Let Union Be

from Dancing Cranes by Whistling Treason

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about

This appears in Folk Songs of The Upper Thames by Alfred Williams, and was collected in Ogbourne, Wiltshire. As a boatman and Wiltshire lad I consider this home territory so to speak. It's a song of good company and good cheer, and I like to sing this pretty much everywhere. I've added an extended vocal taqsim on to the start, which was meant to be Rana Dildar Singh's part live. Getting him to come and record it proved harder, so I did it myself!

lyrics

Let Union Be

Come me lads, now let's be jolly,
Drive away dull melancholy
For to grieve it is such folly
When we're met together

CH:
Let union be, in all our hearts,
And let our hearts be joined as one.
We'll end the day as we've begun,
We'll end it all in pleasure.
Whack-folla-rolla-rolla-toora-laro
Whack-folla-rolla-rolla-toora-laro
Whack-folla-rolla-rolla-toora-laro
When we're met together

Grab the bottle as it passes,
Do not fail to fill your glasses
Water drinkers are dull arses
When we're me together

Solomon in all his glory,
Told each wife a different story.
In our cups we'll sing his glory,
When we're met together

Eating and drinking they're so charming,
Dancing and piping there's no harm in.
All these things take great delight in,
When we're met together.

Cease from quarrelling and fighting
Evil speaking and backbiting,
All these things take no delight in,
When we're met together.

credits

from Dancing Cranes, track released March 10, 2015
Tenor guitar, vocals and percussion by Whistling Treason.
Recorded at Dog & Lion Studios.

Trad / Arr Whistling Treason

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Whistling Treason Bristol, UK

Dubplate-folk, Soundsystem Trad, Acoustic or Valve Powered, Global Confusion. Whatever I feel like.

As guitarist with RSVP Bhangra and Malarchy, I've played countless major festivals across Britain and Europe, including Glastonbury & Womad.

What started out as a strictly folk project has expanded wildly, to incorporate tunes from around the world, original compositions, and a whole lot of dub. ... more

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