I remember learning to play the keyboard at my Grandma & Grandpa's house in Hungerford - my sister and I used to love going upstairs after Christmas dinner to mess about with the musical notes. Occasionally my Grandpa would lean over me and press a few keys, trying to find the notes to a tune that matched his namesake as Bellman - he never played it in full; the keys on that keyboard were only half size anyway, so his fingers would accidentally press the notes either side and I never gained a full understanding of that mysterious tune.
And mysterious it is. "The Bellman's Carol" also known as "The Moon Shines Bright" is mysterious and haunting. I am drawn more to these solemn-sounding Carols, with my favourite being "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - perhaps it is the Minor scale that makes them more appealing to me and reflects the dark, wintry nights within which Christmas sits. Carols such as "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" are just too high and bounding, and do not feel Christmassy to me.
And mysterious it is. "The Bellman's Carol" also known as "The Moon Shines Bright" is mysterious and haunting. I am drawn more to these solemn-sounding Carols, with my favourite being "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - perhaps it is the Minor scale that makes them more appealing to me and reflects the dark, wintry nights within which Christmas sits. Carols such as "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" are just too high and bounding, and do not feel Christmassy to me.
The Bellman's Carol is an English Folk Carol from the 16th to 18th Century. The function of this Carol was a "luck-visit", which means that Town Folk would go around the town singing it at people's doors. A piece of paper with the lyrics of the song would be pushed under front doors by the visiting singers - the paper was often inscribed with the good wishes of the Town Crier or "Bellman". Singers would later return to the house to collect a Christmas gift for the Bellman, for his function in the past is not the same as it is today - he was a night watchman who would carry a staff, lantern and bell for crying out the hours and protecting the streets.
It seems to me that some of lyrics of this carol are a little heavy. Lots of Death and Jesus included here, and whereas you might think, "Well, it IS Christmas," my Christmas is never about that. My Christmas is all the better for not having Christ in it at all. Seeing as the Winter Mass Celebration was adopted by the church for Christ's birthday, and that this carol has many differentiating lyrics, it seems only reasonable to me to change and evolve the carol into a piece of further meaning and Christmas warmth. See below for my new version of the carol, alongside the original version.
It seems to me that some of lyrics of this carol are a little heavy. Lots of Death and Jesus included here, and whereas you might think, "Well, it IS Christmas," my Christmas is never about that. My Christmas is all the better for not having Christ in it at all. Seeing as the Winter Mass Celebration was adopted by the church for Christ's birthday, and that this carol has many differentiating lyrics, it seems only reasonable to me to change and evolve the carol into a piece of further meaning and Christmas warmth. See below for my new version of the carol, alongside the original version.
My Version The moon shines bright, and the stars give a light a little before the day, and hark! the Bellman of the night does bade us awake and play. Awake, awake, good people all, awake and you shall hear that all around the frosted streets are filled with Christmas cheer. And in these winter days of dark our fears we ignite: our troubled sorrows fall away in warmth of our own light. O fair, O fair, O Hungerford, when shall I come to thee? When shall your bells resound, resound in joy that I may see? The fields were green, as green could be - but now are lit by white, for in the air and 'cross the ground all snowfall fills our sight. My song is done, I must be gone, I can stay no longer here - O bless you all, both great and small, And send you a joyful New Year! | Original Version The moon shines bright and the stars give light A little before the day Our Lord, Our God, he called on us And bade us awake and pray! Awake, Awake! good people all, Awake and you shall hear The Lord our God, died on the cross For us whom he loved so dear. And for the saving of our souls Christ died upon the cross, We ne'er shall do for Jesus Christ As he has done for us. O fair, O fair Jerusalem, When shall I come to thee? When shall my sorrows have an end, Thy joy that I may see? The fields were green as green could be, When from His glorious seat, Our Lord, our God, he watered us, With His heavenly dew so sweet. My song is done, I must be gone, I can stay no longer here, God bless you all, both great and small, And send you a joyful New Year. |
Here are some further dark and odd verses that are sometimes sung in The Bellman's Carol. They are certainly not very Christmassy to me, but they do appear very Christian in their solemnity. The odd verses are obviously concerned more with the May Holiday than that of Christmas.
Dark Verses The life of a man it is but a span, It's like a mourning flower; We're here to day, to-morrow we are gone We are dead all in one hour. O teach them well your children, dear man, While you have got them here; It will be better for your soul, dear man, When your corpse lies on the bier. To-day you may be living, dear man, With a many thousand pound; To-morrow you may be dead, dear man, And your corpse lie underground. | Odd Verses 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. 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. |
My Grandpa was Bellman and Town Crier of Hungerford, and this was a position that I am sure pleased many people at Christmas, not just myself and the family. His Morning Suit, trimmed with hunting pink, had that Dickensian Christmas feel to it, along with the black silk top hat, laced in gold; his fob watch and gold chain. He had even made the brass buttons on his jacket, imprinted with the Hungerford Town emblem of a six-pointed star and crescent moon. He would be there for the Hungerford Victorian Christmas Extravaganza, and come home smelling of cold, steam engines, warmth and cheer which would linger in my young mind as we drove home under the wide, starry night. How vast and empty those wintry nights seem now without him here for Christmas.