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Carols for Solstice

by The Silver Twiglets

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1.
Welcum Yule 02:59
Welcome Yule, old heaven's king. Welcome Yule, born this morning, Welcome Yule, man full smiling Welcome, Welcome Yule Chorus: Welcome Yule, thou merry man, Welcome Yule, spend here thy span. Welcome Yule, thou merry man, Welcome, Welcome Yule Welcome Yule, red robéd one, Welcome Yule, come from the sun, Welcome Yule, our heart's crimson, Welcome, Welcome Yule! Welcome Yule, good news bearer, Welcome Yule, of the New Year, Welcome Yule, twelve days you'll hear, Welcome, Welcome Yule! Chorus Welcome Yule, thy log's aflame, Welcome Yule, thy fire doth gain, Welcome Yule, warmth grows again, Welcome, Welcome Yule! Welcome Yule, enter this hall, Welcome Yule, centre of all, Welcome Yule, our first carol, Welcome, Welcome Yule! Chorus Welcome Yule, as ever was, Welcome Yule, as ever thus, Welcome Yule, as ever must, Welcome, Welcome Yule! Welcome Yule, come well in here, Welcome Yule, make us good cheer, Welcome Yule, once more thou'rt here, Welcome, Welcome Yule!
2.
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.
3.
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
4.
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.
5.
The Holly and the Ivy when they are both full-grown of all the trees that are in the wood The Holly/Ivy bears the crown Chorus: The rising of the sun And the running of the deer The rounding of the shining moon The weary worn hunter The holly bears a blossom White as the lily flower and ivy bears the blackest buds to pull him to her power The holly bears a berry As red as any blood And ivy bears the greenest leaves To wrap him in her hood The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn and ivy bears a clinging vine to smother him right down The holly bears a bark Bitter as any gall and ivy bears small nectar flowers to sweeten all his fall The holly and the ivy when they are both full-grown of all the trees that are in the wood these two shall wreathe as one
6.
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
7.
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 are drawing on apace
8.
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 it's your wassail, and it's 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:
9.
Green grow'th the holly So doth the ivy Though winter blasts blow ne'er so high Green grow'th the holly Gay are the flowers Hedgerows and ploughlands The days grow longer in the sun Soft fall the showers Full gold the harvest Grain for thy labour with goddess must work for daily bread Else, man, thou starvest Fast fall the shed leaves Russet and yellow but resting buds are snug and safe where swung the dead leaves Green grow'th the holly So doth the ivy The god of life can never die Hope! Saith the holly
10.
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; It's covered all over with purple and pall; In that hall there stands a bed; It's covered all over with gold so red; And in that bed there lieth a knight; His wounds did bleed both day and night; By that bedside there kneeleth a may; And she weepeth both night and day; Under that bed there runs a flood; The one half runs water, the other runs blood; Upon the bedpost the moon shines bright; To bring in the honey- dew this very night; And by the bedside there standeth a stone; The ancient mysteries written thereon;
11.
Patapan 04:31
Mary 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 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!

about

This is a selection of restored solstice carols. 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 Britain.

credits

released December 21, 1997

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Tim Hawthorn Glastonbury, UK

Singer - songwriter
Elder Bard of Ynys Witrin
Silver on the Tree
Avalonian Free State Choir
Invisible Opera
The Silver Twiglets
The Archetypes
timhawthorn.co.uk/about/

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