Free download
The 4th track on 'A Present From Christmas Past'
pop rock folk country christmas chris paul bouzouki frettedfriends
Artist picture
Difficult to classify. Possibly folk, country, rock, pop...who knows?
Tobe A. Richards: Vocals, guitar, keyboards, mandolin, bass, bouzouki, cittern, cuatro, percussion etc. Chris Richards; Vocals Guests: Paul S. Baker: Vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, autoharp, percussion etc.
Song Info
Genre
Rock • Folk Rock
Charts
Peak #404
Peak in subgenre #35
Author
Music & Lyrics: Traditional
Rights
Transongs 2006
Uploaded
April 08, 2006
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.3 MB • 128 kbps • 3:34
Story behind the song
This infectious ditty about carousing wassailers has its origins in varying quarters. The best known are probably the Gloucester Wassail with its eight slightly curious verses and The Gower Wassail, collected and transcribed from the singing of Welshman, Phil Tanner in 1947. Sadly, Tanner died penniless in a South Wales workhouse. In some versions the cup lyric is replaced by toast or bread. The first verse in the version found on this CD is featured in Cecil J. Sharp's, One Hundred English Folksongs (1916).
Lyrics
A wassail, a wassail all over the town Our cup it is white and our ale it is brown Our cup it is made of the white maple tree With a wassailing bowl we’ll drink to thee. Drink to thee, drink to thee. With a wassailing bowl we’ll drink to thee. O master and mistress, oh are you within? Pray open the door-knob and let us come in. O master and mistress sitting down by the fire, Won’t you see us wassailers a-travel in the mire. Travel in the mire, travel in the mire. Won’t you see us wassailers a-travel in the mire. 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 of strong beer will do her no harm. Do us no harm, do us no harm And a drop of strong beer will do us no harm. So here’s to the maid in the lily white smock, Who tripped to the door and pulled back the lock. Who tripped to the door and pulled back on the pin For to let these jolly wassailers in Wassailers in, wassailers in For to let these jolly wassailers in O Butler, come fill us a bowl of the best Then we hope that your soul in Heaven may rest But if you do draw us a bowl of the small Then down shall come butler bowl and all Bowl and all, bowl and all Then down shall come butler bowl and all A wassail, a wassail all over the town Our cup it is white and our ale it is brown Our cup it is made of the white maple tree With a wassailing bowl we’ll drink to thee. Drink to thee, drink to thee. With a wassailing bowl we’ll drink to thee.
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