Cuccu Songs and Caroling in the divine donkey's anthology of poetry

Cuccu Songs and Caroling

Sometime in the 5th century, Caedmon (died about 680AD) heard God command him to sing of creation and, being a common person, he did so in English

Cuccu Song
13th century. Anonymous

The English text "is a jolly bucolic celebration of spring, with references to animals and procreation and farting". The Latin is not related. It "is a verse on Christ's Passion". (Dianne Tillotson)
Script: Gothic
Date: about 1225

Sumer is icumen in, Lhude sing cuccu.

Groweth sed, and bloweth med, And springeth the wude nu -

Sing cucco !

Awe bleteth after lombe, Lhouth after calve cu.

Bulluc sterteth, bucke verteth, Murie sing cuccu.

Cuccu, cuccu, well singes thu, cuccu - Ne swike thu never nu.

Sing cuccu, nu, sing cuccu, Sing cuccu, sing cuccu, nu.

translate with: Wessex Parallel Web Text or wild imagination

the rhythm of the spoken and (en) chanted word in 1387

when academics were supposed to be celibate, John Skelton (1460-1529) was not, and lost his posts at the universities, though not for writing common (lewd) poetry

1611: In the rhythm of creation God saw that it was good...

Because cuccu songs and caroling were seen as attacks on virtue by many during the puritan revolution, they were deliberately recreated after 1660 to secure popular support for the monarchist restoration

With wanton heed, and giddy cunning, John Milton (1608- 1674), puritan poet out of the ordinary, married poetry to virtue

I Saw Three Ships
May first have been printed in 1666

I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
I saw three ships come sailing in,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

The Virgin Mary and Christ were there
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
The virgin Mary and Christ were there
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Pray, whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Pray, whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

O they sailed into Bethelem,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
O they sailed into Bethelem,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
And all the souls on earth shall sing,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

If it worries you that there is no sea around Bethlehem for the ships to sail on you could click here for a quick cure for sanity and restorer of happiness

Carol: A ring-dance accompanied by song. Do you remember the tune to three ships? Imagine it played on a lute whilst everyone dances in a circle, hand in hand, bobbing up and down.

Come Lasses and Lads
Traditional melody. Words about 1670

Come lasses and lads, get leave of your dads,
And away to the Maypole hie,
For every he has got him a she,
And the fiddler's standing by;
For Willie shall dance with Jane,
And Johnny has got his Joan,
To trip it, trip it, trip it, trip it,
Trip it up and down.

To trip it, trip it, trip it, trip it,
Trip it, up and down.

"You're out", says Dick; "Not I", says Nick,
"Twas the fiddler played it wrong;"
"Tis true", says Hugh, and so says Sue,
And so says every one.
The fiddler then began
To play the tune again,
And every girl did trip it, trip it,
Trip it to the men.

And every girl did trip it, trip it,
Trip it to the men.

And there they sat until it was late,
And tired the fiddler quite
With singing and playing, without any paying,
From morning, until night.
They told the fiddler then,
They'd pay him for his play,
And each a twopence, twopence, twopence,
Gave him and went away.

And each a twopence, twopence, twopence,
Gave him and went away.

"Good night" says Harry; "Good night" says Mary;
"Good night" says Poll to John;
"Good night" says Sue; "Good night" says Hugh;
"Good night" says every one;
Some walked and some did run,
Some loitered on the way,
And bound themselves by kisses twelve,
To meet next holiday.

And bound themselves by kisses twelve,
To meet next holiday.

Oranges and Lemons
Earliest known printed version was 1744
Gay go up, and gay go down
To ring the bells of London Town
Bull's eyes and targets
Say the bells of St. Marg'ret's
Brickbats and tiles
Say the bells of St. Giles'
Oranges and lemons
Say the bells of St. Clement's
Old shoes and slippers
Say the bells of St. Peter's
Two sticks and an apple
Say the bells at Whitechapel
Old Father Baldpate
Say the slow bells at Aldgate
Maids in white aprons
Say the bells at St Catherine's
Pokers and tongs
Say the bells of St. John's
Kettles and pans
Say the bells of St. Anne's
Halfpence and farthings
Say the bells of St. Martin's
When will you pay me?
Say the bells at Old Bailey
When I grow rich
Say the bells at Shoreditch
Pray, when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney
I do not know
Says the great bell at Bow
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head

Early One Morning
Traditional. Lyrics in print 1787

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising,
I heard a maid sing in the valley below:
"Oh don't deceive me: Oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?

Oh, gay is the garland, and fresh are the roses,
I've cull'd from the garden to bind on thy brow.
Oh, don't deceive me: Oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?

Remember the vows that you made to your Mary,
Remember the bower where you vowed to be true.
Oh, don't deceive me: Oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?"

Thus sang the poor maiden, her sorrows bewailing,
Thus sang the poor maid in the valley below;
"Oh, don't deceive me: Oh, never leave me.
How could you use a poor maiden so?"

Charlie's Darling

If this web page is playing a tune to you, it is the traditional tune and rhythm for Charlie's Darling. Go on - sing it!
"Just drives me crazy" (Children's discussion board) That is the way it should be

'Twas on a Monday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
A-washing of her linen, O