Mim says: I've always been faintly dissatisfied by “The Holly and the Ivy” -- it tries to do too much – is it meant to be religious, or about evergreens? So I've deconstructed it, and reconstructed it into not one but two songs. The second of the two will feature (possibly) on our next full-length CD. This is the first, and it all fell neatly into place with this marvellous old singing game, a kind of boys v girls tug of war, played, I believe, at Christmas parties in Henry VIII's time, and possibly even at his court. I always felt sorry for ivy – until I had some in my garden, that is! The melody I shamelessly adapted from at least one, possibly two, traditional ones.
lyrics
Nay, Ivy, nay! It shall not be, I wis,
Let Holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
Holly stands within the door, so fair to behold
Ivy stands outside the door, she is full sore a-cold.
Nay, Ivy, nay ...
Holly and his merry men, they dance and they sing.
Ivy and her maidens, they weep and they wring.
Nay, Ivy, nay ...
Holly has berries as red as any rose,
The foster and the hunter keep them from the does.
Nay, Ivy, nay ...
Ivy has berries as black as any sloes
There may come the owl and eat them as she goes.
Nay, Ivy, nay ...
The holly and the ivy, now they are both full grown,
Of all the trees in all the wood, the holly bears the crown.
Nay, Ivy, nay ...
credits
from Felixstowe Nativity,
released March 10, 2014
Traditional, arranged by Mim MacMahon
To say we are “an all-female, three piece a cappella band” identifies us, but does not describe us. Our themes mostly
revolve around beer, religion, politics and things that go bump in the night - in no particular order. And we don't just stand there in a row singing, either; we act the songs out as melodies switch from one line to another....more
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