(1st Voice) Come, I will sing to you
(2nd voice) What will you sing to me?
(1st voice) I will sing you one oh!
(2nd voice) What may be your one oh?
(1st voice) One is one and all alone, and ever more shall be so.
(1st Voice) Come, I will sing to you
(2nd voice) What will you sing to me?
(1st voice) I will sing you two oh!
(2nd voice) What may be your two oh?
(1st voice) Two of them are lilywhite babes, Cloth-ed all in green oh!!
(Both) One is one and all alone, and ever more shall be so.
(1st Voice) Come, I will sing to you
(2nd voice) What will you sing to me?
(1st voice) I will sing you three oh!
(2nd voice) What may be your three oh?
(1st voice) TThree of them are thrivers
(Both) Two of them are lilywhite babes, Cloth-ed all in green oh!!
One is one and all alone, and ever more shall be so.
[These three verses indicate the plan of the song, each new number being followed by the whole of those that have gone before, sung by both voices. The other numbers are as follows :-]
Four are the Gospel preachers
Five are the flamboys all in a row
Six are the six bold waiters
Seven are the seven stars in the sky
Eight are the Gabriel angels
Nine and nine of the brightest shine
Ten are the ten command-e-ments
Eleven and eleven went up to heaven
Twelve are the twelve apostles.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Lucy Broadwood and J A Fuller Maitland. 1893, English County Songs, Leadenhall Press, London
Notes:
Lucy Broadwood wrote:
For the later numbers, only the two notes D and E are given. It is suggested that these should be accompanied by the the two different harmonies given under numbers 3 and 4. Before discussing the various versions of the words and their interpretations (see the discussion thread), it will be well to give a of words and music that is traditional in King's College, Cambridge (see related songs). A variant of the same music is given by a correspondent in The Musical Herald for October, 1891, and said to have been sung by a Scotchman. In the letter a "minor tune" is referred to as belonging to a Norfolk version. The may not impossibly be identical with the Dorsetshire version given above.
Roud: 133 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child:
Related Songs: Green Grow the rushes oh (thematic)