Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 02:13 PM

For me the finest and very hard hitting Christmas song is Christmas 1914 by Cormac McConnell
A very cleverly written and moving song. I sang it at our Christmas do last year and there was not a dry eye in the room (i don't think it was my singing, I hope it was the song!)
Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: open mike
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 02:21 PM

I would second Jackson Browne's Rebel Jesus.

and John McCutcheon's christmas in the trenches.

and suggest you check out the Canadian duo of
Connie Kaldor and Bim who have great collection
on their "New Songs for and Old Celebration"
which includes my favorites "Cowboy Christmas"
(where Shepherds were the cowboys of Gallilee)
and another one "Last Month of the Year" that
has a gospel/spiritual feel to it..


and the song The Gift (which is sung by Garth Brooks)
was written by Stephanie Davis, who asks that you
credit her with composing the song. www.stephaniedavis.net

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,Artful Codger
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 02:52 PM

The Smothers Brothers' "Monday We Saw on TV". I believe I posted the full lyrics in a different thread some time ago. It's a cumulative song, like "The Twelve Days of Christmas", and starts:

Monday we saw on TV a toy to buy for Christmas:
A sexy Sally doll with skin-tight stretchpants.
Oh boy, oh boy, we really gotta get that toy!


[Includes a coupon for a Baby Jesus action figure: fries heretics with his laser eyes! Ox and ass sold separately.]

Subject: Lyr Add: CHRISTMAS 1914 (Cormac MacConnell)
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 06:25 PM

Found this on an old thread......
May save you some time if you wanted to use it....

This beautiful song was written by Cormac MacConnell, the brother of Mudcatter Chordstrangler (Mickey MacConnell) who has recorded it on his CD "Joined Up Writing." You can PM Mickey right here to order his superb recording.

Seamus


CHRISTMAS 1914   by Cormac MacConnell

In the year 1914 on Christmas Day,
On the Western front the guns all died away.
And lying in the mud on bags of sand
We heard the German sing from No Man's Land.
He had a tenor voice so clear and true;
The words were strange, but every note we knew.
A-soaring o'er the living, dead and damned,
That soldier sang of peace from No Man's Land.

Chorus: Oh, Silent night, no cannons roar.
A King is born of peace for ever more,
All's calm, all's bright, all brothers hand in hand,
A Soldier's song of peace from No Man's Land.

They slowly left their trenches, we left ours.
Beneath tin hats the smiles bloomed like wild flowers.
With photos, cigarettes and flasks of wine,
We made a soldier's peace on that front line.
Their singer was a lad of twenty-one;
We begged another song before the dawn,
And sitting amid carnage, death and fear,
He sang again the song all longed to hear.

Chorus:

In the morning all the guns roared in the rain,
And they killed us and we killed them again
With bayonet, bomb and bullet, gas and flame
And neither them nor us at at all to blame.
There was heavy fighting all throughout that day.
For one night's peace we bitterly did pay.
That night they charged, we fought them hand to hand
And I shot the lad who sang from No Man's Land.
Chorus:

Oh, Silent night, no cannons roar,
A king is born of peace for ever more.
All's calm, all's bright, all brothers hand in hand,
A soldier's song of peace from No Man's Land.
O Silent night, Holy night,
And his ghostly voice still rings
As the young dead soldier sings
Where the Captains and the Kings
Built No Man's Land.

Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: eddie1
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 08:34 PM

"Standing In The Rain" by Sydney Carter is a good one.

Eddie

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: breezy
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 01:01 PM

'Without you on Christmas Day' by George Papavgeris written in 2002

About the family matriarch

It works and Ive seen it work when performed by the author, more than once

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: scrimnet
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 01:51 PM

It was Christmas day in the cookhouse
The season of good cheer
The soldiers hearts were merry
Their bellies full of beer
The pompous orderly officer
As he strolled around the hall
Called out "A merry Christmas!"
The soldiers answered "balls!"

This angered the orderly officer
And he swore by all the Gods
He'd stop their Christmas pudding
The ungrateful little sods
Then up spake a bald headed corporal
His face as bold as brass
"You can take your Christmas pudding
And shove it up your arse!"

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Ref
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 07:22 PM

In the film "Joyeux Noel" (a fictionalized version of the Christmas Truce) there is a haunting song that repeats "dreaming of home." It's sung by the Scottish soldiers and comes up again at the end as the german participants are sent to the Eastern front. Fine film.   Wonderful Song. If anyone else knows it and/or its provenance, please inform me. I'd love lyrics and tabulature.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 07:51 PM

Thirty years ago Adrian May and Chris Leger toured the clubs with a Christmas Show of all self penned stuff ! 'I Hate Christmas' has a nice dig at all the wrong things about The Season !

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 04:03 AM

probably not your sort of thing but my latest christmas song

http://www.bigalwhittle.co.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/haveadrinkitschristmas.mp3

merry christmas to all

big al whittle

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 04:12 AM

Moving On Song, McColl

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 05:09 AM

Peter and Lou Berryman again...

"Gonna have a big dead bird for dinner on Christmas day!"

Art

Subject: Lyr Add: WINTER SONG (Alan Hull)
From: Shields Folk
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 05:20 AM

WINTER SONG (~1970 by Alan Hull, Lindisfarne)

When Winter's shadowy fingers first pursue you down the street
And your boots no longer lie about the cold around your feet
Do you spare a thought for Summer whose passage is complete
Whose memories lie in ruins and whose ruins lie in heat
When Winter.... comes howling in

When the wind is singing strangely, blowing music through your head
And your rain-splattered windows make you decide to stay in bed
Do you spare a thought for the homeless tramp who wishes he was dead
Or do you pull your bed-clothes higher, dream of Summertime instead
When Winter.... comes howling in

The creeping cold has fingers that caress without permission
And mystic crystal snowdrops only aggravate the condition
Do you spare a thought for the gypsy with no secure position
Who's turned and spurned by village and town and the Magistrate's decision
When Winter.... comes howling in

When the turkey's in the oven and the Christmas presents are bought
And Santa's in his module - he's an American astronaut
Do you spare a thought for Jesus, who had nothing but his thoughts
Who got busted - just for talking, and befriending the wrong sorts
When Winter.... comes howling in
When Winter.... comes howling in

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 07:39 AM

It's worth listening to the lyrics of "I believe in Father Christmas" from ELP, particularly if you want powerful peace message with a more humanist slant on Christmas.
"They told me a fairy story, 'til I believed in the Isrealite"

Works well on concertina, including the instrumental classical cribs.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Genie
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 05:15 PM

Alternative Christmas songs: Iraq

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,Mike Scott
Date: 05 Dec 06 - 06:37 PM

He's the little boy that Santa Clause forgot,
And goodness knows, he didn't want a lot.


He sent a note to Santa
For some soldiers and a drum,
It broke his little heart
When he found Santa hadn't come.


In the street he envies all those lucky boys,
Then wanders home to last year's broken toys.
I'm so sorry for that laddie,
He hasn't got a daddy,
The little boy that Santa Clause forgot.


Spoken:
(You know, Christmas comes but once a year for every girl and boy,
The laughter and the joy they find in each brand new toy.
I'll tell you of a little boy that lives across the way...
This little fella's Christmas is just another day.
He's the little boy that Santa Claus forgot,
And goodness knows, he didn't want a lot.)


In the street he envies all those lucky boys,
Then wanders home to last year's broken toys.
I'm so sorry for that laddie,
He hasn't got a daddy,
The little boy that Santa Clause forgot.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 03:30 AM

haven't heard Enoch Kent's Scarlet Ray Guns for a loooooooooong time - wonder if it would stand the test of time.
Jim Carroll

Subject: Lyr Add: FIRST CHRISTMAS (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST,Jim C
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 08:57 AM

I see some requests for these lyrics. Very sad Xmas song.

First Christmas (Stan Rogers, 1979)

This day a year ago, he was rolling in the snow
With a younger brother in his father's yard
Christmas break, a time for touching home,
The heart of all he'd known
And leaving was so hard

Three thousand miles away,
Now he's working Christmas Day
Making double time for the minding of the store
Well he always said, he'd make it on his own
He's spending Christmas Eve alone
First Christmas away from home

She's standing by the train station,
Pan-handling for change
Four more dollars buys a decent meal and a room
Looks like the Sally Ann place after all,
In a crowded sleeping hall
That echoes like a tomb

But it's warm and clean and free,
And there are worse places to be
At least it means no beating from her Dad
And if she cries because it's Christmas Day
She hopes that it won't show
First Christmas away from home

In the apartment stands a tree,
And it looks so small and bare
Not like it was meant to be,
Golden angel on the top
It's not that same old silver star,
You wanted for your own
First Christmas away from home

In the morning, they get prayers,
Then it's crafts and tea downstairs
Then another meal back in his little room
Hoping maybe that "the boys"
Will think to phone before the day is gone
Well, it's best they do it soon

When the "old girl" passed away,
He fell apart more every day
Each had always kept the other pretty well
But the kids all said the nursing home was best
Cause he couldn't live alone
First Christmas away from home

In the common room they've got the biggest tree
And it's huge and cold and lifeless
Not like it ought to be,
And the lit-up flashing Santa Claus on top
It's not that same old silver star,
You once made for your own
First Christmas away from home

Here's a link to the tab: Stan Rogers Tabs

Also, I just found this guy on YouTube that sings a few Stan tunes. Very good versions. Newfiefiddler

Subject: Lyr Add: TENNESSEE SONG (James Agee)
From: Joe_F
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 09:20 PM

They laid down in a cold black barn,
the stars worked through the walls.
The ox and the jackass kept them warm,
a-studying in their stalls.

The old hens grouched along their roost,
the Gobbler riffed his wing.
Out on the mountain niggers heared
the glorying angels sing.

And he come out and took his breath
peaceful as ary mouse.
And in the sky there opened up
A star over that house.

Bashful they come and kneeled them down
before that new borned child.
Good Joseph trimmed the lantern.
The gal laid easy and smiled.

She could a had the best hotel,
doctors, a fine gold ring,
name in the papers and winter flowers,
For He was King.

He could a had the Mayor there,
a-waiting down the string
from the Governor and the President
For He was King.

Ginseng root from Siler's Bald,
a star in the sky, a bird on the wing,
a kiver wove a ripe peach wool,
For He was King.

He could a ordered Summer there,
Summer'd a skipped her Spring.
He could a never come to us.
For he was King.

He did not need no company,
playpretties, nary a thing.
He come to us the manner he come.
For he was King.

-- From "Lines Suggested by a Tennessee Song" by James Agee (ca. 1949)

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 06 Dec 06 - 09:23 PM

written by Mike Gregory 2006 in the UK

http://www.bigalwhittle.co.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/christmasontheestate.mp3

Subject: Lyr Add: NO CHRISTMAS IN KENTUCKY (Phil Ochs)
From: robd
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 01:33 AM

No Christmas in Kentucky
By Phil Ochs

Christmas shoppers shopping on a neon city street
Another Christmas dollar for another Christmas treat
There's satin on the pretty dolls that make the children glow
While a boy walking ragged in the cold Kentucky snow
No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the Jingle Bells don't jingle when you're poor

There's lots of toys for children when then Christmas time is near
But the present for the miners is a stocking full of beer
In the dark hills of Kentucky there's one gift that may be found
The coal dust of forgotten days that's lying on the ground
No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the Jingle Bells don't jingle when you're poor

Let's drink a toast to Congress and a toast to Santa Claus
and a toast to all the speeches that bring the loud applause
There's not enough to give, no, there's not enough to share
So let's drown the sounds of sorrow with a hearty Christmas cheer
No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the Jingle Bells don't jingle when you're poor

Have a merry, merry Christmas and a happy new year's day
For now's a time of plenty, and plenty's here to stay
But if you knew what Christmas was, I think that you would find
That Christ is spending Christmas in the cold Kentucky mine
No, they don't have Christmas in Kentucky
There's no holly on a West Virginia door
For the trees don't twinkle when you're hungry
And the Jingle Bells don't jingle when you're poor

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Gurney
Date: 07 Dec 06 - 02:23 AM

Depends what hits you where.
I think the most powerful carol is 'Adeste Fidelis.' (sp?) As it is mostly in Latin, and uncompromisingly worshipfully Christian, and suitable for a big choral work, it makes most songs sound a bit pathetic.

Haven't sung it for 50 years, since I was an altar boy.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,hslauter
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 09:20 PM

I was wondering if you might be able to help me find the name to this song. Christmas song about a boy who writes a letter to Jesus instead of Santa. He writes a letter to Jesus about how Santa has forgot their house , that dad is not there, his sister needs new shoes and his mom needs a warm coat. I have only heard it once and can't find it anywhere on line. Please help!!!

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Clontarf83
Date: 11 Dec 11 - 11:09 PM

Hot Buttered Rum by Tommy Thompson, recorded by Brian Bowers, Album title is By Heart

I also endorse earlier comment re Steve Earle--Nothing but a child Album name Copperhead Road---absolutely original take on Christmas

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,giovanni
Date: 12 Dec 11 - 01:37 AM

Kevin Wilson has a hard hitting one about Santa Claus right here

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 11 - 11:03 AM

"Wintersong" by Sarah McLachlan always makes me think of images of fallen soldiers, firemen, policemen going by throughout the song. It always gets to me.

Tommy Thompson's "Hot Buttered Rum" has stark imagery that is as real as yesterday.

Bob Gibson & Tom Paxton sing "Box Of Candy And A Piece Of Fruit", another "Christmas In Prison" type song.

I follow those up with Ruthie Ungar's "Darkest Days, Brightest Nights" to get me back on an even keel.

Merry Christmas....

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,Daniel Celano
Date: 04 Sep 21 - 11:15 AM

Lyrics to Stan Rogers: Hail to You, Santa Claus

Hail to you, Santa Claus, come to me tonight
I’ve been a thoughtful little boy and I’m tucked in bed so tight
I’ve always done as I was told always what is right
Hail to you, Santa Claus, come to me tonight.

Yesterday, my older brother whispered in my ear
Words that made me want to cry and I didn’t want to hear
He said: “There is no Santa Claus or reindeer for his sleigh,
there are no elves for way up north, just lots of ice and eskimos.
And northern lights stand all the snow and nighttime lasts all day.”

And then I told him mama said that Santa come tonight
And the stocking on the mantle piece would soon be full and tight
And the little angel smiling from atop the Christmas tree
Telling me that I’ve been good reminding me I should recall
The good lord Jesus who once was less than five lightning.

Hail to you, Santa Claus, come to me tonight
Though your legs are weary and your eyes are short of sight
Everybody uses you and says that you’re to blame
Although you still come every year, your toys are not the same.

(Instrumental break)

Last year for a Christmas gift, I got a dear Gaston
And on my birthday, a de-Santa toy made 21
It matches all my toy grenades and the mark I’ve made of bomb
And with my helmet on my head, I shoot my little friends all dead
I load their families all to bed with the soldiers grew aplomb.

My kindergarten teacher tells me to hit all is read
So if Santa comes round here tonight, I’ll hit him on the head
And with my brand-new CIA kit question if until,
My new toy thumbscrew does its job
And he tells me how his reindeer fly
And if I move him for the kill, I’ll drill him for the head
Because he’s a coley and I’m an all American kid.

Hail to you, Santa Claus, flying up so high
And if you come round here tonight, I’ll blast you from the sky
If you get my mind toy radar bow, how that be I can tell
The landmine in the fireplace will blow you straight to Hell.

Hail to you, Santa Claus, better turn and run
Because thanks to democracy, I’ve been brought up to the guns
I’ll make on all your factories, but don't be too reflexed
Here’s to you, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny’s next.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: RTim
Date: 04 Sep 21 - 01:33 PM

HOMELESS WASSAIL
(Ian Robb)

"Wassail, wassail,all over the town,
Our cup is white and our ale is brown"
But huddled on the iron grate
we poor and hungry curse our fate.

cho: No wassail bowl for such as these
No turkey scraps, no ale nor cheese,
This Christmas Eve our heart's desire
Is a bottle of gin and a trashcan fire.

Good Christian, mind, as home you go
With dreams of holly and mistletoe
That the holly bears a dreadful thorn
For those who wake to a frozen dawn.

Oh, where is He, that holy child
Once born of Mary, meek and mild?
And whither peace, goodwill to men
Now and forevermore, amen?

All ye who dine with face aglow
In Reninensi atrio (in the Queen's hall---Latin)
Pray pause awile at pleasure's door
And sup some sorrow with the poor.

"Wassail, wassail,all over the town,
Our cup is white and our ale is brown"
This cold and hunger, pain and care
Sweet Jesus Christ, it's hard to bear.

copyright Ian Robb/SOCAN


Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: RTim
Date: 04 Sep 21 - 01:36 PM

On Christmas Day - (Traditional English song)

On Christmas Day it happened so
Down in the meadows forth to plough
As we were a ploughing on so fast
Up comes sweet Jesus, himself at last

"Oh man, oh man, what makes you plough
So hard upon the Lord's birthday?"
The farmer he answered him with great speed
"For to plough this day we have great need."

His arms did quaver to and fro
His arms did quaver, he could not plough
The ground did open and let him in
Before that he could repent of sin

His wife and children are out of place
His beasts and cattle, they die away
His beasts and cattle, they die away
For the breaking of our Lord's birthday

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 04 Sep 21 - 04:23 PM

Has anyone mentioned Eric Bogle's 'Suffer the Children' Christmas song? Short, gentle and hard hitting
Also I think Violet Jacob has at least one Christmas song in the trenches poem/song....I need to find and check her books... not sure that she composed them as dongs, but Jim Reid and others have since put tunes to a number of her works

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Sep 21 - 04:35 PM

“First Christmas Away From Home”:by Stan Rogers is almost impossible to perform, and hard to sit through.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Acorn4
Date: 05 Sep 21 - 04:31 AM

Come Back, Ebenezer!

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,RA
Date: 05 Sep 21 - 10:17 AM

'The 1972 Christmas Bombing of North Vietnam" by Dogbowl.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Elmore
Date: 05 Sep 21 - 11:06 AM

Not hard=hitting but amusing: Jesus in the Asylum by David Massengill. Can be found on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 05 Sep 21 - 12:42 PM

Chris Matthews has one that is based upon the Wenceslas tale, but saying "Why did you not take pity on this man before Christmas?".

He says that he got the idea from Terry Pratchett's "Hogfather".

Robin

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,saulgoldie
Date: 05 Sep 21 - 04:01 PM

"Soul Cake?" No one??

"Or Hard Time Come Again No More?"



Heard "Soul Cake" from Peter, Paul, and Mary.


A soul! a soul! a soul-cake!
Please good Missis, a soul-cake!
An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry,
Any good thing to make us all merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul
Three for Him who made us all.

God bless the master of this house,
The misteress also,
And all the little children
That round your table grow.
Likewise young men and maidens,
Your cattle and your store ;
And all that dwells within your gates,
We wish you ten times more.

Down into the cellar,
And see what you can find,
If the barrels are not empty,
We hope you will prove kind.
We hope you will prove kind,
With your apples and strong beer,
And we’ll come no more a-souling
Till this time next year.

The lanes are very dirty,
My shoes are very thin,
I’ve got a little pocket
To put a penny in.
If you haven’t got a penny,
A ha’penny will do ;
If you haven’t get a ha’penny,
It’s God bless you

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 05 Sep 21 - 05:16 PM

I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day in the morning

And what was on those ships all three?

On board those ships were refugees

There's no room here for you to stay

So those three ships they sailed away
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
The Hope, the Faith, the Charity
On Christmas Day in the morning

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 06 Sep 21 - 03:54 AM

Soul cakes are baked at Halloween not Christmas.

I quite like them!

Robin

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Sep 21 - 08:45 AM

From: GUEST,saulgoldie Date: 05 Sep 21 - 04:01 PM Heard "Soul Cake" from Peter, Paul, and Mary.

The words given above differ very little from Souling Song (Cheshire) published by Lucy Broadwood and J A Fuller Maitland, 1893, in English County Songs, London, Leadenhall Press.

Lucy Broadwood's notes: Words and Tune from Rev. M. P. Holme, Tattenhall, Cheshire. The latter part of the second stanza is restored from Miss Burne's Shropshire Folk Lore, p 385. The rest of the song was sung exactly as it stands by a little girl in Tattenhall School in October, 1891. A full account of the custom of "souling" is given by Miss Burne, Shropshire Folk Lore, pp 378-390. It is still practised on All-Souls' Day in the district referred to, and traces of the custom are to be found in many parts of England. See also Halliwell's Popular Rhymes, pp 238 and 249.

Thank you, Joe. http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/216.html

The Antrobus Soul Cakers keep the tradition alive. The bonfires, once part of the same celebration, have been transferred to 5 November.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Sep 21 - 09:45 AM

Could someone explain why the song is "hard hitting"?
Thanks.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Sep 21 - 09:47 AM

I would've mentioned Homeless Wassail, but someone already did in 2001.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 07 Sep 21 - 04:08 AM

British Library; The Workhouse Boy was clearly popular, being published in the 1840s in many different editions around the country, from London to Birmingham and Preston.
The music borrowed here is The Mistletoe Bough, a dramatic song published in 1830 about a bride who dies on her wedding night by accidentally locking herself in a chest.

The cloth was laid in the workhouse halls
Greatcoats hung on the whitewashed walls
The paupers all were blythe and gay
Keeping their Christmas holiday

Chorus:
And we all of us say it
And we say it with sneers
Jamie's been murdered by the overseer

You can find the grim conclusion in the DT above.

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: clueless don
Date: 07 Sep 21 - 06:57 AM

Bill Steele (RIP) wrote one that he called "A Song for Just After Christmas".

Subject: RE: Know any hard-hitting christmas songs?
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Sep 21 - 02:45 PM

mentioned earlier

Anti-Carol

I have the LP... haven't played it in years. Maybe I'll rip it.