Jon says, “I’m quite drawn to these hymnal, rather fusty carols. There’s nothing Christmassy about this one really, but part of the tradition nonetheless.” I must confess to having drawn a complete blank on this one and can offer nothing, so over to you. Perhaps it’s the title, but I’ve tried using some of the other lines as well and still turned up nowt. If you can add to this song’s story please do.
You can buy the December digital album now from all good download stores.
Well, I think it’s written by Robert Lowry (1826 – 1899), an American Baptist preacher and gospel song writer. Two links below tell a little more about the man and his music. Your words are slightly different, Jon, from the written version found at the first link – and there is a 4th verse, so you could include that in future if you wanted!
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/l/o/w/lowry_r.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lowry_(hymn_writer)
Now I rather enjoyed this one! Having said I am not overly fond of the collective congregational voice, Baptist gospel music is often the exception. Very nicely sung!
Now it would help if I put the right link in for the words! Good job I checked to see if they worked! Below is the right one:
http://ehymnbook.org/CMMS/hymnSong.php?folder=p18&id=pd18795
Must be the lateness of the hour… am a weary traveller…
Success! (Ye have to scroll down aways… )
We can get a few years more back, Jane: I found this song as The Weary Traveller in Baptist minister and hymn compiler Joshua Smith’s Divine Hymns, or Spiritual Songs. This scanned edition was printed in 1802, but according to Wikipedia it was first published in either 1784 or 1791.
Sorry to use the site as a notice board but “Still folk dancing after all these years”
Fri 10thDec BBC4…all about folk music and performers.
The “Come All You Weary Travellers” is known locally as Tinwood and I an Russell describes it as “central to the tradition”. It was sung yesterday!
I can’t make the first line of the fourth verse ((not sung in the tradiition) scan to the tune we sing.
Following Muzza’s post the programme after “Still Folk Dancing” is a repeat of Bellowhead’s excellent Christmas concert from last year.
As for the songs love the 2 versions of While Shepherds Watched. This site is brilliant.
Think there is a version of this on An American Journey by The Waverly Consort. Love it! Thank you!
Still folk dancing atrts with clogging then on the Fire and Ice . Check Saturday as well
Judith
I was singing this as I trudged up in the deep snow to The Blue Ball at Worral last Sunday it felt appropriate.
The Macccann duet cncertina allows Jon to put in some of the kinds of chords the voices and piana or elecric organ use.
Tinwood is over at Deepcar on the River Don near Wortley Forge, and a lot of the carols were named after places where local word or tunesmiths lived , worked or worshipped
Attributed in the notes to Ian Russell’s Village Carols (2008) to Rose and Womack (Wm womack of Stannington) ‘before 1877 ‘
I love these old hymns, and the concertina adds just the right atmosphere. Years ago the tiny chapels tucked away in these hills would have rung to songs like this; now many of them are being closed and sold up for holiday homes.
Many thanks also, for the two previous shepherd carols. This month on A.F.S.A.D. is turning into an absolute joy. (But then so has every other month !)
Definitely hymnal and quite a refreshing change. Who is to blame for the “Snow Falls” we have had these last two days? The singer or the song?
The perfect antidote to ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ (currently echoing around my warehouse at work!). Well sung Jon.
Jane Ramsden update: I’m afraid it’s bad news about Little Patch; Jane has found him but it was too late. He’s in Moggy heaven now. Thanks to Diana for her concern. Jane apologises for not posting, but you just know she won’t comment until she has time to be her usual, thorough, ‘anorak’ self!
No snow yet in Lancs, Diana. Just hail and heavy rain!
Well Peter I live in Lancs too, admittedly on the edge of the Pennines in Saddleworth,
but we have had snow, sleet and hail and our garden is a lovely shade of white. Hope Jane is soon back on track. Sorry to hear she has lost one of her cats, I know how upsetting it is to lose a pet.
Thanks Peter for the update on Jane ….’spect she could do with a big hug right now.
On a lighter note…….
it was great to see that Peter and Diana come from “Ooop North”…
I have been campaigning since the site began for folk to give some indication of the region /country they are from……………….we softies ain’t got no snow down south!
Hampshire born Muzza, but have lived “oop north” longer than I lived down south.
@Muzza and Diana: Lytham St Annes on t’ coast, to be specific, but I commute to Bolton daily and they usually get snow there early! Jane usually gets some afore Christmas too, living in North Bradford.
Small world Peter, I lived and worked in Bolton for many years. I am envious of you living on the coast. Snow gone from home thanks to heavy rain and rise in temperature. As Shakespeare wrote “the rain it raineth every day” sung with slight variation by S and B.
Like this one still think of it as a hymn though.
Snow has turned to rain here thank goodness, but ice forecast so not all good news.
Like this nice to hear something hymnal (if that’s a word)
I think hymnal is a good description Linda