Songs for Apple Day

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: peregrina
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 01:03 PM

Apple Day. Nice idea. I have two old apple trees, no orchard, but maybe I'll mark the day too...

The Johnny Appleseed song is already here:

.8169 - Thread - Message - Lyr Add: Johnny Appleseed Grace - Aug 6 2003 9:51AM -   George Seto - [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: ClaireBear
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:54 PM

Thank you for your better recollection of the words than mine -- and oh, the tradition! That part I could never get from a recording (here in benighted California I'm unlikely to get it any other way), but I live in the midst of an apple orchard, and I feel a revival coming on.

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: Rumncoke
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:44 PM

Three jolly hoodening boys
Lately come to town
For apples and for money
we search the country round
What you please to give us
Happy we shall be
God bless every poor man
who's got an apple tree

hats full
caps full
half a bushel bag full
God bless every poor man
Who's got an apple tree.


The tune is 'Sing a song of sixpence', the hats full to bags full is chanted (shouted) and clapped.
one two
one two
one and two and three four

I have no idea where it came from - it might go all the way back to my childhood when we had an orchard of 'Crispin' apples, with pears plums and gooseberries too.

You should wassail after the shortest day and before the end of Christmas, by moonlight, and light three fires at each corner of the orchard, and one in the centre, and walk around the boundary, clockwise, passing between one fire on the outside and two on the inside at each corner, and touch all the outermost trees of the orchard, with your right hand as you go.

Subject: Lyr Add: HOODENING SONG
From: ClaireBear
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:39 PM

Now where did I learn this song/chant? From Oysterband? Swan Arcade? Anyway, it was on a recording from about 25 years ago, now lost to me in the mists of time, I fear. My band did a really cool unaccompanied arrangement of it, starting in unison, then moving to harmony and finally performing it as a round. As I recall, the song went like this:

HOODENING SONG

Three jolly hoodening boys,
Lately come from town
For apples and for money
We've searched the country round.
Apples,
Capfuls,
Half-a-bushel-basketfuls,
Please be sure to give us,
Happy we will be,
God bless ev'ry poor man
Who's got an apple tree.

(By the way, Googling the word hoodening will bring many goodies about the hoodening tradition in East Kent, though not seemingly this particular lyric.)

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: peregrina
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:31 PM

The Johnny Appleseed Grace song--if it's not in DT I'll look up the words

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:23 PM

An obvious choice:
Apple Tree Wassail, cited in the DT as sung by Nowell Sing We Clear, but probably better known on yer side of the pond as sung (quite similarly!) by the Watersons.

Another Waterson apple wassail

More apple wassailing songs & info from another thread entitled, "The beauty of apple trees".

DT search results for "apple", undoubtedly needing some weeding out.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: maeve
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 12:20 PM

Funny! Apple Day in Maine at the Common Ground Fair Education Building is sponsored by MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) and also takes place this Saturday, Oct. 20.

We'll be taking apples for identification, but I haven't heard of any musical plans. That could be fun.

"Shoofly pie, and apple pandowdy..."

What about the old apple tree wassail songs?

Down in the BS section there's a thread about the apple harvest as seen from a train, and my question there regarding what Mudcatters' favorite old-time and modern apple varieties might be. I'll go now and bump it up.

maeve

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: melodeonboy
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 11:34 AM

I can't think of any apple songs off hand, but I agree 100% with what you say, leveller.

Subject: RE: Songs for Apple Day
From: GUEST,Cats at Work
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 11:11 AM

'Allen Apple' a song about the customs associated with peeling and throwing the peel over your shoulder.

Subject: RE: Songs fo Apple Day
From: MMario
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 10:17 AM

When we lose an orchard we not only lose the trees but
the particular local varieties,

And that is the real crime.

Subject: Songs fo Apple Day
From: theleveller
Date: 18 Oct 07 - 10:15 AM

This Sunday is the 18th Apple Day. This is an event started by Common Ground to celebrate British apples..

Here's what Common Ground have said:

"Common Ground's role in the revival of interest in the range of our fruits has pursued the lyrical, the local and the ecological more than the global and economic routes. But here are some shocking statistics: in 2005 we imported 71% of our apples, an 11% increase in 10 years (Defra Basic Horticultural Statistics 2006), putting our own growers out of business, causing
orchards to be pulled out, incurring more food miles, pollution, CO2 emissions, endorsing world trade in things we can grow very well ourselves.

Orchards are still being grubbed up because the world price of fruit (and concentrate) forces the farmer out of business or because the land is worth so much for development. When we lose an orchard we not only lose the trees but
the particular local varieties, together with the wisdom gathered over the generations about pruning and grafting, soil and season, variety and use. We also lose the intricacy of nature, the songs, the recipes, the cider, the juices, the festive gatherings, the hard but social work, the look of the landscape, the heritage of a working place. We sever our links with the land.
These trees are our cultural legacy along with the varied orchards that stud the landscape with their winter filigree, spring blossom, summer shade and autumn fruit."

I'm hoping to celebrate Apple Day in my own small orchard. Has anyone got any ideas of songs that might be apporpriate? Much appreciated.

You can find out more about Common Ground on

www.commonground.org.uk