Song of the Day - 10th December

Today's Song of the Day is an alteration from what I had originally planned to share, as yesterday I received the first beta choir recording back from one of my lovely partner beta choirs - The Faringdon Singers!

They performed the world premiere of one of my Songs for all Seasons and sent me the video the very next day. I confess I had a huge happy grin on my face the entire time I listened to it. I have had my music performed before, but only by choirs I already ran so they had no choice but to sing it. This was the first time in my entire life that a group of people who don't know me chose to learn and sing one of my songs! I actually had no idea how emotional it would make me.

So, THANK YOU, Faringdon Singers, for making my day yesterday. 

The song was "Merry Souls", a song for Christmas Eve, the words of which I found on Project Gutenberg in an old Christmas book of poems called "Round About Our Coal Fire" published in 1796. I have since learned (literally just this morning actually) that the original words contained a couple of naughty references which were obviously tamed as the version I originally found was perfectly innocent. Scroll to the very bottom of the page (if you dare) to see the original 😇

So, today's Song of the Day, is the first live recording of an actual real life choir singing Merry Souls! I hope you enjoy it.

Merry Souls

Source: Round About Our Coal Fire.

O you merry, merry Souls,

Christmas is a-coming,

We shall have flowing bowls,

Dancing, piping, drumming.

Delicate minced pies

To feast every virgin,

Capon and goose likewise,

Brawn and a dish of sturgeon.

Then, for your Christmas box,

Sweet plum-cakes and money,

Delicate Holland smocks,

Kisses sweet as honey.

Hey for the Christmas ball,

Where we shall be jolly

Jigging short and tall,

Kate, Dick, Ralph, and Molly.

Then to the hop we'll go

Where we'll jig and caper;

Maidens all-a-row;

Will shall pay the scraper.

Hodge shall dance with Prue,

Keeping time with kisses;

We'll have a jovial crew

Of sweet smirking misses.

_____

And here is that slightly naughty original version! Spot the differences (hint, they are in verses 4 and 5).