Coventry Carol

The "Coventry Carol" is a Christmas carol dating from the 16th Century. The carol was performed in Coventry as part of a mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play depicts the Christmas story from the Gospel of Matthew. This carol presents the Massacre of the Innocents in which Herod orders all male infants in Bethlehem killed. The lyrics of this haunting carol represent a mother's lament for her doomed child. It is the only carol that has survived from this play.

It is notable as a well-known example of a Picardy third. The author is unknown; the oldest known text was written down by Robert Croo in 1534, and the oldest known printing of the melody dates from 1591. There is an alternate setting of the carol by Kenneth Leighton.

Lyrics

Lully, lullay,* Thou little tiny Child,

By, by, lully, lullay.

Lullay, Thou little tiny Child,

By, by, lully, lullay.

O sisters too, how may we do,

For to preserve this day

This poor youngling for whom we sing

By, by, lully, lullay.

Herod the king, in his raging,

Charged he hath this day

His men of might, in his own sight,

All children young to slay.

That woe is me, poor Child for Thee!

And ever morn and day,*

For thy parting neither say nor sing,

By, by, lully, lullay.

* Sometimes rendered "Lully, lulla".

* Another version has "mourn and say".

Cover Versions

• 1938 - Elisabeth Schumann
• 1962 - Sir David Willcocks and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge - On Christmas Night (The Choir under Sir Philip Ledger made a recording of the Leighton setting in 1976.)
• 1966 - Joan Baez - Noël
• 1980's -Elaine Paige -"Christmas"
• 1987 - Alison Moyet - A Very Special Christmas
• 1989 - B.J. Cole - "Transparent Music"
• 1989 - John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers - Christmas with the Cambridge Singers (recorded twice, a later recording, released on The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album features the Leighton setting)
• 1989 - The King's Singers - A Little Christmas Music
• 1993 - The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge - Carols from Trinity
• 1994 - The Swingle Singers - The Story of Christmas
• 1995 - Loreena McKennitt - A Winter Garden
• 1997 - Nightnoise - Celtic Christmas IV
• 1999 - Eden's Bridge - Celtic Lullabies
• 2001 - Chanticleer - Christmas with Chanticleer
• 2005 - Nox Arcana - Winters Knight

Media

MIDI-file with a choral arrangement of the song^ⓘ

External links

• Coventry Carol at Hymns and Carols of Christmas, quoting various sources
• Easybyte - free easy piano music for Coventry Carol