Wassail song (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

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• (Posted 2023-12-05)  CPDL #77866:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-12-05).   Score information: Letter, 16 pages, 576 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Wassail song
Composer: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Lyricist: Traditional
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB, divisi
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1913 Stainer & Bell
Description: Five English Folk Songs, No. 5

Original text and translations

English text

Wassail, Wassail, all over the town,
Our bread it is white and our ale it is brown;
Our bowl it is made of the green maple tree;
In the Wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Here’s a health to the ox and to his right eye,
Pray God send our master a good Christmas pie,
A good Christmas pie as e’er I did see,
In the Wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Here’s a health to the ox and to his right horn,
Pray God send our master a good crop of corn,
A good crop of corn as e’er I did see,
In the Wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Here’s a health to the ox and to his long tail,
Pray God send our master a good cask of ale,
A good cask of ale as e’er I did see,
In the Wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.

Come, butler, come fill us a bowl of the best;
Then I pray that your soul in heaven may rest;
But if you do bring us a bowl of the small,
May the Devil take butler, bowl and all!

Then here’s to the maid in the lily white smock,
Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock;
Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin,
For to let these jolly Wassailers walk in.