Against the challenging soundscape of a popular pub in the week before Christmas, we valiantly and cheerily sang our way through over 20 songs, with a mix of other enjoyable ‘party pieces’ offered in addition. All met with a good-natured mix of attention and inattention from the various social groups of other customers seated nearby - with occasional moments of appreciation and applause before their chattering resumed as we sang on!
Our choice of songs for any who listened (and could hear them!) began with “Masters in This Hall”, "Good King Wenceslas”, “Hark the herald Angels” and the “Gloucester Wassail” . Steve A then read to us “The Ruined Maid”, a poem and commentary by Thomas Hardy, its observations and wit giving rise to a wry smile or two… Singing resumed with "O Little Town of Bethlehem”, before Julia presented for us the lyrics she has written for a winter song featuring a woodland battle between the oak and the holly - we look forward to hearing the tune to complete it (still a work in progress). “Wassail the Silver Apple”, came next - new to some but already on the SDFS Blog and recently revived at the last Worthing local group session. (Alan proposed the version on the Blog be re-structured to feature the chorus after 2 not 3 verses). Gordon then gave us his witty song featuring the 12 themes (and also the 12 tunes needed to illustrate them) most commonly used on Christmas cards - a musical challenge indeed! And Chris continued the entertainment with the ’tale’ of “Spot of the Antarctic” which successfully paused some of the nearby chattering as other pub customers listened - and even joined in! “Gaudete” and “The Boar’s Head Carol” took our singing to the midway break and some well earned refreshment.
Les opened the second half with his rendition of “The Christmas Tree Fairy” (credited to Stanley Holloway) - leading to more wry smiles …. after which our singing resumed, firstly to wish Amaryllis a “Happy Birthday” and 'the best of health on her day of birth’, then on to another seasonal choice, “Pentonville”. Alan took a quieter moment to recite for us an old favourite, “Eddie’s Service” by Rudyard Kipling. A couple of wassails followed, “Here We Come A-Wassailing” and the “Apple Tree Wassailing Song”, before the gentle tones of “In the Bleak Midwinter” and the brightness of the “Sussex Carol”. Chris introduced and led the ‘alternative’ version of “Grandma We Love You”, with our voices joining in the chorus, before, by popular demand, Alan sang for us the "Field Mouse Carol” (from 'The Wind in the Willows’). This is also on the Blog on the 'Other Songs to Try' page - and we hope will get more use next year.
Alan provided instrumental accompaniment to many of the songs during the evening, including the 'Christmas Calypso' which he offered and led, with others who knew it joining in, before we all sang “Sweet Chiming Bells” together, followed by “Now Chritmas is Come”, “Angel Gabriel”, “Holly and the Ivy” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”. These brought us near to the close of the session, an appropriate moment for joining hands and voices in “Auld Lang Syne” and last but not least -“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to finish!
With Seasonal Good Wishes shared and plentiful thanks conveyed to everyone who'd contributed, especially to Alan for his genial facilitation of the session and his expert musical accompaniment (with added 'get well soon' messages for him to take back to Anne) - we concluded our farewells with a nod towards gathering again at the Chichester Inn for our next session in January 2024 - Happy New Year!
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