Tune:...the goose is getting fat

Subject: Tune:"...the goose is getting fat"
From:
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 03:14 PM

There is an English carol, sung in a round, with the words "Christmas is coming/The goose is getting fat/Please to put a penny in the old man's hat/If you haven't got a penny a ha'penny will do/If you haven't got a ha'penny, God bless you." I have all the lyrics (there are 2 more verses), but can anyone describe the tune that goes with the words? Thank you! (There is one in the Mudcat archives but it doesn't include the line "If you haven't got a ha'penny...etc." and seems to be a different song.)

Subject: RE: Tune:
From: musicman
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 03:36 PM

here is the tune in solfa:

ddrmddmrmfs dsssslsfmrd ssmsssmsssmdtls, ssmsssmsssltd.

That is the tune in basis solfa. Pick your own key. I assume you know how the melody goes for rhythm, If not, let me know and I will send it to you somehow.

Musicman [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tune:
From:
Date: 10 Dec 98 - 04:10 PM

thank you so much!

Subject: RE: Tune:"...the goose is getting fat"
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 02:22 PM

Please post the complete lyrics for Christmas is Coming. I've been searching for them for years!

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Tune:"...the goose is getting fat"
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 02:32 PM

Hi - this thread was linked with Goose" threads instead of the Christmas round. I've changed the crosslinks above so you can see what we have. This thread will give you a variety of lyrics. Since this is a traditional song, you'll find many version, not one definitive one.
Merry Christmas!
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune:"...the goose is getting fat"
From: MMario
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 02:32 PM

hmmmm - I've never seen more than the one - and I'm not (easily finding any additional verses....

Subject: RE: Tune:"...the goose is getting fat"
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 02:39 PM

Hey, Bub, are you questioning Bing Crosby???
[grin]

Oh, OK, I guess the "definitive version is what's in the Digital Tradition:

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please to put a penny in the old man's hat,
Please to put a penny in the old man's hat.

But since it is a traditional song, Der Bingel was allowed to expand upon it and make millions. You can do it, too - the MMario version of this song could go platinum. I suppose the version in this thread is Gypsy's own creation, but I dunno. I wish people would state their sources when they post lyrics.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune:...the goose is getting fat
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Dec 03 - 03:38 PM

How about John Denver and the Muppets?

Subject: RE: Tune:...the goose is getting fat
From: GUEST,ytandrews
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 01:56 PM

This is the version I know from childhood:

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat,
Won't you please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha'penny then God Bless You.

Solfa matching above lyrics w/ bar lines (starts at the top of the octave and ends at the bottom):
d_dd/l_ll/slsf/m*
mf/s_dd/rrff/m_r_/d*
sl/dddd/l_ll/slsf/m*
mf/ssdd/rrff/m_r_/d___//

Subject: RE: Tune:...the goose is getting fat
From: Artful Codger
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 05:11 PM

I've attempted to render that into ABC--I had to guess whether the interior tonics should go up or down. To generate a MIDI or PDF from it, or to transpose it to another key (I've used C for simplicity), feed it to the folkinfo.org ABC Converter.

X:1
T:Christmas Is Coming
M:4/4
Q:1/4=144
K:C
c2cc | A2AA | GAGF | E2
w: Christ-mas is com-ing, the goose is get-ting fat,
EF | G2CC | DDFF | E2D2 | C2
w: Won't you please put a pen-ny in the old man's hat.
GA | cccc | A2AA | GAGF | E2
w: If you have-n't got a pen-ny, a ha'-pen-ny will do,
EF | GGCC | DDFF | E2D2 | C4 ||
w: If you have-n't got a ha'-pen-ny then God bless you.

This tune sounds suspiciously like the first part of "In an English Country Garden". Is the rhythm supposed to be straight, like ECG, or a little syncopated, like a hornpipe? (If so, just add a line "R:hornpipe" to the header.)

Subject: RE: Tune:...the goose is getting fat
From: GUEST,JULIA L
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 09:59 PM

http://castlebaycds.com/sound.castlebaycds.com/2010Revels/Goose_Round_Christmas_Is_Coming.mp3

Subject: RE: Tune:...the goose is getting fat
From: GUEST,JULIA L
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 10:02 PM

sorry about the brevity of the previous post, but I tried to send 3 times.....

enny whey,
just to say that we combine 2 rounds for merry musical mayhem

Why shouldn't my goose
Sing as well as they goose
When I paid for my goose
Twice as much as thine

then Christmas is coming, with a slightly different melody than is noted above

best- J
http://castlebaycds.com/sound.castlebaycds.com/2010Revels/Goose_Round_Christmas_Is_Coming.mp3

Subject: RE: Tune:...the goose is getting fat
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Nov 11 - 10:37 PM

this is a good song