Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Mar 11 - 09:32 AM

The PP&M rendition would appear to be an amalgam of verses from both Yuletide and All Hallows traditions. The majority coincides strongly with the verses referenced in the Barthomley in Letters from a Former Rector to His Eldest Son By Edward Hinchliffe, 1856: and Notes and Queries, Nov. 15, 1851, page 381 both noted by Jim Dixon. I believe the Wikipedia web entry for Halloween should also help to aid understanding. I must say despite the erudition of Muttley, I feel I must side with the All Saints camp as the source of this musical tradition.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 04:27 PM

Is this helpful

http://nowdownloadall.com/join.asp?q=02 12 A soalin mp3&PID=0ad770df-4c68-45ea-84ef-211be7927e6d&sw=1

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: GUEST,Ron Delby
Date: 08 Oct 09 - 04:09 PM

I start singing this song in public , the same pp&m version, starting from october till new years. it is a halloween-christmas and yuletide song combined.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: GUEST,me
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 12:48 AM

hey ho anybody home?
meat not drink not money have i none
yet i will be merry anyhow..
hey ho anybody home?

This is another version of this song :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: saulgoldie
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 09:47 PM

Is there an MP3 of PPM singing it that I can hear (not the one on Youtube that is inaudible)?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 07:12 PM

Here's a very early mention of "Souling"—from a commentary on Shakespeare from 1788:

It is worth remarking that on All-Saints-Day the poor people in Staffordshire, and perhaps in other country places, go from parish to parish a souling, as they call it; i. e. begging and puling (or singing small, as Bailey's Dict. explains puling) for soul cakes, or any good thing to make them merry? This custom is mentioned by Peck, and seems a remnant of Popish superstition to pray for departed souls, particularly those of friends. The souler's song in Staffordshire, is different from that which Mr. Peck mentions, and is by no means worthy publication. TOLLET.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Dec 07 - 09:34 PM

I wonder how "apple and strong beer" became "apple and strawber' "?

If this were a common mondegreen, you'd think PP&M would have corrected it by now, wouldn't you?

But it clearly says "strawber' " at PP&M's official web site, as well as every web site that posts their lyrics.

But then, you'd think they would correct the spelling "soalin' " to "soulin' ", too.

What's up with these people?

Subject: Lyr Add: A-SOULING (1850)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Dec 07 - 09:17 PM

From Barthomley in Letters from a Former Rector to His Eldest Son By Edward Hinchliffe, 1856:

Souling, or begging and puling [?] for Soul-cakes, is another custom observed on All-Souls' eve. The "Soulers" go from house to house, and sing a song, for which they receive either soul-cakes, or pears, or apples, or ale. Children are the songsters during the day, but when night comes, and puts an end to work, the farmers' servants, and young men of the village, sally forth and startle the quiet night with their bawling: this ends, most commonly, in row and drunkenness. Here is the song itself:—

You gentlemen of England, I would have you to draw near
To these few lines which we have wrote, and you soon shall hear
Sweet melody of music all on this ev'ning clear,
For we are come a souling for apples and strong beer.

Step down into your cellar and see what you can find,
If your barrels are not empty, I hope you will prove kind,
I hope you will prove kind with your apples and strong beer,
We'll come no more a souling until another year.

Cold winter it is coming on, dark, dirty, wet, and cold,
To try your good-nature this night we do make bold;
This night we do make bold with your apples and strong beer,
We will come no more a souling until another year.

All the houses that we've been at, we have had both meat and drink;
So now we're dry with travelling I hope you'll on us think;
I hope you'll on us think with your apples and strong beer,
For we'll come no more a souling until another year.

God bless the master of this house and the mistress also,
And all the little children that round the table go,
Likewise your men and maidens, your cattle and your store,
And all that lies within your gates, I wish you ten times more;
I wish you ten times more with your apples and strong beer,
For we'll come no more a souling until another year.

This "sweet melody of music," for many years of my life, often reached me when I had retired to rest, and its plaintive tones, softened by distance, used to lull me gradually to sleep. The song of the children was short and to the point:—

Soul, soul, for an apple or two,
If you have no apples, pears will do;
Pray, good mistress, a soul-cake?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Soalin' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Dec 07 - 09:01 PM

From Notes and Queries, Nov. 15, 1851, page 381:

Souling.—On the 2nd of November, All Souls' Day, it is in Shropshire the custom for the village children to go round to all their neighbours souling, as they call it, collecting small contributions, and singing the following verses, which I took down from two of the children themselves: —

    Soul! soul! for a soul-cake;
    Pray, good mistress, for a soul-cake.
    One for Peter, two for Paul,
    Three for Them who made us all.

Soul! soul! for an apple or two;
If you've got no apples, pears will do.
Up with your kettle, and down with your pan;
Give me a good big one, and I'll be gone.
    Soul! soul! for a soul-cake;
    Pray, good mistress, a soul-cake, &c.

An apple or pear, a plum or a cherry,
Is a very good thing to make us merry.
    Soul! soul! &c.

The soul-cake referred to in the verses is a sort of bun, which until lately it was an almost general custom for persons to make, and to give to one another on the 2nd of November. Perhaps some of your readers can state whether this custom prevails in other counties in England. It seems to be a remnant of the practice of collecting alms, to be applied to the benefit of the souls of the departed, for which especial masses and services were formerly sung on All Souls' Day.

W. FRASER.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rumncoke
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 05:04 PM

Thank goodness someone has explained - I was reading the thread for the first time and thinking that there was something very odd going on.

I have known the middle part - the three verse souling song for a long time. I have heard what was put as the first verse as an addition at the end of the souling song. I know its tune as a round, having played it without the words somewhere.

I wonder why it is that if something is put on a recording it immediately aquires a pedigree going back to Adam before the fall, and what annoys me even more is that I'm suposed to alter the way I have sung a song for 40 or 50 years to fit in with a recent recording.

When I did put in 'Nobody home' the basterds wouldn't sing it as a round because they had not heard it sung that way.

You can't get the audiences these days you know -

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 01:00 PM

This is all hilarious reading to an internet searcher who has stumbled on this colloquy only after reading a number of other accounts.   For Muttman, it might help to note that Paul Stookey (of PPM) actually describes how he came up with what was recordered - he was working finger exercises trying to bring in an old wassling tune (Hey ho) mixed with the (as we learn elsewhere) separate souling tradition from the end of the Celtic year (definitely related to the later Halloween).   They only added the piece from God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman when they were practicing for the recording - so the piece at the end has nothing to do with the middle and reveals nothing about the origin of the title.

It seems we have soul sandwi(t)ch, with the end of the Celtic year a soalin' (PPM intentional misspelling) as the meat and end of the year Christian/Wasseling tradition as the bread.   Apparently, some are finding that mix hard to swallow.   Me, I just enjoy playing the very engaging guitar exercise, and getting away with singing about ancient Celtic rituals at this time of year.

JB

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 05:44 AM

"which??? Christmas?? "

oh - and some Christians still inconveniently for your 'appeal to personal authority' still have it on a differnt date - by the 'Gregorian Calendar'.... :-)

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 05:42 AM

"soalin was a Christmas one oh , and foolestroupe - which??? Christmas?? Christmas has been celebrated from its inception (intended to supplant a prior pagan rite) in late December - the only major Christian event which actually varies"


...except for that damn inconvenient reorganising of the calendar when it had got out of whack with what the sun was doing - but those damn heathen pagans were following the 'Nature-al' movement of the sun, not the blind dictates of the Church running on a man made calendar...

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 30 Mar 07 - 02:29 AM

I only repeated the post because of your attitude Muttley!!!

Fancy getting upset just because I made a typo of you name.

How many times do people do mine wrong - normally as Villain when it is Villan. It personally doesn't bother me.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Anglo
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 11:50 PM

Perhaps good scholarly friend Muttley would be so kind as to edify and enlighten us with an actual reference to the existence of this "A-Soalin'" Christmas tradition which he so vigorously defends. (Preferably not from a book written by Norman Iles).

Me, I'm with Malcolm.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Muttley
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 11:12 PM

As regards ignorance - I don't suppose a Masters Degree in British History with research into folk raditions counts as experience - the Soalin' tradition did exist - and NOT just in Britain.

Trick-or-treat may have developed from a similar origin but, as I have previously stated soalin was a Christmas one oh , and foolestroupe - which??? Christmas?? Christmas has been celebrated from its inception (intended to supplant a prior pagan rite) in late December - the only major Christian event which actually varies is that of Easter which is celebrated at different times by the Catholic and Protestant churches to that observed by the Orthodox ones - Russian and Greek primarily.

AS for Hallowe'en itself; the American tradition is simply that copied from the Scots (with a little German Walpurrgisnacht tossed in for good measure.

Muttley

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 08:09 PM

When old, long-dead threads are dragged back out of the peaceful grave where they ought to have remained, it is usually because somebody has wandered in here via an external search engine and hasn't bothered to have a little look around to see what else might have been said on the subject. Frequently they just want to promote a recording of the song they have recently made (as in this case); sometimes they also bestow upon us a little pearl of wisdom that is old news to most.

The next thing that happens, sadly, is that enthusiastic people bounce in, salivating like Garfield's friend Odie, and re-post everything that is already in all the other, more recent, discussions (and often enough in the DT as well). Usually they also re-post all the misunderstandings and misinformation that have been painstakingly dealt with elsewhere; we then have to try to put things straight all over again.

Jim Carroll, as usual, has made a useful and informative comment. 'Villan' has repeated old news, while 'Muttley', whoever he or she may be, has merely displayed aggressive ignorance. There is not, and never has been, a 'Soalin' tradition. The Souling tradition, however, is well-known. It belongs to the Hallowe'en period, and that is when it happens. 'Muttley' may be confused by the fact that PP&M cobbled together several unrelated songs belonging to different traditions, and different times of the year.

It is unwise to base an analysis of a traditional custom that takes place in somebody else's country on a limited understanding of a commercial recording made by somebody who also clearly had no knowledge or experience of that custom.

Again, I recommend a look at the other threads linked to at the top of this page.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 08:04 PM

"'whole specified series of festivals' - that's just bollocks."

Depends on which 'Christian' you are! And also depends on the historical period over the last few hundred years - since you are admittedly just taking your own recent personal experience for a 'reference', then you stand a good chance of having made a mistake!

:-)

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Muttley
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 06:59 PM

Dear 'The Villan':

There you go Mutley??? You don't even have the grace to spell my moniker correctly.

As for actually printing out the song in full - all you have done is repeat a posting by Bill Sullivan - the second one on this thread
- or didn't you bother reading those?

Finally, IF you had read all of my responses you'd have seen that I posted a reprint of the final verse as well.

Now here's a little activity for you: Try actually READING the lyrics you have so conscientiously posted and just TRY to find a Hallowe'en reference there. Let me save you the trouble - YOU
WON'T!!!
Now try finding a Christmas reference - wel lookee there!! It's in that last verse I already referenced.
Just for your benefit I shall REpost that verse and explain the references for you:

"Now to the lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..
This holy tide of christmas of beauty and of grace,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy."

Now to the lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..
This is usually sentiment expressed in Christmas Carols - the reference to "love and brotherhood" or otherwise sung as "goodwill to all men" is it's more frequent alternative.



This holy tide of christmas of beauty and of grace,

   The second, third, fourth and fifth words of this line are the clue here.

Oh tidings of comfort and joy.

   Again this phrasing is typical of Christmas Carols - most easily seen in "God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen"

Finally there is NO tradition of Hallowe'en "carols" - thus a-soalin IS a Christmas tradition and not a Hallowe'en one

Muttley - with TWO 'T's!!!

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: GUEST,Waddon Pete
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 01:50 PM

Oooops...seem to have a problem here!

Thanks for pointing out the reference to Christmas in the PP&M version....

...However....we have already established that their version is an amalgam of more than one song...

...the version in the digitrad mentions no Christmas at all! This is the version I know.

...not that it really matters!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Flash Company
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 11:40 AM

Not a Mid Cheshire tradition I ever participated in, but it went on around Northwich, I know. All I remember of the song was :-

This night we come a-soulin', a-soulin' this night,
And we hope you will remember this rare soulin' night,
Look down from your window and see what is here,
We have whisky and brandy and the best of good beer....

There was more, but it was one I didn't indulge in, we used to save our energy for Guy Fawkes. It was traditionally All Souls Night, but the local lads usually started about a week before. If it was someone you didn't like you were serenading you could do wonders wth the word a-soulin'.

FC

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 09:28 AM

Ther you go Mutley - the lyrics as sung by P P & M

A Soalin'
   

Hey ho, nobody home, meat nor drink nor money have I none
Yet shall we be merry, hey ho, nobody home.
Hey ho, nobody home, meat nor drink nor money have I none
Yet shall we be merry, hey ho, nobody home.
Hey ho, nobody home.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, 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, and the mistress also
And all the little children that round your table grow.
The cattle in your stable and the dog by your front door
And all that dwell within your gates
We wish you ten times more.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
Any good thing to make us all merry,
One for peter, two for paul, three for him who made us all.

Go down into the cellar and see what you can find
If the barrels are not empty we hope you will be kind
We hope you will be kind with your apple and strawber'
For we'll come no more a 'soalin' till this time next year.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
Any good thing to make us all merry,
One for peter, two for paul, three for him who made us all.

The streets are very dirty, my shoes are very thin.
I have a little pocket to put a penny in.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha' penny then God bless you.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,
Any good thing to make us all merry,
One for peter, two for paul, three for him who made us all.

Now to the lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..
This holy tide of christmas of beauty and of grace,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Mo the caller
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 09:17 AM

And now they leave the Christmas trees over the shops till the needles turn brown and drop off, and there are still light pictures on peoples walls. I saw one alight last week - a puffer-train.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 08:50 AM

The bloody song title

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Muttley
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 08:49 AM

The subject of the "Upcoming birth of Jesus" is a not a months-long topic in the church. It may crop up in sermons but is not generally the topical subject until the month of December - the season as Advent.
How do I know this? As a Christian - definitely! As a church-goer - absolutely. But Definitively ??? I know this because I am a lay preacher and was Official Padre to an ex-servicemen's motorcycle club for 10 years.
As for the 'whole specified series of festivals' - that's just bollocks. Advent is the only season celebrated which spins solely on the upcoming birth of Christ.

And Villan - "And thats what Peter Paul and Mary have it as "A'Soalin" " and WHAT is what P,P & M have as a-soalin?

Muttley

However, to return to my original rebuttal - When the 'soalin' tradition began and was well-patronised and enacted, one stuck VERY closely to the liturgical calendar at the wrath of the church and clergy.
Unlike this day and age where christmas trees appear in stores and carols start sounding over 'muzak' reels in malls etc in September or alternatively; easter eggs and hot-cross buns begin appearing in supermarkets and shops in January.

Modern commercialism has simply hijacked the liturgical seasons for it's own financial greed and quite frankly - should be collectively burnt at the stake. Can you imagine what the outcry would be like if gross western commercialism hijacked the liturgical seasons of Islam or Judaism??? However, Christianity and its structure seem to be fair game. Unfortunately the common 'man-in-the-street' who is not an active practitioner of his/her faith seems to think that because the shops start promoting Christmas weeks before Hallowe'en even arises then that's what the church does, too. WRONG!

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 07:41 AM

And thats what Peter Paul and Mary have it as "A'Soalin"

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 07:09 AM

"One does NOT go around singing songs regarding the grace expected of Christmas two months ahead of time"

Pardon me, but in the Church, Christmas is well anticipated, many months in advance - there is even a whole specified series of festivals and specialised related sermon topics leading up to the event!

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Muttley
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 06:59 AM

Dear Guest

Try looking at the words - especially in the final verse - - - - they're a dead giveaway:

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..
THIS HOLY TIDE OF CHRISTMAS of beauty and of grace,
Oh TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY.

In case you may have missed the cue, I've highlighted (capitalised) the relevant ones for you.

Further: One does NOT go around singing songs regarding the grace expected of Christmas two months ahead of time - ESPECIALLY in Mediaeval England. THAT would have earned a lot more than a clip around the ear.

And the word is 'SOALIN - NOT Souling - the word has nothing to do with 'soul'.

In fact the etymology of the expression 'a-soalin' actually either arises from (or gave rise TO - depending on your etymological source) the expression 'Wassail'. To go 'A-wassailing' was to go 'a-soalin': on the trip around town, while singing songs of the season, one would also carry an ivy-adorned bowl -called a "Pig" - for drink (particularly beer - or 'small beer' for children) and they would "Wassail" - the event became linguistically corrupted into 'a-soalin' while the activity of wassailing and carrying the 'wassail bowl' (or to [carry a]'pig and wassail') gave rise to that quaint pub name "Pig and Whistle".

Hope that one clears it up, now. a-soalin was NOT a hallowe'en tradition; it was a Christmas one.

Muttley

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: GUEST,Waddon Pete
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 04:21 AM

Hello,

IMHO "soaling" is a spelling mistake! Traditionally one goes souling on All Souls Day. Singing the song is optional!

Like many songs...adaptions have lost the original meaning. In England, on Christmas Eve it was carol singing around the parish and on Boxing Day you collected your "box" or tip from grateful customers etc. IMHO going souling at Christmas would have been seen as opportunistic and earned one a clip round the ear!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 04:07 AM

Note to a version from the BBC archives.
Jim Carroll

SOULING SONG: CHESHIRE
Singer: Matthew Hollinshead                                                                4.42    22350
Swettenham, Congleton, Cheshire.
12.11.54 (P.K.)
Part 1: Five verses (which were sung outside):
'We are two or three good nearly lads/And we're all in one mind/For we have come a-souling/Good nature to find….. Refrain: 'For we have come a-souling as it does appear/ 'And it's all that we are souling for is your money and you; beer'.
'O come dearest mistress do not tarry to spend….. Come pick up your sackies good dame ..... Step down in your cellars.... put your hands in your pocket ... 'f you'll give us nought, we will take nought, but farewell and goodnight..'
Part 2: The 'calling-on song' (i.e. introducing -the characters in the Mummers' (Soulcakers') play:-
'The first that steps up is Lord Nelson you see....'
Singer explained that this was sung in the Congleton district about forty-five years ago.- They went out soul-caking during the first three days of November with tissue-paper ribbons sewn onto their clothes and masks on their faces.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Muttley
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 03:05 AM

PS - I have the chords and lyrics to the version I play when busking if you want them - feel free to 'PM' me and I can post them.

The final verse:

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..
This holy tide of Christmas of beauty and of grace,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy.

Is sung as per all the others except that the last line:

"Oh tidings of comfort and joy."

Is sung:
Oh tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy.

And is sung in the manner of winding the song up as per one of the traditional Christmas Carols - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", which finishes with the same phrasing.

Muttley

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Muttley
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 02:58 AM

Sorry 'Villan': It's a "Soal" cake - not a 'soul' cake. A-Soalin' was a yuletide (Christmas) tradition and dates from long before the Elizabethan era. It has NOTHING what-so-ever to do with the tradition of Hallowe'en.

The Elizabethan 'round'reported by "Jacob B" is in fact one of the earliest written examples of the song. It was a chant / round / song sung long before those times. Oral tradition (from a mate in Britain who is really big on this stuff) has it that the tradition of going 'A-Soalin' is probably almost as old as 'Shrove-ball'.

SHROVE-BALL - the tradition of playing "street football" between the two opposing elements of a single town where everybody who was fit and able played - generally teams were called the "Uppies and the Downies" or the "Uppers and Downers", "Upp'ns and Down'ns", "Northers and Southers" and so on. Games were begun at around mid-afternoon and went until sunset and there were no rules - though around the late 1700's and onwards, weapons were somewhat frowned upon. Prior to this time it was not uncommon for a contestant to be stabbed (occasionally fatally) by an opposition player to gain posession of the ball.
The idea was to get the ball to a "goal beyond the territory of the opposition (in the case of Workington in Cumbria; that meant the "Uppies" had to strike the ball against a large capstan on the town wharf while the "Downies" attempted to strike it against the wall of the city park).
Oral traditions have 'Shroveball' being played in Workington since before the arrival of the Vikings in the 10th Century. Shroveball is played - depending on the town involved, is played on either Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), Easter Saturday , Monday or Tuesday - NEVER, of course on Good Friday or Easter Sunday.

Soalin' was another 'one-day-a-year' tradition and generally occurring around (from recollection) Boxing Day or Christmas Eve - again it depended on the town / parish / county, etc.
On this day (evening) the less fortunate of the town would go from door-to-door to ask for comfits from the larders / purses etc of the more fortunate townsfolk. It was considered VERY bad form (even to the extent of being cursed by The Lord) to turn away one who was 'A-Soalin' empty-handed.

The Peter, Paul and Mary version is a more modern rendering of the traditional 'Soalin' song - sort of like the treatment Steeleye Span,Fairport Convention, Martin Carthy etc give to traditional English Folk songs - to "contemporise" them.

Hope this helps

Muttley

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Mar 07 - 01:56 AM

>>Having obtained my attention, I suppose the polite thing would be to ask which website they would like us to look at. <<

Come on WLD sureley you know, cause if you don't I don't :-)

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:46 PM

Ed McCurdy on something similar: For tonight we'll merry merry be (3) - tomorrow we'll be sober!

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 06:47 PM

My God, you gotta keep your wits about you to know whats going on here.

Having obtained my attention, I suppose the polite thing would be to ask which website they would like us to look at.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 06:00 PM

The song (or rather, songs; there are three different ones welded together for some reason) and its background (and the annoying spelling of its title) have been discussed in some detail in other, more recent threads (see links above); this is just a very old, forgotten one revived the other day by somebody who wanted to advertise her website.

Subject: Lyr Add: A SOALIN'
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:42 PM

Here is another snippet

http://archives.quillandparchment.com/Dec2005/Soul.html

The practice of 'trick or treating' was thought by some to have it's origins on All Soul's Day, not All Hallow's Eve. On this day, children and street urchins would go begging treats of people in the neighborhood in exchange for praying for their loved ones in purgatory. If they were refused, they would often 'visit mischief' on the household. Thus the song made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary (but with much older origins):

Hey ho, nobody home,
Meat nor drink nor money have I none,
Yet shall we be merry,
Hey ho, nobody home.

Soul, a soul, a soul cake,
Please, good missus, a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, 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, and the mistress also,
And all the little children that round your table grow,
The cattle in your stable and the dog by your front door,
And all that dwell within your gates, we wish you ten times more.

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

Go down into the cellar and see what you can find.
If the barrels are not empty, we hope you will be kind.
We hope you will be kind with your apple and strawber’
For we'll come no more a-soulin' till this time next year.

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

The streets are very dirty, my shoes are very thin.
I have a little pocket to put a penny in.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha'penny then God bless you.

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

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:40 PM

Of course The Watersons did this one on Frost and Fire - surely their best album. I never knew PPand M had had a shot at it.

I am agog.............possibly two gogs, simultaneously..

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:18 PM

http://www.greenchronicle.com/recipes/soul_cake_recipe.htm

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 02:07 PM

Hello poppaGator...

If you go to http://www.greenchronicle.com/recipes/soul_cake_recipe.htm

You can make your own soul cakes!

Edible folklore no less!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: PoppaGator
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 12:49 PM

Thanks, masato. I figured some such information was out there.

Now:

Is it "soul cake"? Or is "soal" the correct spelling? If so, what does "soal" mean?

(For that matter, even if "soul" is correct, we could still use an explanation of what "soul cake" might mean....)

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: GUEST,Waddon Pete
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:49 AM

Hello,

Can't help feeling we've got two songs mixed tgether here...the round "heigh ho etc" and the song "a soul, a soul etc." Different tunes and different timing in my recollection! I was always told that "Heigh Ho" as a round was a Canadian canoe paddling song. Certainly can paddle a canoe to it!

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Jacob B
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:48 AM

I have a book of songs from the Elizabethan period. Assuming the book is correct, then Hey Ho Nobody Home goes back to Elizabethan times, and was originally a five part round, each part one bar long. The first four bars were essentially as you know them from the first two parts of the three part round. The fifth bar has the words "Yet will I be merry", sung with four eighth notes and two quarter notes.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:42 AM

A-Soalin' by Peter, Paul and Mary at YouTube.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: PoppaGator
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:38 AM

I've always assumed that this is a "rewrite" or adaptation of a much older traditional song, if not a flat-out as-is appropriation of an uncopyrighted piece for the purpose of collecting royalties. It certainly sounds and "feels" like an ancient Yuletide piece.

Maybe I've been wrong, however, since this thread has been posted on Mudcat during two different years without attracting the attention of one of our more scholarly memebers, who could presumably identify any older source that might exist.

Of course, now that I look more closely, the thread appeared and quickly disappeared in a single day back in 1998. Perhaps it's not too late for someone to teach us a thing or two about this song's traditional origins ~ if indeed there are any!

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:37 AM

You want to buy it

http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Peter-Paul-Mary/dp/B000002KA2/ref=pd_sim_m_2/102-9408197-6222535

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 11:24 AM

Its also on the Cd Moving by Peter Paul & Mary 1473-2 by Warner Brothers

http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/music/02.htm

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song? - 'A-Soalin'
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 28 Mar 07 - 10:58 AM

Peter, Paul, and Mary have it recorded on their "In Concert" album. It's a double album and has been re-released on CD.

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song?
From: GUEST,Astra Kelly
Date: 27 Mar 07 - 04:29 PM

I have lyrics and a sample recording posted on my website
www.astrakelly.com

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song?
From: Allan C.
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 11:20 AM

Try a forum search for: SOULCAKE VERSE

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song?
From: Barbara
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 10:16 AM

And, yes it is a round. It can be sung with several other rounds that I am aware of, maybe more: Ah Poor Bird, Rose Red, A Soulin, hmmm. Theres at least one more...

Subject: RE: Hey, ho, know this song?
From: SteveF
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 09:11 AM

Yes, I used to sing this song in camp, many long years ago. You have already supplied most of the lyrics. We sang this as a round, typically while waiting for dessert. It went:

Heigh! Ho! Nobody home!
Meat nor drink nor money have I none
And yet, I will be mer-er-erry
(Repeat) Heigh! Ho! .....

As far as I know, that's all there is.

Subject: Lyr Add: A SOALIN' (Peter, Paul & Mary)
From: Bill Sullivan
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 09:10 AM

I think it's called “A Soulin’ ”
12. A SOALIN'
(Stookey/Batteaste/Mezzetti) Pepamar Music Inc. ASCAP

Hey ho, nobody home, meat nor drink nor money have I none
Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home.
Hey ho, nobody home, Meat nor drink nor money have I none
Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home.
Hey Ho, nobody home.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, 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, and the mistress also
And all the little children that round your table grow.
The cattle in your stable and the dog by your front door
And all that dwell within your gates we wish you ten times more.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry,
One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

Go down into the cellar and see what you can find
If the barrels are not empty we hope you will be kind
We hope you will be kind with your apple and strawber'
For we'll come no more a 'soalin' till this time next year.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry,
One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

The streets are very dirty, my shoes are very thin.
I have a little pocket to put a penny in.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha' penny then God bless you.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry,
One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..
This holy tide of Christmas of beauty and of grace,
Oh tidings of comfort and joy.

Bill

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 27-Mar-02.

Subject: Hey, ho, know this song?
From:
Date: 08 Dec 98 - 09:00 AM

Hi everyone: A friend of mine is in search of the music to a song, but we both have very little idea where to begin and we do not know the title. I vaguely recognize the melody and the words he gave me were "Hey, ho, nobody home. . .drink, nor food, nor money have I none. . ." Pardon me for killing th e lyrics, but I think they're close. And I think the song is probably sung in a round. He also said he heard Peter, Paul, and Mary sing it. I searched their lyric Web sites, but with no title, searching for lyrics has been difficult. Does anyone have any leads for me? I appreciate your help!

-Lisa [e-mail]