Hal-An-Tow

Oh, hallelujah; I was beginning to think the sun had forgotten what time of year it is. In celebration, I'm turning to the traditional English May song, whose many different verses reference events as disparate yet vital to this nation as the defeat of the Armada, the signing of Magna Carta, and that one year when we actually had some sunshine in May.


Take no scorn to wear the horn
It was the crest when you was born
Your father's father wore it
And your father wore it too

Hal-an-tow
Jolly rumbelow
We were up
Long before the day-O
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the May-O
For summer is a-coming in, and winter's gone away-O

What happened to the Spaniards
Who made so great a boast-O?
Why, they shall eat the feathered goose
And we shall eat the roast-O

Hal-an-tow
Jolly rumbelow
We were up
Long before the day-O
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the May-O
For summer is a-coming in, and winter's gone away-O

Robin Hood and Little John
Have both gone to the fair-O
And we will to the merry green wood
To hunt the buck and hare-O

Hal-an-tow
Jolly rumbelow
We were up
Long before the day-O
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the May-O
For summer is a-coming in, and winter's gone away-O

God bless Aunt Mary Moses
And all her power and might-O
And send us peace to England
Send peace by day and night-O

Hal-an-tow
Jolly rumbelow
We were up
Long before the day-O
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the May-O
For summer is a-coming in, and winter's gone away-O