Wassail - three cheers for the apple tree

"Old apple tree we wassail thee and hope that thou shalt bear/ for the Lord doth know where we shall be come apples another year/ for to bloom well and to bear well so merry let us be/ let every man take off his hat and shout out to the old apple tree/ Three cheers for the apple tree: hip hip horray! hip hip horray! hip hip horray!" The Gladly Solemn Sound choir celebrate the Old Twelth Night wassailing tradtion. Traditionists take no notice of the modern innovation which took away 11 days from the calendar in 1752 - so they celebrate 12th night not on January 6th like the rest of the country - but on January 17th - as we are doing here by this bonfire. Earlier we supped from the wassail cup of mulled cider and enjoyed a bit of dancing too around the old oak tree.

[@tomrandolph1]

I love this tradition and had nothing like it in the US. Would love to come to England to experience it first hand.

[@jenb6899]

We wassail our fruit trees with this song at Good Courage Farm in Minnesota, USA! It'll be Jan 6th this year (2023). The public is welcome!

[@jamesf.gilmartin712]

A very Blessed júli to you. Absolutely loved hearing this and joining in from me hame. Makes me miss the Old Country. many thanks David.

[@Davidburbidge]

You are indeed right - Carhampton and the Butchers Arms are in Somerset - thankyou. I always thought this was an ancient tradition but see it was started in the 1930's by the Taunton Cider company who no doubt had a vested interest in people drinking large ammounts of cider.

[@Davidburbidge]

Glad you enjoyed us singing this song, Happylmc! Did you perhaps grow up in Carhampton in Devon? I know this song is sung there at the pub - indeed it is sometimes called the Carhampton Wassail. It featured in a TV programme about their wassailing tradition, and spread via folk music circles and the internet from there. Cheers, David

[@edwoods593]

Carhampton is very much in Somerset. ;)

[@AmanaHinsleys]

Methinks we should start this tradition in a US town established by German immigrants (and chock-full of apple trees)!! What an awesome revelry!! #Amana2014

[@Davidburbidge]

Comne and visit - and sing with us - we'll make you very welcome. Cheers, David