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Wassailing Songs for Stoke Gabriel

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Wassailing Songs for Stoke Gabriel Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 This song to be sung during the procession HERE WE COME A WASSAILING Chorus: Here we come a-wassailing Bring us out a table among the leaves so green and spread it with a cloth Here we come a-wandering Bring us out a mouldy cheese so fairly to be seen and some of your Christmas loaf Chorus: Chorus Our wassail cup is made Good master and good mistress of the rosemary tree while you're sitting by the fire And so is your beer Think of us poor children of the best barley who are wand'ring in the mire Chorus Chorus Call up the butler of this house, Here we come a-wassailing put on his golden ring among the leaves so green Let him bring us up a glass of beer Here we come a-wandering and better we shall sing so fairly to be seen Chorus Chorus 1 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: This song to be sung with the children and all assembled at each of the trees being wassailed STOKE GABRIEL WASSAIL (Sung:) Old apple tree we wassail thee Here’s hoping thou wilt bear For the Lord doth know where we shall be When comes another year; For to bloom well and to bear well, So happy let us be; Let every man take off his cap And shout out to the old apple tree. (Shouted:) Old apple tree, we wassail thee Here’s hoping thou wilt bear Hats full, Caps full, Three-bushel bags full, And little heaps under the stair! Hip-hip-hooray Hip-hip-hooray Hip-hip-hooray (Shot guns fire) (Music for this version not available) 2 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: 3 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: Torbay Wassail (continued): 4 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: TORBAY WASSAIL (Stephen Lyons arr. Rosa Rebecka) Call: I'll sing you a wassail of ale and good cheer Response: As fine a wassail as ever you'll hear Low: I'll sing you a wassail of ale and good cheer As fine a wassail as ever you'll hear I'll sing you a wassail of silver and gold As good as a story has ever been told I'll sing you a wassail of silver and gold As good as a story has ever been told Ch: Wassail, wassail, wassail the tree that brings us the apples that cider will be Wassail, wassail, wassail the tree brings us apples that will cider Wassail, wassail, wassail – brings us apples that will cider Wassail, wassail, wassail the night that brings us together in darkness and light Wassail, wassail, wassail the night brings together darkness and light Wassail, wassail, wassail – brings together darkness and light I'll sing you a wassail of singers and trees A wassail to warm and a wassail to please I'll sing you a wassail of singers and trees A wassail to warm and a wassail to please I'll sing you a wassail of robins and wrens As pretty a wassail you'll not hear again I'll sing you a wassail of robins and wrens As pretty a wassail you'll not hear again Ch: Wassail, wassail, wassail the tree that brings us the apples that cider will be Wassail, wassail, wassail the tree brings us apples that will cider Wassail, wassail, wassail – brings us apples that will cider Wassail, wassail, wassail the night that binds us together in darkness and light Wassail, wassail, wassail the night binds together darkness and light Wassail, wassail, wassail – binds together darkness and light I'll sing you a wassail of blossom and snow As strong a wassail as any could know I'll sing you a wassail of blossom and snow As strong a wassail as any could know I'll sing you a wassail of apples and sun All hail to the trees now our wassail's begun I'll sing you a wassail of apples and sun All hail to the trees now our wassail's begun Ch: Wassail, wassail, wassail the tree that brings us the apples that cider will be Wassail, wassail, wassail the tree brings us apples that will cider Wassail, wassail, wassail – brings us apples that will cider Wassail, wassail, wassail the night that keeps us together in darkness and light Wassail, wassail, wassail the night keeps together darkness and light Wassail, wassail, wassail – keeps together darkness and light 5 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: NEW YEAR CAROL / LEVY DEW Arrangement by Alison Burns (2010) that shine that shine that shine the Here comes the mai- den with gold on her toe, O - pen the west gate and let the Old Year go Here comes the mai- den with gold on her shoe, O - pen the south gate and let the New Year through. Here comes the mai- den with gold on her chin, O - pen the east gate and let the New Year in. Here comes the mai- den with gold in her eye, O - pen the north gate and let the Old Year by. ‘Levy dew’, sing ‘Levy dew’; the water and the wine, Seven bright gold wires and the trumpets that shine. ‘Levy dew’, sing ‘Levy dew’; the water and the wine, Seven bright gold wires and the trumpets that shine. Here comes the maiden with gold on her toe, Open the West gate and let the Old Year go. ‘Levy dew’, etc Here comes the maiden with gold on her shoe, Open the South gate and let the New Year through. ‘Levy dew’, etc Here comes the maiden with gold on her chin, Open the East gate and let the New Year in. ‘Levy dew’, etc Here comes the maiden with gold in her eye, Open the North gate and let the Old Year by. ‘Levy dew’, etc Suggested glossary: ‘Levy dew’ ‘Levez à Dieu’ (“Raise to God”) referring to the wine at the communion - alternative ‘Levy dew’ corruption of old/middle English ‘levedy’ - ‘lady’ (not ‘Residue’ as collected from Bert Hodgeson and sung on ‘Holy Heathens’ by ‘Waterson-Carthy’) “water and the wine” Holy water and communion wine “seven bright gold wires” the strings of a golden harp or lyre. 6 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: WASSAIL THE SILVER APPLE (Mike O’Connor arr. Sarah Morgan) Wassail! Wassail! May the coming year, Peace and plenty bring to all who wassail here Drink to the bud and the blossom; Drink to the bud and the blossom; Drink to the root of the tree; Drink to the root of the tree; Drink to the fruit of the summer; Drink to the fruit of the summer; Wassail! let cider run free. Wassail let cider run free. Fire at the spirit of winter; Fire at the spirit of winter; Fire at the spirit of night, Fire at the spirit of night; Fire at the spirit of darkness. Fire at the spirit of darkness; Wassail the bringer of light. Wassail the bringer of light. Wassail the silver shilling; Wassail the silver shilling; Wassail the silver moon; Wassail the silver moon; Wassail the silver apple; Wassail the silver apple; Drink hail the sign of the sun! Drink hail the sign of the sun. Wassail! Wassail! Wassail! Wassail! May the coming year, May the coming year, Peace and plenty bring Peace and plenty bring to all who wassail here to all who wassail here 7 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: THE ROBIN'S CALL (Copyright: Rosa Rebecka) Verses: 8 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: The Robin's Call (verses continued): So But But So So So But But So So So So sing 9 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: The Robin's Call (continued): Chorus: 10 Orchard Wassail - Stoke Gabriel, Saturday 16 January 2016 Songs sung in the street before the procession and under the lych gate by the Wassail Singers: THE ROBIN'S CALL (Copyright: Rosa Rebecka) Intro – women – small group The robin is the finest bird All in the apple tree The red upon his body For all the world to see 1. women 4. all – with extra decoration harmony He’s soared to hell on scorching wings And sleeping in the subways With water for the damned Are seeds, as yet unseen He’s sung a song of comfort And underneath the ashes For the ever-fading lamb Lay whispers of the green So sing his tree no elegy So sing the trees no elegies Though it be bare and frail That they may yet prevail Sing Wassail! Sing Wassail! Chorusl all (sing) Wassail, (sing) wassail, (sing) wassail all (sing) Wassail, (sing) wassail, (sing) wassail Wassail.
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