An English folk group from Hull, Yorkshire, the Watersons performed mainly … Read Full Bio ↴An English folk group from Hull, Yorkshire, the Watersons performed mainly traditional songs with little or no accompaniment. Their distinctive sound came from their close harmonies.
Original members were Norma Waterson, Mike Waterson, and Lal Waterson, with their cousin John Harrison from Kingston High School. They had a skiffle band in the early 1960s but moved on to playing more traditional material. They were briefly known as "The Folksons".
Their first album was Frost and Fire 1965 (awarded the "Melody Maker" Album of the Year, a rarity for a debut album) followed by The Watersons and A Yorkshire Garland in 1966. The Watersons split up in 1968 when Norma went to work as a disc jockey on a radio station on Montserrat.
The group reformed in 1972 with John Harrison briefly replaced by Bernie Vickers. He in turn was replaced the same year by Norma's husband, and respected folk singer in his own right, Martin Carthy. This lineup recorded For Pence and Spicy Ale (1975), Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy (1977), and Green Fields (1981).
Later lineups featured Mike Waterson's daughter Rachel Waterson, who briefly replaced Lal during a leave of absence caused by ill health in the mid-1980s, then continued to sing with the group on Lal's return.
Lal Waterson died in 1998 and by the early 1990s Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson and their daughter Eliza Carthy had formed the group Waterson:Carthy.
The Watersons gradually ceased to sing live on a regular basis but the family occasionally reconvened for special events and festival appearances. The most recent of these were A Mighty River of Song at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 May 2007, the BBC Electric Proms concert Once in a Blue Moon: A Tribute to Lal Waterson at Cecil Sharp House in London on 25 October 2007 and 'A Tribute to Bert,' a concert celebrating the life and work of Albert Lloyd, at Cecil Sharp House on the 15th November 2008.
Original members were Norma Waterson, Mike Waterson, and Lal Waterson, with their cousin John Harrison from Kingston High School. They had a skiffle band in the early 1960s but moved on to playing more traditional material. They were briefly known as "The Folksons".
Their first album was Frost and Fire 1965 (awarded the "Melody Maker" Album of the Year, a rarity for a debut album) followed by The Watersons and A Yorkshire Garland in 1966. The Watersons split up in 1968 when Norma went to work as a disc jockey on a radio station on Montserrat.
The group reformed in 1972 with John Harrison briefly replaced by Bernie Vickers. He in turn was replaced the same year by Norma's husband, and respected folk singer in his own right, Martin Carthy. This lineup recorded For Pence and Spicy Ale (1975), Sound, Sound Your Instruments of Joy (1977), and Green Fields (1981).
Later lineups featured Mike Waterson's daughter Rachel Waterson, who briefly replaced Lal during a leave of absence caused by ill health in the mid-1980s, then continued to sing with the group on Lal's return.
Lal Waterson died in 1998 and by the early 1990s Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson and their daughter Eliza Carthy had formed the group Waterson:Carthy.
The Watersons gradually ceased to sing live on a regular basis but the family occasionally reconvened for special events and festival appearances. The most recent of these were A Mighty River of Song at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 May 2007, the BBC Electric Proms concert Once in a Blue Moon: A Tribute to Lal Waterson at Cecil Sharp House in London on 25 October 2007 and 'A Tribute to Bert,' a concert celebrating the life and work of Albert Lloyd, at Cecil Sharp House on the 15th November 2008.
Apple Tree Wassail
The Watersons Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Apple Tree Wassail' by these artists:
The Dreadnoughts Oh Apple Tree, we wassail thee Hoping Thou Wilt Bear For Lor…
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Watersons:
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Harvest Song: We Gets up in the Morn We gets up in the morn And we sound the harvest…
Here We Come a-Wassailing Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green Here we…
Pace-Egging Song Here's one two three jolly lads All in one mind We are…
Pleasure And Pain I'm leaving here on the morning train And I will never…
Sound Sound Your Instruments Of Joy Sound, Sound your instruments of Joy To triumph shake each …
The Good Old Way Lift up your hearts, Emmanuel's friends And taste the pleasu…
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks While shepherds watched their flocks by night all seated on…
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mklugerbell
The Watersons - Apple Tree Wassail
O Lily white lily, O lily white pin,
Please to come down and let us come in.
Lily white lily, O lily white smock,
Please to come down and pull back the lock.
Chorus:
Our wassail, jolly wassail,
Joy come to our jolly wassail.
How well they may bloom, how well they may bear,
So we may have apples and cider next year.
O Master and mistress, O are you within?
Please to come down and pull back the pin
Chorus
There was an old farmer and he had an old cow,
But how to milk her, he didn’t know how.
He put his old cow down in his old barn,
And a little more liquor won’t do us no harm.
Harm, me boys, harm, Harm, me boys, harm,
And a little more liquor won’t do us no harm.
Chorus
:::O the ringles and the jingles and the tenor of the song goes:::
Merrily merrily merrily
::O the tenor of the song goes:: Merrily
Shouted:
Hatfuls, capfuls, three-bushel bagfuls,
Little heaps under the stairs
Hip Hip Hooray!
Penelope Greenhough
lily-white lily, o lily-white pin,
Please to come down and let us come in!
Lily-white lily, o lily-white smock,
Please to come down and pull back the lock!
Chorus:
(It's) Our wassail jolly wassail!
Joy come to our jolly wassail!
How well they may bloom, how well they may bear
So we may have apples and cider next year.
O master and mistress, o are you within?
Please to come down and pull back the pin
Chorus
There was an old farmer and he had an old cow,
But how to milk her he didn't know how.
He put his old cow down in his old barn.
And a little more liquor won't do us no harm.
Harm me boys harm, harm me boys harm,
A little more liquor won't do us no harm.
Chorus
O the ringles and the jingles and the tenor of the song goes
Merrily merrily merrily.
O the tenor of the song goes merrily.
Spoken:
Hatfuls, capfuls, three-bushel bagfuls,
Little heaps under the stairs.
Hip hip hooray!
Acknowledgements
Transcribed by Garry Gillard.
Jo Alex Sg
What a precious musical gem, thank you ever so much for uploading this treasure here. Much love from Brazil..
Eileen Hack
I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Kelle Standley
Thank you for sharing- this is wonderful.
mklugerbell
The Watersons - Apple Tree Wassail
O Lily white lily, O lily white pin,
Please to come down and let us come in.
Lily white lily, O lily white smock,
Please to come down and pull back the lock.
Chorus:
Our wassail, jolly wassail,
Joy come to our jolly wassail.
How well they may bloom, how well they may bear,
So we may have apples and cider next year.
O Master and mistress, O are you within?
Please to come down and pull back the pin
Chorus
There was an old farmer and he had an old cow,
But how to milk her, he didn’t know how.
He put his old cow down in his old barn,
And a little more liquor won’t do us no harm.
Harm, me boys, harm, Harm, me boys, harm,
And a little more liquor won’t do us no harm.
Chorus
:::O the ringles and the jingles and the tenor of the song goes:::
Merrily merrily merrily
::O the tenor of the song goes:: Merrily
Shouted:
Hatfuls, capfuls, three-bushel bagfuls,
Little heaps under the stairs
Hip Hip Hooray!
Jo Alex Sg
Thank you so much for the lyrics.
Kate Wrath
Yes, thank you!
Flavius Jurcău
Wonderful! Thank you!
William Pascoe
Brilliant, & reminds me of wassails past & hopefully to come ...when covid-19 has had it's way with us
Eileen Hack
Here’s hoping. Cheers!!!
Penelope Greenhough
lily-white lily, o lily-white pin,
Please to come down and let us come in!
Lily-white lily, o lily-white smock,
Please to come down and pull back the lock!
Chorus:
(It's) Our wassail jolly wassail!
Joy come to our jolly wassail!
How well they may bloom, how well they may bear
So we may have apples and cider next year.
O master and mistress, o are you within?
Please to come down and pull back the pin
Chorus
There was an old farmer and he had an old cow,
But how to milk her he didn't know how.
He put his old cow down in his old barn.
And a little more liquor won't do us no harm.
Harm me boys harm, harm me boys harm,
A little more liquor won't do us no harm.
Chorus
O the ringles and the jingles and the tenor of the song goes
Merrily merrily merrily.
O the tenor of the song goes merrily.
Spoken:
Hatfuls, capfuls, three-bushel bagfuls,
Little heaps under the stairs.
Hip hip hooray!
Acknowledgements
Transcribed by Garry Gillard.