December 18th, 2006
I’m outta here, and probably won’t blog again until after Christmas. I’ll spend a few days in Chicago before heading to Milwaukee to spend time with family.
I hope all of our readers – friend and foe alike, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Wiccan, Buddhist, Hidu, Zoroastrian, or none of the above — enjoy the best of what the season has to offer.
And if you have the chance, tell the little boy that Jesus won’t care what kind of shoes mommy is wearing.
Happy Holidays!
Categories: Bloggin, Holiday |
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December 18th, 2006
This was sent in by reader Ann Marie. I haven’t heard it played, but I like the semi-archaic lyrics and I think it captures the awe the devout feel towards Christmas rather nicely, so up it goes:
Masters In This Hall
“To Bethlem did they go, the shepherds three;
To Bethlem did they do to see whe’r it were so or no,
Whether Christ were born or no
To set men free.” (I’ve never heard this part sung, but it was on the web site, so…)
1. Masters in this Hall,
Hear ye news to-day
Brought from over sea,
And ever I you pray:
Chorus
Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!
Nowell, sing we clear!
Holpen are all folk on earth,
Born is God’s son so dear:
Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!
Nowell, sing we loud!
God to-day hath poor folk raised
And cast a-down the proud.
2. Going o’er the hills,
Through the milk-white snow,
Heard I ewes bleat
While the wind did blow: Chorus
3. Shepherds many an one
Sat among the sheep,
No man spake more word
Than they had been asleep: Chorus
4. Quoth I, “Fellows mine,
Why this guise sit ye?
Making but dull cheer,
Shepherds though ye be? Chorus
5. “Shepherds should of right
Leap and dance and sing,
Thus to see ye sit,
Is a right strange thing”: Chorus
6. Quoth these fellows then,
“To Bethlem town we go,
To see a mighty lord
Lie in manger low”: Chorus
7. “How name ye this lord,
Shepherds?’ then said I,
“Very God,” they said,
“Come from Heaven high”: Chorus
8. Then to Bethlem town
We went two and two,
And in a sorry place
Heard the oxen low: Chorus
9. Therein did we see
A sweet and goodly may
And a fair old man,
Upon the straw she lay: Chorus
10. And a little child
On her arm had she,
“Wot ye who this is?”
Said the hinds to me: Chorus
11. Ox and ass him know,
Kneeling on their knee,
Wondrous joy had I
This little babe to see: Chorus
12. This is Christ the Lord,
Masters be ye glad!
Christmas is come in,
And no folk should be sad: Chorus
Also found in A. H. Bullen, A Christmas Garland (London: John C. Nimmo, 1885), pp.80-3. He notes, at page 258, “In Sedding’s “Ancient Christmas Carols” this carol is said to be translated from the French.”
Categories: Holiday, Xmas Lyric of the Day |
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December 18th, 2006
Three days late …
I swear I thought this started at sun down today…
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