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If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)
Artist: English Singers
Author: trad./Ralph Vaughn-Williams
Label: Roycroft
Year: 1928
Roud #209 (also as (Apple Tree) Wassail Song, Here We Come A-Caroling en Here We Come A-Wassailing). Wassailing stands for door-to-door neighborhooding round christmas time with a warm brew of ale, fruit and cake, a custom with anglo-saxon roots and local variantions. These English Singers were from Gloucester. Most versions follow the Welsh Gower Wassail (see also: Soulcake).
Covers:
Phil Tanner [as The Gower Wassail Song; Tanner lived on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales; reissued on volume England of Alan Lomax series World Library Of Folk And Primitive Music ('98 - Rounder)]
Jean Ritchie [Lomax recording]
Perry Como [as Here We Come A-Caroling]
Watersons [as Here We Come A-Wassailing]
Steeleye Span [as Gower Wassail]
Watersons [as Apple Tree Wassail]
Albion Dance Band [as Here We Come A-Wassailing]
Ramskyte [as Gloucestershire Wassail, different melody, partly same lyrics]
Kate Rusby [as Here We Come A-Wassailing]
Chicago [as Here We Come A-Caroling]
Blackmore's Night [idem]
Mediaeval Baebes [as Gower Wassail]
Unthanks [idem; skipping the fol-dee-dol from most other versions]
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)