The Wellerman

There once was a ship that put to sea
And the name of that ship was the Billy o’ Tea
The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down
Blow, me bully boys, blow.

Refrain

Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
We’ll take our leave and go

Refrain

She had not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He’d take that whale in tow.

Refrain

Before the boat had hit the water
The whale’s tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down below.

Refrain

No line was cut, no whale was freed;
The Captain’s mind was not on greed
But he belonged to the whaleman’s creed;
She took that ship in tow.

Refrain

For forty days, or even more
The line went slack, then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still that whale did go

Refrain

As far as I’ve heard, the fight’s still on;
The line’s not cut and the whale’s not gone
The Wellerman makes his a regular call
To encourage the Captain, crew, and all

Refrain

Music: Traditional 19th Century, New Zealand (1860-1870)

Greensleeves/What Child Is This

Alas my love, you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you oh so long,
Delighting in your company,

Refrain

Greensleeves was all my joy,
Greensleeves was my delight.
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who, but my Lady Greensleeves.

I have been ready at your hand
To grant whatever thou would’st crave;
I have waged both life and land
Your love and goodwill for to have.

Refrain

Thy petticoat of slender white
With gold embroidered gorgeously;
Thy petticoat of silk and white
And these I bought gladly.

Refrain

Lyrics and Music: Traditional 16th Century

What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor

What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
Early in the morning?

Refrain:
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Early in the morning

Put/chuck him in the long boat ’til he’s sober.


Early in the morning

Put him in the long-boat and make him bail her.

What shall we do with a drunken soldier?

Put/lock him in the guard room ’til he gets sober.

Put him in the scuppers with a hosepipe on him.

Lyrics and Music: Traditional 19th Century

The Coventry Carol

Lully, lulla, thow littell tine child,
By by, lully lullay
Lullay thow littell tyne child,
By by, lully, lullay!

O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This pore yongling for whom we do singe
By by, lully, lullay?

Herod, the king, in his raging,
Chargid he hath this day
His men of might in his owne sight
All yonge children to slay,—

That wo is me, pore child, for thee,
And ever morne and may
For thi parting nether say nor singe,
By by, lully, lullay.

Lyrics: Traditional 16th Century
Music: Original three part arrangement attr. Thomas Mawdyke 1591, popular four part arrangement Sir Henry Walford Davies KCVO OBE (1869 – 1941)

We Three Kings

We Three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder Star.

Chorus

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading,
Still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.

Born a King on Bethlehem plain,
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King for ever,
Ceasing never
Over us all to reign.

Chorus

Frankincense to offer have I,
Incense owns a Deity nigh:
Prayer and praising
All men raising,
Worship Him God on High.

Chorus

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;—
Sorrowing, sighing,
Bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

Chorus

Glorious now behold Him arise,
King, and God, and Sacrifice;
Heav’n sings Hallelujah:
Hallelujah the earth replies.

Chorus

Lyrics and Tune: John Henry Hopkins Jr. (1820-1891)

It Came Upon The Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
”Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heaven’s all-gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o’er its babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing.

And ye, beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow,
Look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing!

For lo!, the days are hastening on,
By prophet bards foretold,
When with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Lyrics: Edmund Sears (1810-1876)
Tune: “Carol”, Richard Storrs Willis (1819-1900)

I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

Lyrics: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
Tune: “Waltham”, John Baptiste Calkin (1827-1905)

Go Tell It On The Mountain

While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light

Chorus
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Saviour’s birth;

Chorus

Down in a lowly manger
The humble Christ was born;
And God sent out salvation
That blessed Christmas morn.

Chorus

When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day
I sought the Lord to help me
And He showed me the way.

Chorus

He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall
And If I am a Christian
I am the least of all.

Chorus

Lyrics: John Wesley Work, Jr. (1871-1925)
Tune: African-American Spiritual

Away In A Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And take us to heaven to live with thee there.

Music: William Kirkpatrick (1838-1921)
Lyrics: Attr. Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Silent Night

Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!

Music: Franz Gruber (1787-1863)
Lyrics: Joseph Mohr (1792-1848); Trans. John F. Young (1820-1885)