The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #13130   Message #4173427
Posted By: Reinhard
29-May-23 - 09:24 PM
Thread Name: Lyr ADD: Whitsuntide Carol
Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Whitsuntide Carol
Roud 3186. The Whitsuntide Carol on Mainly Norfolk lists these recordings:

The Young Tradition sang The Whitsuntide Carol in 1967 on their second album, So Cheerfully Round. Heather Wood noted:

    The Whitsuntide Carol which we sing was collected from Thomas Coningsby of Whaddon in Cambridgeshire. He tells how the men of the village used to go into the woods on Whit Sunday morning, cut oak branches and lay them on the doorsteps of all the houses. Then they would go round in a group singing this carol. It seems strange that the high moral tone of the early verses should be linked with what is obviously a pagan custom.

English Tapestry (Ruth and Brian Britain and at that time Andrew Taylor) sang Whitsuntide Carol in 1974 on the fundraiser album The First Folk Review Record. The liner notes commented:

    Published as The Whitsun Song in English Dance and Song, Vol. XXXVI, No. 1; tune recorded by Peter Kennedy from Thomas Coningsby, 1956. Arranged by Brian Britain.

John Roberts, Tony Barrand, Fred Breunig and Steve Woodruff (a.k.a. Nowell Sing We Clear) sang The Whitsun Song on their 1980 album To Welcome In the Spring.

Lynne Heraud and Pat Turner sang the Whitsuntide Carol in 2007 on their WildGoose CD September Days. They noted:

    This song was collected from Thomas Coningsby of Whaddon, Cambridgeshire and entered into our psyche from the singing of the Young Tradition.