Around the May-pole tripping (John Liptrot Hatton)
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- (Posted 2023-10-26) CPDL #76692:
- Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-10-26). Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 504 kB Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes: Composite of the various 19th Century publications.
General Information
Title: Around the May-pole tripping
Composer: John Liptrot Hatton
Lyricist: William Smallcombe Passmore
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1859 Addison, Hollier, & Lucas
2nd published: 1860 Thomas Richardson & Son
3rd published: 1890 D. C. Heath and Company
Description: Some Nineteenth Century publications omit the middle verse in the musical setting. That verse is included here if performers would choose to insert it into a performance.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
’Tis May-day morn, the lark’s awake,
And with the sun’s conferring;
So let’s, for bonnie custom’s sake,
Be at our revels stirring!
Come, gather sprays of roses rare,
Ere yet the wild bee’s sipping;
For each a witching wreath must wear,
Around the May-pole tripping!
Here comes our Queen with violet eyes,
And raven tresses flowing;
She’d grace a throne’s imperial guise,
And set crown’d heads a-wooing!
Vale lilies not more pure than she,
Around her brows are dipping;
So, hands enchain’d, her courtiers we
Must in her train be tripping!
Then round, around the garland tree,
With flow’rs and ribands streaming,
We foot the dance right merrilie,
Each face with gladness beaming!
And thus our revels gay we court,
Till e’en the stars are skipping;
And eve at last benights our sport,
Around the May-pole tripping!