Origins: Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day

Subject: Origins: Tomorrow will be my dancing day
From: GUEST,Cindy
Date: 22 Dec 07 - 02:18 AM

I wonder if anyone can help with finding the source of this carol. The Oxford Carol Book says !"Words and melody from Sandys, 1833 in many broadsides. This is probably based on a secular song....." I have always loved verse 1 but the remaining verses don't fit so well with the tune.The stresses seem wrong. I suspect the writer of the broadside based it on older material. (The OCB suggests a seventeenth century origin for the words.) I would love to track down the original secular song if it exists or any other information about its origins.

Subject: RE: Origins: Tomorrow will be my dancing day
From: GUEST,c
Date: 22 Dec 07 - 04:49 AM

There is a lot of music available from English village churchs in the 1650 -1850 period (West Gallery Music). It's not unusual for second and subsequent verses to be harder to fit to the music. It seems people weren't worried by wrong stresses etc after the first verse, so unfortunately that can't be taken as evidence that the tune originally had different words.

Subject: RE: Origins: Tomorrow will be my dancing day
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 22 Dec 07 - 08:59 AM

There is some information on the carol, including Sandys notes here: Towmorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day

Mick

Subject: RE: Origins: Tomorrow will be my dancing day
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Dec 07 - 10:35 AM

The first word that doesn't scan is 'substance.' I have just been wondering why we say 'SUB-stance' for the noun but 'sub-STAN-tial' for the adjective. Perhaps in the past the noun had a French accent and was pronounced sub-STANCE. Then it would fit better. That doesn't explain the other misfits, though.

I do feel that song has the air of being cobbled together. The first verse sounds to me like something to be sung by a fairy in a charming little play.

Subject: Lyr Add: TO-MORROW SHALL BE MY DANCING DAY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 May 10 - 01:55 PM

From Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern by William Sandys (London: Richard Beckley, 1833), page 110.


TO-MORROW SHALL BE MY DANCING DAY

1. To-morrow shall be my dancing day,
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance.

CHORUS: Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love.

2. Then was I born of a Virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance;
Thus was I knit to man's nature,
To call my true love to my dance.

3. In a manger laid and wrapp'd I was,
So very poor, this was my chance,
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,
To call my true love to my dance.

4. Then afterwards baptized I was,
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father's voice heard from above,
To call my true love to my dance.

5. Into the desert I was led,
Where I fasted without substance;
The Devil bade me make stones my bread,
To have me break my true love's dance.

6. The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they lov'd darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance.

7. For thirty pence Judas me sold,
His covetousness for to advance;
Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold,
The same is he shall lead the dance.

8. Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
Where Barabbas had deliverance,
They scourg'd me and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance.

9. Then on the cross hanged I was,
Where a spear to my heart did glance;
There issued forth both water and blood,
To call my true love to my dance.

10. Then down to Hell I took my way
For my true love's deliverance,
And rose again on the third day
Up to my true love and the dance.

11. Then up to Heaven I did ascend,
Where now I dwell in sure substance,
On the right hand of God, that man
May come unto the general dance.

Subject: RE: Origins: Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 May 10 - 01:57 PM

Johnny Coppin does a wonderful version of this.