying prefix, as in "A-Hunting We Will Go" or "Six geese a-laying" (from The Twelve Days of Christmas). 

1. Here we come a wassailing

Among the leaves so green,

Here we come a wandering

So fair to be seen.

Chorus

Love and joy come to you,

And to you your wassail too,

And God bless you and send you a happy New Year.

And God send you a happy New Year.

2. Our wassail cup is made

Of the rosemary tree,

And so is your beer

Of the best barley. Chorus

3. We are not daily beggars

That beg from door to door,

But we are neighbours' children

Whom you have seen before. Chorus

4. Good Master and good Mistress,

As you sit by the fire,

Pray think of us poor children

Are wandering in the mire. Chorus

5. We have a little purse

Made of ratching leather skin;

We want some of your small change

To line it well within. Chorus

6. Call up the Butler of this house,

Put on his golden ring;

Let him bring us a glass of beer,

And the better we shall sing. Chorus

7. Bring us out a table,

And spread it with a cloth;

Bring us out a mouldy cheese,

And some of your Christmas loaf. Chorus

8. God bless the Master of this house,

Likewise the Mistress too;

And all the little children

That round the table go. Chorus

9. Good master and good mistress,

while you're sitting by the fire,

pray think of us poor children

who are wandering in the mire.

Here We Come A-wassailing - Ian Giles

Here We Come A-wassailing - Theatre of Voices

. . . and a more earthy variation . . .

Here We Come A-wassailing - The Watersons

Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green

Here we come a-wandering so fairly to be seen

Now is winter time, strangers travel far and near

And we wish you, send you a happy New Year!

Bud and blossom, bud and blossom, bud and bloom and bear

So we may have plenty of cider all next year

Hatfuls and in capfuls and in bushel-bags and all

And the cider running out of every gutter hole.

Down here in the muddy lane there sits an old red fox

Starving and a-shivering and licking his old chops.

Bring us out your table and spread it if you please,

And give us hungry wassailers a bit of bread and cheese.

I’ve got a little purse and it’s made of leather skin.

A little silver sixpence would line it well within.

Now is winter-time, strangers travel far and near

And we wish you, send you a happy New Year!