Gloucestershire Wassail
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Gloucestershire Wassail or after its opening verse: Wassail! wassail! all over the town ( Wassail! Wassail! Over the whole town ) is a traditional English Christmas carol ( Wassail Song ) that probably originated in Gloucestershire .
The song sings about and is part of the old custom of Wassailing (from Middle English wæs hæil ) or caroling from house to house with the wish of good health.
His first stanza reads:
Wassail! wassail! all over the town, Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee.
In German translation:
Wassail! Wassail! All over town, Our toast, it's white, and our beer, it's brown; Our skin is made of white maple made ; We'll toast you with the Wassailing bowl.
There are many different text versions of the song. The song was arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams , among others .
See also
Web links
- hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com
- sniff.numachi.com
- Sound samples: a , b , c , d , e , f , g , h , i (Arr.Ralph Vaughan Williams )
Individual evidence
- ^ Text and music “probably created 18th century” (William E. Studwell: Christmas Carols. A Reference Guide. New York & London 1985, p. 86 (No. 296))
- ↑ "wassail," in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary < http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wassail%5B2%5D >