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11 December - Here We Came A-Wassailing

Another one I recorded a few years back, in part as a test of whether I could produce accompanied music using MIDI and have it sound reasonable. Thankfully, the piano has a lot of decent soundfonts (per-note audio sample sets) available to imitate it.

Going wassailing, carolling, or carol-singing seems to have fallen further out of favour even in the last thirty years - I remember going as a child, either in nearby streets or by arrangement at a local pub, though it was a less nakedly mercenary endeavour than in this carol.

Music: Traditional English, arranged by John Rutter
Musician: Tony Evershed

Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand'ring
So fair to be seen.

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.

Our wassail cup is made
Of the rosemary tree,
And so is your beer
Of the best barley.

Love and joy...

We are not daily beggars
That beg from door to door;
But we are neighbours' children,
Whom you have seen before.

Love and joy...

Call up the butler of this house,
Put on his golden ring.
Let him bring us up a glass of beer,
And better we shall sing.

Love and joy...

We have got a little purse
Of stretching leather skin;
We want a little of your money
To line it well within.

Love and joy...

Bring us out a table
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a mouldy cheese,
And some of your Christmas loaf.

Love and joy...

God bless the master of this house
Likewise the mistress too,
And all the little children
That round the table go.

Love and joy...

Good master and good mistress,
While you're sitting by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children
Who are wandering in the mire.

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.