I love Kate Rusby’s two Christmas albums Sweet Bells and While Mortals Sleep.
My introduction came through an appearance on Songs Of Praise where her love of the historical Christmas music of southern Yorkshire and environs was much in evidence.
On these albums you’ll hear familiar words to alternate tunes, familiar words to familiar tunes with charming arrangements and some originals as well.
If Christmas music gets on your nerves because it is over produced and vocalists are straining to add their own embellishments to familiar classics, these two albums will be, utterly literally, music to your ears.
Rusby is in the upper echelon of authentic British folk vocalists.
I’ve already posted about the title track of her first Christmas album Sweet Bells, a traditional interpretation of While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night.
This year, have a listen to The Holly And The Ivy, track 5 from Sweet Bells.
By the end of it you may think this is the melody for the song you’ve known all along.
The lyrics.
1.
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full-grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun,
The running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
2.
The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus,
To do poor sinners good.
O the rising of the sun,
The running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
3.
The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus,
For to redeem us all
O the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
Sweet singing all in the choir
4.
The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus,
On Christmas day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
5.
Oh the holly bears a flower,
As white as any milk,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus
All wrapped up in silk.
O the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
6.
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both are full-grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
7.
O the rising of the sun,
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing all in the choir,
Sweet singing all in the choir
Sweet singing all in the choir
Sweet singing all in the choir
Here’s the track. Go and get the albums from iTunes or Amazon or Rusby’s online store.
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