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Gloucestershire Wassail

Gloucestershire Wassail is a quintessential English Christmas carol that has found its way into the hearts of Irish session musicians. While its origins lie in the festive traditions of Gloucestershire, England, its lively and infectious melody has made it a beloved staple of Irish traditional music gatherings.

With its upbeat tempo and repetitive structure, the tune is perfectly suited for the collaborative nature of Irish sessions, allowing musicians to improvise and embellish upon the basic melody. Often played with a driving rhythm and energetic bowing, Gloucestershire Wassail brings a sense of joyous camaraderie to any session, making it a timeless and cherished piece in the repertoire of Irish traditional music.

Key

G Maj.

Tune Type

Waltz

Gloucestershire Wassail is deeply rooted in the ancient English tradition of wassailing, a festive custom involving singing, drinking, and offering toasts for good fortune. The specific tune we know today was popularized in the early 20th century thanks to the efforts of the renowned English folk music collector, Ralph Vaughan Williams. He encountered the melody in the early 1900s, sung by an anonymous individual in Gloucestershire. While the exact origins of the tune predate this encounter, Vaughan Williams’s documentation and inclusion of the song in the Oxford Book of Carols significantly contributed to its widespread popularity.
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The lyrics of the song often reference agricultural themes, reflecting the rural origins of wassailing as a ritual to bless crops and livestock. This connection to the land and the cyclical nature of the seasons further enriches the song’s historical context. Over time, Gloucestershire Wassail has evolved from a local custom to a beloved piece of English folk music, and its adoption by Irish musicians has added another layer to its rich history.
  • Wassail
  • The Wassailing Song
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.
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Here’s to our horse, and to his right ear, God send our master a happy new year: A happy new year as e’er he did see, With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
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So here is to Cherry and to his right cheek Pray God send our master a good piece of beef And a good piece of beef that may we all see With the wassailing bowl, we’ll drink to thee.
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Here’s to our mare, and to her right eye, God send our mistress a good Christmas pie; A good Christmas pie as e’er I did see, With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
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So here is to Broad Mary and to her broad horn May God send our master a good crop of corn And a good crop of corn that may we all see With the wassailing bowl, we’ll drink to thee.
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And here is to Fillpail and to her left ear Pray God send our master a happy New Year And a happy New Year as e’er he did see With the wassailing bowl, we’ll drink to thee.
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Here’s to our cow, and to her long tail, God send our master us never may fail Of a cup of good beer: I pray you draw near, And our jolly wassail it’s then you shall hear.
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Come butler, come fill us a bowl of the best Then we hope that your soul in heaven may rest But if you do draw us a bowl of the small Then down shall go butler, bowl and all.
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Be here any maids? I suppose here be some; Sure they will not let young men stand on the cold stone! Sing hey O, maids! come trole back the pin, And the fairest maid in the house let us all in.
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Then here’s to the maid in the lily white smock Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin For to let these jolly wassailers in.