Hail the New, Ye Lads and Lasses (Day Eight)

Deck the hall with boughs of holly, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
'Tis the season to be jolly, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la!

See the blazing yule before us, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
Strike the harp and join the chorus, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
Follow me in merry measure,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
While I tell of Christmas treasure, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Fast away the old year passes, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la,
Sing we joyous all together,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la 
Heedless of the wind and weather, 
Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Text: John Jones, 1862.; tr. Thomas Oliphant, 1881
Tune: NOS GALAN (L.M. with fa la las)
Traditional Welsh tune, 16th cent.

A Welsh New Years' carol (Nos Galen = New Year's Eve), published in 1794 seems to be at least part of the origin of this familiar carol, though the tune itself is older. The tune appears to have become quite popular in the mid-nineteenth century in England and a number of different translations and altered texts sprang up, but this is the one that has come down to us today, moved back a week to celebrate Christmas.

Such a popular carol has inspired a number of parody versions over the years.  While I don't generally use hymn parodies here, this particular song is only nominally useful in worship (though it has appeared in a few hymn collections), so perhaps just one parody would not be terribly out of place.



Seven Years Ago: Bessie Porter Head

Six Years Ago: O God, by whom all change is wrought

Six Years Ago: (12 Days of Christmas) Mists and clouds and shadows

Five Years Ago: Another year is dawning

Four Years Ago: O God, whom neither time nor space

Three Years Ago: New mercies, new blessings, new light on our way