Christmas and more

Christmas shopping (photo: Simon Meeds)

Our last session of 2021 was a great success, not least due to a transatlantic visitor, but more of that later. Christmas songs were in evidence of course as this was 17 December.

Colin was MC and started the evening off with Mary's Boy Child (Jester Hairston), which he was preparing for his church. The tempo he chose was somewhere between Harry Belafonte and Boney M in order to make it easier for the choir to sing.

Simon went straight for the Latin, singing Gaudete with his usual classical, rather than the authentic medieval pronunciation. It was published in Piae Cantiones, a collection of Finnish/Swedish sacred songs published in 1582. No music is given for the verses, but the standard tune comes from older liturgical books.

Mike's first contribution was lighter with The Christmas Goose (roud 3204).

Colin offered another carol with Twelve Days of Christmas (roud 68), whereas Simon went for a Marriott Edgar monologue, Sam Small's Christmas Pudding. It was during Mike's singing of The Gloucestershire Wassail (roud 209) that we were joined by Gabe. There were jokes about the arrival of Gabriel before Christmas - I'm sure he's never heard those before!

Gabe sportingly agreed to hit the ground running and continued the wassail theme with The Wassail Song (Here we come a-wassailing). He explained that this is one of the most commonly sung wassails in his native USA. Note that Roud categorises all wassails under his number 209.

This started a mini-theme with two further wassails being sung. The Gower Wassail was sung by Gabe. This Gower Wassail was collected from Phil Tanner in 1947 (see the linked recording). Mike tells us that it is the one traditionally sung there after New Year. The final wassail of the evening was Apple Tree Wassail sung by Mike.

Traditionally I mention in the report every song contributed by a newcomer to the club. Since Gabe was skilfully able to follow even the most obscure, non-folky contributions, this also requires me to mention those songs to which he linked. Here goes.

Somewhat stand-alone was Gabe's Longfellow's Christmas Bells. I may be wrong, but I think the tune in the link is the one he sang. If that is so then the tune was "Waltham" to which it was set by the English organist, John Baptiste Calkin. The song tells of the narrator hearing Christmas bells during the American Civil War, but despairing that "hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men". After much anguish and despondency the carol concludes with the bells ringing out with resolution that "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep" and that there will ultimately be "...peace on earth, good will to men".

Colin gave us the sequel to Snoopy vs the Red Baron, also recorded by The Royal Guardsmen and entitled Snoopy's Christmas (George David Weiss, Hugo & Luigi). This led Gabe to sing The Biplane Evermore, originally recorded by its writer, Marty Cooper, but later covered by The Royal Guardsmen.

Simon sang Mon Beau Sapin (Laurent Delcasso), a French version of the German carol O Tannenbaum (Ernst Anschütz), written in 1824 and based on a 16th-century Silesian folk song by Melchior Franck. Gabe followed with Sing We Noel, a translation of a 15th century French carol.

Gabe went out on his own with Pete Seeger's Snow, Snow.

Simon's rendition of Elizabeth Padgett's Plover Catcher inspired Gabe to follow the ornithological theme with The Mallard (roud 1517).

Colin harked back to Simon's Gaudete with The Kipper Family's nonsense pseudo-Latin Awayday. Gabe found Don McLean's equally nonsense On the Amazon.

Maybe it was the Latin slant that took Gabe to In Dulci Jubilo with it's mix of German and Latin.

Colin, who had earlier sung The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen by Bob Rivers, returned to that writer with Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire. Gabe followed with The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) written by Ross Bagdasarian under the pseudonym David Seville.

Gabe's penultimate contribution was from the North East of England, Robin Spraggon's Auld Grey Mare (roud 3063). He was called upon once more to finish the evening which he did with the Christmassy Silver Bells (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans).

We must thank Gabe for helping us to make it a great evening. He brought some excellent singing, even managing to get us to up our game with harmonies. He showed a varied repertoire, sportingly following us down many musical backwaters. We hope to see him again soon since we understand he is staying in the area for a while and he fitted right in with us.

Do as Gabe did; come and join us any Friday night at The Bridge Inn. We certainly don't expect everyone to be as versatile as Gabe, but everyone has something to contribute, whether it's a song, a story, or just some chat.

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 4 of whom 4 performed)