7th April - 2026 - The Lost Lover
Amaryllis has written these lyrics to be sung to the traditional tune "Cruel Mother" (trad. Roud no. 9)
You'll find the lyrics using this link
5th December 2025 - Halsway Carol
Alan has offered this carol as one for us to try - "The Halsway Carol"
You'll find the lyrics using this link
You'll find the tune using this link
Amaryllis has offered the addition of some 'dooby doos' and clicks in the intervals between the verses of The Friendly Beasts (*) to go with the calypso/ jazz style of this song.
You'll find the updated lyrics here
*Song originally offered by Amaryllis last year (see post of 7th October)
Alan has offered this traditional seasonal song - "Sing We The Virgin Mary".
You'll find the lyrics using this link .
You'll find the tune using this link .
Here's a new song offered by Dave Garrard - "My Lady of Autumn". It is written by Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman, members of the folk band Beggars Velvet.
You'll find the lyrics using this link .
Here's an amusing alternative of the traditional song "Hard Times of Old England" written by Lyn Ford, entitled "The Folk Songs of Old England".
8th October 2024 - The Ditchling Carol
A Christmas song offered by Tina:
Published in 1811, words by William Robert Spencer, music setting by Peter Preston, church musician of Ditchling. Collated by Vic Gammon from several Sussex manuscripts.
Here's a seasonal song offered by Amaryllis:
Alan has offered this round.
Lyrics:
Here are the lyrics: Lyrics
Sung to the tune of We Plough the Fields and Scatter
18th June 2024 - Riding on a Donkey
A song offered by Alan - a version of the popular shanty 'Riding on a Donkey' with lyrics written by Alan. It was supposed to be lucky to have a donkey at weddings. Also if you had a donkey amongst your kine (i.e. cows), you were supposed to get more milk from the cows. Also, if your cows are attacked they'd run, but the donkey would stand his ground making a frightful noise.
Here are the lyrics: Lyrics
Here is the tune: Tune
26th February 2024 - The Holly King and the Oak King
Another new song for us, "The Holly King and the Oak King" - written by J. L. Dean, a writer who grew up in Chichester and is a member of the South Downs Folk Singers. She heard the legend of the Holly and the Oak King just before Christmas 2023 and thought it would make a good folk song. The melody was composed especially by Susan Legg a singer, pianist and composer who lives in West Sussex and trained at the Royal College of Music. She is a great fan of J. L. Dean's writing and is delighted to collaborate with her on this song!
Here is an alternative, less military, version of "Sussex By the Sea" written by Amaryllis Gunn in celebration of Sussex rural life.
You'll find the lyrics using the link below.
The words and music for "A Site for Sore Eyes" have been written by Gordon Stephenson. He says - "The Virgin Mary Spring, located in the woods east of Petworth, is a long-revered source of holy and healing water and every year, on the patronal festival in early September, St. Mary's Church holds an afternoon walk to the spring where a short service is conducted and those attending get sprinkled. I wrote the song in 2012 and since then it has been sung on these occasions".
You'll find the lyrics and score using the links below.
Here's a new song offered by Amaryliss Gunn, uses a poem by A. F. Bell set to a tune written, and sung on this recording, by Amaryliss.
You'll find the lyrics and tune using the links below.
9th May 2022 - Termite Hoer
Here is a new song using an old tune and inspired by a typo in the songs listed for one of our recent public events! It has been written and offered by Gordon from our Chichester group.
"Termite Hoer" - to be sung to the tune of "The Turmut Hoer"
You'll find the lyrics using the link below.
Offered by Alan. It's not specifically a 'South Downs' song or one for our public performances (it seems to have been collected in the South-West in the early 1900s and sung extensively elsewhere since), but one you might nonetheless enjoy hearing and singing.
You'll find the lyrics and tune using the links below.
6th March 2022 - The Forlorn Oak
Offered by the SDFS Lewes group for us to try. Original poem by Ray Pattenden, celebrating the lifespan of a much-loved tree in his Hassocks garden. Adapted words & music by Tina Cox.
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