See also Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band. Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band… Read Full Bio ↴See also Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band. Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band have been teaming up since 1982 to revive interest in traditional carols and hymns and 18th century drinking songs. The band and Maddy Prior of course have their own separate projects and only work together from time to time. See also Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band. For more information see this Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maddy_Prior).

Wassail!
Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A wassail, a wassail all over the town
Our cup is white and our ale is brown
Our cup is made of the white maple tree
With a wassailing bowl we'll drink to thee.

O master and mistress, oh are you within?
Pray open the door-knob and let us come in.
O master and mistress sitting down by the fire,

See us wassailers a-travelling in the mire.

There was an old man and he had an old cow,
And how for to keep her he didn't know how,
He built up a barn for to keep his cow warm,
And a drop of strong beer will do us no harm.

Here's to the maid in the lily white smock,
Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock.

Who tripped to the door and pulled back on the pin
For to let these jolly wassailers in.

Overall Meaning

The song "Wassail!" by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band is a traditional tune that is performed during the festive season, specifically during the wassailing ceremony. The lyrics describe a group of people going from door to door, asking the homeowners for permission to enter and drink from the wassailing bowl, which is made from the white maple tree. The wassailers offer good wishes to the masters and mistresses of the houses, hoping for their prosperity and good fortune in the coming year.

The song starts with a jovial call for everyone to join in the wassailing ceremony, declaring that their cup is white and their ale is brown. The second verse is addressed to the homeowners, requesting to be welcomed into their homes to partake in the festivities. In the third verse, an old man is mentioned who is struggling to keep his cow warm during the cold winter season, and a drop of strong beer is suggested to alleviate his troubles. The final verse is dedicated to a maid who opens the door for the wassailers, and they thank her for her kindness.

Overall, "Wassail!" is a cheerful and upbeat song that celebrates the joy and camaraderie of the wassailing ceremony, a tradition that has been practiced in England for hundreds of years.

Line by Line Meaning

A wassail, a wassail all over the town
Let us raise a toast and sing together as we spread the message of good cheer throughout the town.

Our cup is white and our ale is brown
We have a cup made of white maple tree and our dark ale is a perfect fit for a cold winter's day.

Our cup is made of the white maple tree
We have a special cup crafted from the wood of a white maple tree - a symbol of purity and strength.

With a wassailing bowl we'll drink to thee.
We will drink to our hearts' content from our bowl of ale, wishing everyone a prosperous and joyful new year.

O master and mistress, oh are you within?
Dear master and mistress, we kindly ask if you're home because we would love to join you in our celebrations.

Pray open the door-knob and let us come in.
We request that you open the door and welcome us into your home as we share our festive spirit with you.

O master and mistress sitting down by the fire,
We see you sitting by the fire, enjoying the warmth of home and hearth on this cold night of the year.

See us wassailers a-travelling in the mire.
We are a group of travellers who have come through the muddy roads to bring you good cheer - please accept us with an open heart.

There was an old man and he had an old cow,
Once there was an old man with an old cow he cherished dearly, but he had no idea how to take care of her in the bitter winter cold.

And how for to keep her he didn't know how,
He was at a loss as to how to take care of his beloved cow during the harsh winter - something many can relate to.

He built up a barn for to keep his cow warm,
But he came up with a solution and built a warm barn to protect his cow from the elements - a testament to the human spirit of problem-solving.

And a drop of strong beer will do us no harm.
As we celebrate the spirit of warmth and hospitality, we raise our glasses to toast with a drop of our delicious, strong beer.

Here's to the maid in the lily white smock,
We raise our cup and toast to the beautiful maid in a white lily smock who was kind enough to open the door and welcome us in.

Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock.
She quickly came to the door, unlocked it, and cheerfully greeted us, allowing us to join the merriment inside - a gracious hostess.

Who tripped to the door and pulled back on the pin
She deftly reached for the pin and pulled it back to unlock the door, letting the cold winter air out and the warmth of the hearth in.

For to let these jolly wassailers in.
All of us, the merry group of wassailers, raise our voices and glasses to thank the generous hostess who invited us in, bringing our tradition of good cheer and merriment to her home.

Contributed by Hailey H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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