Origins: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)

Subject: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: PeadarOfPortsmouth
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 11:24 AM

Just curious if anyone has the lyrics to this song. I'm planning to transpose them from a cassette tonight, but thought I'd see if someone already did the heavy lifting. ;-)

Of course, if there's any history about the origins of the song, that would be great to know as well.

Thanks in advance.

Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Peace
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 11:48 AM

Leaping And Dancing

Shepherds and lasses, come leaping and dancing,
Leaping and dancing the eve of Noel.
Shepherds and lasses, come leaping and dancing,
Leaping and dancing the eve of Noel.
The eve of Noel, the eve of Noel.

Make up a bed for the sweet Virgin Mary,
Make her a bed, for she lies now with child.

Hush-a-bye baby, he wakes and is weeping,
Hush-a-bye baby, so little and mild.

From the first hour that his mother has borne him,
Weeps he and sobs, his first moments on earth.

Now his young mother most tenderly soothes Him,
Soothes him and sings her best song for his birth.

What shall we give him, this child of young Mary?
What shall we give him, to play our small parts?

Grapes we will give him, figs, walnuts and olives;
Olives and grapes, and the love of our hearts.

I'd like to give him a dress to adorn him,
Gloves for His warming, and gifts for his mirth.

Weep no more, darling, nor grieve me so sorely,
Weep not, my darling, this eve of Noel.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Peace
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 11:49 AM

OOPS. That is from

www.goldenhindmusic.com/lyrics/LEAPINGA.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: PeadarOfPortsmouth
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 12:11 PM

Holy Hannah, Peace...that was FAST!

I didn't expect to see a reply with lyrics for a while. Thanks for tracking it down so quickly.

Cheers,

Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: ClaireBear
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 12:40 PM

There's a Catalan carol called "Salten y Ballen" ... I'm not a Catalan speaker, but that certainly looks as though it should mean Leaping and Dancing. Could they be the same?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Peace
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 01:44 PM

"Salten y Ballen (trad. Catalan) The response of shepherds and villagers to the joy felt at the holiday. This Catalonian carol is woven with the gaitas bagpipe melody and speaks of all the rustic gifts that the villagers plan to bring to the holy family."

##############################################

Machine-translated page, CB.

##############################################


Untranslated page. (Songs look similar in many ways.)

##############################################

NOTE: There are midis with the two links above--both are essentially the same link. The snippet at the top is from the www.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Peace
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 02:17 PM

Sorry, Peter. You are most welcome.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 21 - 05:42 AM

Is there a printed melody version of this text

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 Nov 21 - 10:53 AM

Guest:
Apparently it's in The Penguin Book of Christmas Carols.

No need for you to actually get a copy of the full book as I have a copy on order & will post the ABC melody once I get it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 Nov 21 - 11:31 AM

Also a performance Here, on YouTube

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: leeneia
Date: 16 Nov 21 - 12:30 PM

Thanks, Nigel. I've heard that tune before with the words, "What Shall We Give to the Child in the Manger."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Nov 21 - 11:45 AM

Leeneia:

Looks likely to be another version with a title taken from an alternate translation of v5:

What shall we give him, this child of young Mary?
What shall we give him, to play our small parts?

Subject: RE: Origins: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: GUEST,Mother of Heroes
Date: 19 Nov 21 - 06:44 PM

The tune is based on the English country dance tune Half Hannikin, which I’ve always thought sounded Christmassy. Apparently I am not alone.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2HuXu2PFwCI

Subject: Tune Add: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 23 Nov 21 - 02:18 PM

LEAPING AND DANCING
Catalan
Refrain
Shepherds and lasses, come leaping and dancing,
Leaping and dancing the eve of Noël.
The eve of Noël, the eve of Noël.

1, Make up a bed for the sweet Virgin Mary,
Make up a bed, for she lies now with child.

2, Hush-a-bye baby, he wakes and is weeping,
Hush-a-bye baby, so little and mild.

3, What shall we give him, the young child of Mary?
What shall we give him, to play our small parts?

4, Grapes we will give him, figs, walnuts and olives;
Olives and grapes, and the love of our hearts.

5, I'd like to give him a dress to adorn him,
Gloves for his warming, and gifts for his mirth.

6, From the first hour that his mother has borne him,
Weeps he and sobs, his first moments on earth.

7, Now his young mother most tenderly soothes him,
Soothes him and sings her best song for his birth.

8, Weep no more, darling, nor grieve me so sorely,
Weep not, my darling, this eve of Noël.
(Final refrain 2 lines only!)

X: 1
T:Leaping and dancing
M:6/8
L:1/8
S: Penguin book of Christmas carols
Z: NP 23 Nov 2021
K:D
F3/2G/A | AGF E3/2D/E | F2 D F3/2G/A | AGF EF3/2E/ | D2 || (B/c/) d3/2c/B | A2 (B/c/) d3/c/B | A6 || F3/G/A| ABc d3/c/B | B2 A F3/G/A | ABc edB | A3 |
w: Shep-herds and lass-es, come leap-ing and danc-ing, Leap-ing and danc-ing the eve of No-ël. The_ eve of No-ël, the_ eve of No-ël. Make up a bed for the sweet Vir-gin Ma-ry, Make up a bed, for she lies now with child.
Copied from “The Penguin book of Christmas Carols” where the title is given as “LEAPING AND DANCING (SALTEN Y BALLEN). The notes go on “This Catalan folk carol of the French province of Roussillon from the Canteloube collection is characteristic of southern vigour and grace. The verse gives scope for solo and group treatment.
Translation is by the book’s editor Elizabeth Poston
The words (and verse order) differ slightly from those given earlier in the discussion
NP

Subject: Lyr Add: What shall we give?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Dec 21 - 11:45 AM

Having splashed out on the Penguin book of Christmas Carols, I've just started doing a daily advent posting of carols on Facebook, using "Singing Together" and "Rhythm and Melody" as sources.
I hadn't recognised it before during discussion, but this tune is used for "What shall we give?" in "Rhythm and Melody" for Autumn 1962

WHAT SHALL WE GIVE?

What shall we give to the child of Our Lady?
What shall we give to the Infant King?
Silk for his baby clothes, down for his pillow;
Tapestries hanging so fair round his bed;
Shoes for his tiny feet, gloves for his fingers;
Jewels and gold to adorn his sweet head.

What shall we give to the child of Our Lady?
What shall we give to the Infant King?
Cloth for a swaddling band, manger to lie on;
Straw for the stable floor under his bed;
Nails for his feet and hands, gallows to die on;
Crown made of thorns for his sorrowful head.

What shall we give to the child of Our Lady?
What shall we give to the Infant King?
Smiles for the baby in stable so lowly;
Tears for his anguish and grief for his pain;
Love for his love that he offers to save us;
Joy in the power that raised him again.

Subject: RE: Origins: Leaping and Dancing (Shepherds & Lasses)
From: GUEST,Roger
Date: 07 Dec 21 - 03:21 PM

Nymphs and Shepherds always seems a bit iffy to me.