Lyr Add: The Moon Shines Bright: a May-Day song

02 May 22 - 06:57 PM (#4141016)
Subject: Lyr Add: The Moon Shines Bright: a May-Day song
From: Catamariner

As Joe requested, here is The Moon Shines Bright, A May-Day Song from Hertfordshire, collecteed by Lucy E. Broadwood and J. A. Fuller Maitland, in English Country Songs. London: The Leadenhall Press, 1893.

The moon shines bright, the stars give a light,
    A little before 'tis day.
Our heavenly Father he callèd to us
    And bid us to wake and pray.

Awake, awake, oh pretty, pretty maid,
    Out of your drowsy dream,
And step into your dairy below
    And fetch me a bowl of cream:

If not a bowl of your sweet cream
    A mug of your brown beer,
For the Lord knows where we shall meet again
    To be maying another year.

So dear, so dear Christ lovèd us
    And for our sins was slain,
He bids us to leave off our wicked, wicked ways.
    And turn to the Lord again.

Turn to the Lord and our sweet God.
    O turn to him with praise,
For when we are dead and in our graves
    We are nothing but dust and clay.

I have been rambling all this night
    And best part of this day.
And now have returnèd back again,
    And have brought you a branch of may.

A branch of may have I brought you
    And at your door it stands,
It is but a sprout, but well budded out
    By the work of our Lord's hand.

My song is done and I must be gone,
    No longer can I stay,
So it's good bless you all, both great and small
    And send you a joyful May.

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05 May 22 - 10:38 AM (#4141170)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Moon Shines Bright: a May-Day song
From: maeve

The Moon Shines Bright- Coope, Boyes, Simpson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va8l86U2PpQ
(The initial "h" was missing from previous link. Gorgeous rendition.)

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05 May 22 - 11:09 AM (#4141173)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Moon Shines Bright: a May-Day song
From: Reinhard

The videos linked to above seem all to be versions of the New Year carol The Moon Shines Bright (Roud 702) while The Moon Shines Bright: a May-Day song is a composite of this and the May Song (Roud 305).

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05 May 22 - 11:10 AM (#4141174)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Moon Shines Bright: a May-Day song
From: Reinhard

Ah, and the Broadwood and Fuller Maitland book is English County Songs, not Country.

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