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Harvest Song

from Songs by Ed, Will and Ginger

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about

This song is from the Eastern counties of England. It recounts the harvest as a time of full community involvement, with many hands working together. Some experts say this song was sung as part of post-harvest rituals. We feel that though certainly sung in thankfulness, it would also be sung in simple wild mirth, to impress a pretty girl or feel wobbly. It needs no mask of solemn ritual humility.

Likewise, theories talk of this song’s ‘harvest horn’ as a lost tool of ceremonial origin. We feel it probably had the same dual ritual/practical role that a good alarm clock and a shout does today, as an effective method to waken early-morning workers.

We learned this song from a recording by the Waterson family, which was played to us by a fellow in Hampshire. We have since found that our lyrical version deviates from its source, as a result of mis-hearing. The results are satisfyingly enriching to the song’s narrative, bringing new cheese to the harvest table. We are left pondering the evolutionary significance of dirty ears as a crux of the oral tradition.

This song’s tune is poly-morphous and adaptable, and happily exists with other lyrics overlaid. We have adapted it to many occasions, with lines like ‘as we celebrate la belle sophie’s birthday’ and ‘as he smokes the kohibar’ working very well.

lyrics

We gets up in the morn
And we sound the harvest horn
Our master has orders for to mind,
First thing we take in hand,
Is the stopper from the can,
That each man can drink
Until the bottom be found
Then each man may do his part,
And may work with hand and heart,
While the glorious sun do shine, do shine,
While the glorious sun do shine.

Our master brings the can,
O he’s a jolly hearted man,
Come on me lads
and take a drop of the best,
But don’t you stand and prattle
when you hear the wagons rattle,
For the sun he is a drawing to the west, to the west,
For the sun he is a drawing to the west.

O It’s the farmer’s daughter dear,
brews us plenty of strong beer,
And cheese enough to cheer up any soul,
Oh then each man may drink and say
Heaven bless this happy day,
When we crown the harvest with the flowing bowl,flowing bowl,
When we crown the harvest with the flowing bowl.

credits

from Songs, released January 1, 2010

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A Walk Around Britain UK

Wayfaring songs from journeys on foot around Britain.

With Ed, Will & Ginger. And others.

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