Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)

Subject: Lyrics to 'Come to the Fair'
From: Walpole Public Library
Date: 06 Dec 99 - 06:38 PM

Greetings, we have a patron who is interested in finding the lyrics for "Come to the fair." It is believed to be by Easthope Martin and Helen Taylor (but not certain), and was dated in the early 1900s. We welcome suggestions!

Subject: RE: Lyrics to 'Come to the Fair'
From: alison
Date: 07 Dec 99 - 02:30 AM

Very very vaguely from memory... but maybe enought to jog someone elses......

The bright sun is shining to welcome the day
With a hey, ho, come to the fair

.........

come then, lasses and men to the fair in the ???heat of the morning

probably wrong....... but is it the one you're after??

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Index of Folk Songs in Print
From: GUEST,Jeanne
Date: 06 Sep 01 - 10:54 PM

"The sun is a shining to welcome the day with a hey ho come to the fair" Old Englsh song, Anyone know all the words????

Subject: Lyr req: Come to the Fair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 03:46 PM

I moved Jeanne's message (above) from another thread. I remember this song from long ago as "Hi Ho Come to the Fair," but can't find the lyrics.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:08 PM

Details from The Ballad Index, but no lyrics:

Come to the Fair

DESCRIPTION: "The sun is a-shining to welcome the day" of the fair. The happy time is described. Listeners are encouraged: "Hey, ho, come to the fair."
AUTHOR: Words: Helen Taylor / Music: Easthope Martin
EARLIEST DATE: 1917 (sheet music)
KEYWORDS: nonballad
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Fuld-WFM, p. 178, "Come to the Fair"
Notes: Fuld notes that this is "[f]requently mistaken for a folksong"; it is on this basis that I include the piece. - RBW
File: Fuld178

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Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions

The Ballad Index Copyright 2006 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.
I have it in my head from schooldays, and will put down what I can remember, if no-one else has the complete lyrics.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:17 PM

Hey, ho, I beat you to the Ballad Index, Noreen! I checked Levy, and didn't find it there.
[grin]
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:30 PM

So you did, Joe- I'd better post what I can remember before your memory comes trickling back too... :0) Fiddle de dee..

HEY HO COME TO THE FAIR

The sun is a-shining to welcome the day,
Hey ho come to the fair
The bells are all ringing so merry and gay,
Hey ho come to the fair

All the stalls on the green are as fine as can be
With trinkets and tokens for you and for me
So it's come, then, maidens and men to the fair in the pride of the morning

So deck yourselves up in your finest array,
Hey ho come to the fair.
?

?
Hey ho come to the fair
The drums are all beating, away let us go,
Hey ho come to the fair

There'll be (?) and (?) from morning 'til night,
And roundabouts turning to left and to right
So it's come, then, maidens and men to the fair in the pride of the morning

So lock up your house there'll be plenty of fun
Hey ho come to the fair,
Maidens and men,
Come to the fair in the morning,
Hey, ho……….
Come to the fair!

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:42 PM

Any suggestions to replace the suggestive question marks? *grin*

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:45 PM

Lyric and a midi can be found at  http://www.kididdles.com/mouseum/c066.html.

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: MMario
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 04:48 PM

well - for the last two - how about "drink" and "dancing"?

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 07:06 PM

Good one Malcolm. How did you find that?

Those words are adapted by.., though- and quite seriously. What's wrong with 'maidens and men' that he had to change it to 'young folks and old'? (yuk)

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 07:14 PM

It reminded me of the second verse, which is:

The fiddles are playing a tune that you know,
Hey ho come to the fair

The drums are all beating, away let us go,

Hey ho come to the fair!

But I still can't remember what the other two question marks were- it wasn't racing and chasing, I'm pretty sure. May have been dancing, MMario, but not drinking, I don't think- I sang it aged 9 in school...

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 07:19 PM

I did a search for come to the fair together with taylor, I think.  I knew it was a composed song, so I didn't look at the Ballad Index, but a search for the song title took me there anyway, which is where I found the composers' names.  I remember it only vaguely from childhood, so I have no idea what the right words would be; I'm guessing that Terry Kluytmans changed them a bit so that he could claim a copyright, but I could easily be wrong about that.

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Oct 01 - 07:57 PM

Aw, Malcolm, I think we should paste the words here and see if somebody can refine and correct them.
-Joe Offer-

---

COME TO THE FAIR
Words: Helen Taylor
Music By: Easthope Martin
Adapted By: Terry Kluytmans (contributing to the questionable accuracy of these lyrics and claiming a copyright)

The sun is a-rising To welcome the day.
Heigh-ho! Come to the fair!
The folk are a-singing So cheerful and gay.
Heigh-ho! Come to the fair!
All the stalls on the green Are as fine as can be
With trinkets and treasures For you and for me,
So it's come then, Young folks and old,
To the fair in the Pride of the morning.
So deck yourselves out In your finest array,
With a heigh-ho! Come to the fair!

The fiddles are playing The song that you know.
Heigh-ho! Come to the fair!
The drums are a-beating, Come on now, let's go,
Heigh-ho! Come to the fair!
There'll be racing and chasing From morning till night,
And roundabouts turning To left and to right,
So it's come then, Young folks and old,
To the fair in the Pride of the morning,
So lock up your house, There'll be plenty of fun,
And it's heigh-ho! Come to the fair!

---

Click to play

Subject: Lyr Add: COME TO THE FAIR (H Taylor & E Martin)
From: GUEST,rachaelbourn
Date: 04 Mar 03 - 05:00 PM

I have the sheet music in front of me right now. Correct lyrics are:

COME TO THE FAIR
(Words: Helen Taylor / Music: Easthope Martin, 1917)

1. The sun is a-shining to welcome the day,
Heigh ho, come to the fair,
The folk are all singing so merry and gay,
Heigh ho, come to the fair.
All the stalls on the green are as fine as can be,
With trinkets and tokens so pretty to see,
So it's come, then, maidens and men,
To the fair in the pride of the morning.
So deck yourselves out in your finest array,
With a heigh ho, come to the fair.

2. The fiddles are playing the tune that you know,
Heigh ho, come to the fair,
The drums are all beating away let us go,
Heigh ho, come to the fair.
There'll be racing and chasing from morning till night,
And roundabouts turning to left and to right,
So it's come, then, maidens and men,
To the fair in the pride of the morning.
So lock up your house, there'll be plenty of fun,
And it's heigh ho, come to the fair.

3. For love making too, if so be you've a mind,
Heigh ho, come to the fair,
For hearts that are happy are loving and kind,
Heigh ho, come to the fair.
If haste to the wedding the fiddles should play,
I warrant you'll dance to the end of the day,
Come, then, maidens and men,
To the fair in the pride of the morning.
The sun is a-shining to welcome the day,
With a heigh ho, come to the fair,
Maidens and men, maidens and men,
Come to the fair in the morning,
Heigh ho, come to the fair.

---

Rachael never came back to give bibliographic information from the sheet music, so what we have is from Fuld, which is usually accurate:
Words: Helen Taylor / Music: Easthope Martin
Publication: 1917 (sheet music)
-Joe Offer-

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: Noreen
Date: 04 Mar 03 - 05:06 PM

Details of sheet music please, Rachel? Thanks for these!

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: nutty
Date: 04 Mar 03 - 05:52 PM

Lyrics can be found here as well

COME TO THE FAIRE

Subject: RE: Lyrics req: Come to the Fair
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 09:25 AM

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,a reletive of easthope martain
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 02:49 PM

i would love to see if anyone had any info on him i need to find this as a job for my nan as he was a grate uncle to her it would be useful if u do

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: nutty
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 06:03 PM

If you want to pay to download the sheet music a number of original copies can be found here .......

COME TO THE FAIR

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Sep 07 - 06:19 PM

The full score also is available for download at the National Library of Australia:
Come to the Fair

Subject: RE: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Dolly
Date: 07 Sep 07 - 11:48 PM

The Lyrics are by Helen Taylor, the music is by Easthope Martin. It was written in 1917 (or thereabout).

you can buy the music for $2 at: www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/011600/details.html

and I found the lyrics at:
http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/c066.html

but it is missing the third verse. Hope this helps!

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 05:38 PM

as this piece is about 90 years old can i change the words ?

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 08 - 05:45 PM

can i change the words of this song

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 08 - 09:26 AM

can I change the words to come to the fair?

---

Sorry for the late answer. I know of no country that honors copyright on songs published in 1923 or earlier, so you can change it however you want.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Warner Hutchison, composer
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 09:57 PM

Come to the Fair was indeed published in 1917 by Enoch and Sons, London and was distributed by Boosey, Hawkes, Belwin, Inc. Belwin has now returned as Belwin Mills, itas original company name. I also have the vocal edition for medium voice range. Voval arrangements have been published by Belwin, and I assume that they have recopyrighted Come to the Fair,

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 02:53 AM

I asked about this song on the Usenet newsgroup rec.music.folk many years ago, and someone pointed me to a recording by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. I don't recommend it - my reaction was that she gave it, and other songs on that album like The Ash Grove, the full operatic treatment, and they collapsed under the weight - but others may like it.

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Les
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 06:35 AM

Yes, there is an old recording of this lovely little song magnificently sung by Kiri te Kanawa.

Good luck to you finding it!

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: BB
Date: 04 Mar 09 - 04:40 PM

How well I remember my mum singing this when I was young - along with 'Linden Lea' amongst others.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 07:26 PM

Actually the last post is quite right.. I am in choir right now and I'm doing a solo for this song.. The music is by Easthope Martin and the words are by Helen Taylor. It is quite a beautiful song..

Subject: RE: Req/ADD: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Frank Jones
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 08:52 PM

Our father (no, not that one!) used to ear-bash us with this and it still comes up on 'the wireless' from time to time, sung by the likes of John Heddle Nash.

Presumably Kididdles bowdlerised it because they cater for five-year-olds...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Ron Stailey
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 12:34 PM

The sun is a-rising
To welcome the day.
Heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!
The folk are a-singing
So cheerful and gay.
Heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!
All the stalls on the green
Are as fine as can be
With trinkets and treasures
For you and for me,
So it's come then,
Young folks and old,
To the fair in the
Pride of the morning.
So deck yourselves out
In your finest array,
With a heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!

The fiddles are playing
The song that you know.
Heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!
The drums are a-beating,
Come on now, let's go,
Heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!
There'll be racing and chasing
From morning till night,
And roundabouts turning
To left and to right,
So it's come then,
Young folks and old,
To the fair in the
Pride of the morning,
So lock up your house,
There'll be plenty of fun,
And it's heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 03:36 PM

Wow. I can't believe I never noticed this thread before. The Farm & Wilderness Camps in Plymouth, Vermont, put on a country fair at the end of the summer, in mid-August every year. On Fair morning at camp Indian Brook (for girls aged 9-14), the counselors apprentices (CAs) get up early and walk among the cabins singing this song. It's magical.

I spent 8 summers of my youth at F&W (that adds up to 1 year and 2 months of my life, spread out from age 9 to age 17), six of them at Indian Brook (one as a CA).

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Chris Stobart
Date: 27 Aug 11 - 05:40 PM

I have a painful memory associated with that song. My folks took me to a fair when I was seven and I got Mum to sing it for us before we left.

I only had to misconduct myself (not in a dangerous or knowing way) on one ride and I got driven home and told I was a little brat which was harsher than my mother usually got.

I've never heard it with quite the same innocence since.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,mike hurst
Date: 03 Jan 13 - 03:20 AM

Could it be dancing and singing, hey ho come to the fair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,Ian
Date: 13 Nov 24 - 05:43 PM

I sang this song in a school choir at Wimbledon town hall parents day
in 1952 when I was 10yrs old. I was a pupil at St Davids School(a very
small private)just after coming out from 2.5 years in hospital. The
school was located in West Barnes Lane Raynes Park/New Malden, S/west
London.We sang the original unadulterated version "maidens and men".
We had an elocution teacher at the time who insisted we sang the words
very clearly!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: rich-joy
Date: 13 Nov 24 - 06:43 PM

Certainly a popular radio piece of my early childhood in the 50s!

John Feeney sings the song in this film clip :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct4skKhk3w0

13 year old Julie Andrews in 1948, sings with her stepdad, accompanied on piano by her mother : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxSLj9l3sr4

Watch a 1m34s clip of Fairground excitement from 1935 British Pathé :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxvnNQpAgQA

R-J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 24 - 10:21 AM

You missed out a bit I think:

Man the star'd capstan, ye parish rid bums,
Heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!
Take yer hands from yer pockets and don't suck yer thumbs
Heigh-ho!
Come to the fair!

Or maybe that's from Strawberry Fair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 15 Nov 24 - 07:56 AM

I had an aunt, rather pedantic (she'd been a teacher), who insisted that it should be sung "roundabouts turning FROM left and to right", because roundabouts always go the same way. Is this actually true?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Come to the Fair (Taylor & Martin)
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 15 Nov 24 - 08:45 AM

PMB: every roundabout I can remember goes right-to-left. Next time I pass a fairground, I'll check and report back.