A Song to Try - 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!

Lyrics

Score

Tune

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday February 15th 2024

A very respectable eighteen singers came along on an unseasonably warm February evening to acknowledge recent Valentine’s Day and start to prepare for the upcoming SDFS Spring/Summer season.  It was also good to be able to welcome two new potential members who came along to “try us out!”

"Country Life" was an appropriately rousing opening (to the accompaniment of a determined stamp by Alan to keep at pace.  This "The Bee Boys Song" followed– known well but extra care required to hit the high note in the middle.  "Summer Is a Coming In Again" came next, with two new verses provided by Alan at the request of the Worthing Group and to some extent the Lewes group, who found the original last two verses a little too war-like for today’s difficult times.  There was some discussion about whether this should be done and whether or not Mick Ryan, the Author, needed to be consulted.  By way of a complete contrast, Julia presented and sang a new Christmas song that she had written and her singing teacher had set to music – The Holly King and the Oak King with a interesting minor note ending to reflect Winter’s arrival.  The evening could not pass without a nod to yesterday’s Valentine’s Day, "The Sussex Wedding Song" followed and was successfully split into men/women groups in view of the healthy number of attendees.  The relatively new offering of "Come Stranger Come Friend" was tried next.  Not everyone knew it but joined in as it progressed.  It was maybe one for the future.  There was much amusement and discussion about the very traditional local sport of stoolball around the singing of "Love and the Ball".  This including some useful background on particular prizes – a Tansy Cake that might have been presented to the winners.  This could contribute to an interesting introduction when singing out.  A rousing rendition of "Drink Old England Dry" followed, with discussion about a “double ending” or not - to be taken up at Worthing.  The first half concluded with "The Oak Tree Song" and some discussion about “Scottish snaps”!
 
The second half opened with "Follow Me Home" by popular request, sung by all - usually sung by men only.  At the start, Dave G reminded everyone by singing a few lines of the tune.  "Hannaker Mill" came next with a possible modern verse added by Alan which no doubt would not be acceptable to the esteemed Belloc!  The ladies took the lead in "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun" and "The Constant Lover" was sung by all with some discussion about the content.  Staying with the Spring theme, "It Is the First of May" followed which may have caused some confusion amongst casual listeners in the bar!  To round the off the session, there was a hearty rendition of "Rolling Home" a very popular finish to the evening.
 
 
Anne S

 

Alert! - The Lewes Group Sessions have moved to the Third Monday of the month (from Feb. 19th)

The SDFS Lewes local group has needed to change its regular meeting day. 

We are pleased to confirm that the monthly sessions will continue, but they've had to move from the third Tuesday to the 3rd Monday of each month.

This new arrangement will start VERY soon - for this month's session on  Monday February 19th

(Venue: The Kings Head, 9 Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1HS.)                                                 

A warm welcome awaits all comers!

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday February 2nd 2024

33 singers in good voice, including another two new faces, came together for our February session.  A theme for the evening, introduced by Emily, was one of revival after the winter and looking ahead towards the spring.  Our singing included choices by request and or to revisit old favourites and established songs, with also some newer material to carry us on into the year.

"Country Life” got us off to a good start as it often does, followed by another old favourite "Green Grow the Laurels” then "Lark in the Morning” (using the amended Coppers' version).   "Rosebuds in June" (with guidance from Emily to stay on the same lower note for ‘lasses’ if the original high note to finish proves difficult to reach and voices fade at that point).  "Smugglers Song”, "When Spring Comes In” and  "Hares on the Mountain” saw out the first half of the evening before we took a breather for refreshment - and to use our voices for chats instead!

With renewed vigour the "Bee Boys Song”  launched the second half, before we took on the challenge of singing all the verses of the "Song of the Sussex Downsman” with surprising success.   Looking towards its inclusion in our song sets for performance if liked by all our groups, we enjoyed again a song originally brought to us from Dave in our Chichester group, "Summer is A’commin In Again” .  Moving towards the close of the session we wound down, first with "Home Lads Home”, then "Life of a Man” and last but not least the "Parting Song”.

Thanks to everyone for turning out on a chill February evening. We hope to see you again at our next Barn session on March 7th, when with lengthening days and spring on our doorstep we can again celebrate the changing seasons with song.  

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday January 18th 2024

Thirteen singers shook off the last vestiges of seasonal celebrations and faced the New Year weather to practice songs in preparation for the forthcoming SDFS Spring/Summer season.
 
Alan reminded all that there was now a request for a £2 contribution to SDFS funds.  There was some discussion and clarification from Henny about this.
 
The evening opened with "Ale, Glorious Ale" sung with enthusiasm and moved on to a suitably hopeful "Summer Is a Coming In Again" a new addition to the repertoire well remembered by all.  There was some discussion about which verses to retain.  A couple of tries at "The Oak Tree" Song followed with the second set in a higher key at a slightly faster pace which was much preferred.  "Hal and Toe" proved a popular next rendition and lead up to the forthcoming Spring. "My Dowland Remembered" was tried next – proving popular with some members of the group.  Alan sang his new composition as a penultimate contribution to the first half of the evening -  My Sussex Maid – a Ronnie Barker style rendition of a Sussex song.  "Summer is Near" was attempted as a round to finish the first half after the decision not to try it in any greater than two groups as it seemed to collapse at times!  Further practice definitely required for the summer.
 
"When Spring Comes In" seemed a suitable opening to the second half followed by the "Lark in the Morning", with some discussion about which version to sing. "Rosebuds in June" followed and "Searching for Lambs" about which word debate almost got as far as consulting Fowler’s Usage of the English Language!  The ladies present took the lead on "Green Grow the Laurels" and "Ladies Go Dancing at Whitsun" which both followed.  The "Saucy Sailor" was given an airing and the evening finished with the favourite "Parting Song".  All departing with a sense of a new season about to start!
 
Anne S
 

Urgent Alert - Change of Plan for our Lewes Group Sessions

Tina, lead in our Lewes local group, has been notified by the manager at the pub where the group meets that, unfortunately and with immediate effect, the third Tuesday of each month is no longer available for the regular SDFS sessions there.  

This means the session on Tuesday February 20th has been cancelled but alternative days of the week and dates in February and thereafter have been offered and are currently out for discussion with and decision by the singers. Confirmation of the new arrangement will be posted on this News page and our Diary Dates pages as soon as known.

We are very sorry for any disappointment or disruption to your plans - please keep an eye on our Blog for further details in due course. 

Lewes Local Group Report - Tuesday January 16th 2024

Prior to the session, apologies had arrived from regular singers detained by illness, travel abroad, a funeral, the imminent birth of a baby, an invasion of mice and points failure on the railways! Those of us who managed to get there made up a medium sized group which was balanced in voice and stalwart in spirit. We admired the plush new seating and welcomed a new singer Ken from Uckfield. 

As we hadn’t been able to sing any of them in December, we sang all six wassailing songs tonight, along with a range of other cold season numbers and some general favourites.

In the first part of the evening we Sing” (On Sussex Hills”, “Apple Tree Wassail”, “Here We Come A-Wassailing”, “I Heard A Bird Sing”(as a round), “Wassail the Silver Apple” (not a South Downs Song but one of our agreed guest songs for performances, from the West Country), “My Downland Remembered” (Alan’s setting of a poem, including his new verse), “The Oak Tree Song” and “Poor Froze-Out Gardeners” which suited the cold evening very well.

In the interval we discussed the invitation to sing at Oldland Mill on Sunday May 5^th (5 are potentially available so we will say a tentative yes). We also talked about ideas for performers and CDs to suggest to Ted, our US visitor from last month’s cancelled session.  

 

We continued with “The Woodcutter’s Song,” “Seasons Turn”, “Sugar (Sussex) Wassail”, “Wassail all your Apple Trees” (as a round), “Wassail Wassail all over the Town”, “Where Stormy Winds do Blow”, “Hard Times of Old England”, and “A Smuggler’s Song” before ending with “Thousands or More”.

 

Tina 

Worthing Local Group Report - (belated from) Thursday January 4th 2024

We welcomed some new faces in the happy band of 29 singers opening our new year at the Barn.  With the waining festive season and current Wassails in mind, Emily set the scene and we began with a favourite, “Pentonville", before moving on to a selection of wassail songs - for the pleasure of singing them, and to confirm choices for our contribution to the Tarring Village Wassail with Sompting Morris the following evening.  Selected verses from the "Gloucestershire Wassail” were sung with gusto before the “Apple Tree Wassail”, "Sugar Wassail”, “Here We Come a-Wassailing” and the “Silver Wassail”.  Last but not least, before a well earned break, was the round “Wassail All Your Apple Trees”, in two then in three parts.

The second half of the evening gave us a chance to sing some more favourites plus a few of our newer songs from this Christmas season's repertoire, before future sessions take us forward into the spring and through the rest of the year.  “Ideo”; "Boar’s Head Carol”; “Gaudete”; “Sweet Chiming Bells”; “Holly Bears a Berry”; “Hark the Herald Angels”  and “The Holly and The Ivy” each had their enjoyable turn, as did another lovely round which began our look forward to the return of spring: “I Heard a Bird Sing”.

To end this seasonal session on a South Downs note, we concluded with a rousing rendition of the “Sussex Carol" - and, with new year resolution, we confirmed plans for the Tarring Wassail on January 5th and to gathering again at the Barn for our next Worthing session on February 1st.  (Feb 2nd. is "Candlemas", by which date, as tradition has it, any remnants of Christmas greenery in our homes should be removed - and  there is even a Candlemas song, perhaps we'll have a chance to hear or sing it).

H.

Another Jolly Wassail in Tarring on January 5th

Thank you to all our singers who came along to sing with us and enjoy this seasonal event - and thanks also to Sompting Village Morris for inviting us to contribute to the fun - we look forward to joining you again for the next one on January 5th 2024.

Here's a message from Lyn (also one of our singers) and Sompting Village Morris.

"To Emily and all the singers

Very many thanks from Sompting Village Morris dancers to the South Downs Folk singers for coming along to sing Wassail  songs on Friday night, at our Wassail event in Tarring.

A number of people, both dancers and bystanders, commented on how lovely the singing sounded; - "it get's better every  year" was the remark from one onlooker.

There seemed to be more singers attending, and also (as Emily said) all the people attending are getting to know the words!  The singing adds so much to the atmosphere, and it is great to have you there.

We all had a marvellous evening, and thank you again for coming along.
I hope you will put the date in the SDFS diary again for next year, which will be Sunday 5 Jan 2025.

Lyn Thomas
(Bag) Sompting Village Morris"

 

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday December 21st 2023

On near enough the shortest day of the year a goodly crowd of South Downs Folk Singers came together for a festive sing at a busy "Chichester Inn” (this included two new faces, one being very like another already in the Chichester gang!).  Welcome all!  

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!