Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man is a 2006 album by English folk group Waterson:Carthy, also featuring the vocal group The Devil's Interval, released on Topic Records. It is a collection of seasonal songs, most having a Christian flavour ("Diadem" is unique in that it has phrases which suggest that the figure being adored is a Green Man rather than Christ). They have mostly avoided familiar carols, and even where the words as well-known, they have selected unfamiliar tunes. There is more instrumental accompaniment on this collection than on any previous Waterson:Carthy album, notably containing brass arrangements influenced by Martin Carthy's work in the band Brass Monkey.
Contents
Track listing
"New Year Carol – Residue" (Traditional) (2:57)
The meaning of the title "Residue" is unknown: the traditional song is titled "Levy-Dew", and this variant may be a mondegreen .
"Sugar Wassail" (Traditional, Roud 209) (2:12)
From the collection of Rev. John Broadwood.
"St George" (John Kirkpatrick) (2:50)
Kirkpatrick's song is similar to words in the Mummer's Play.
"May Song" (Traditional, Roud 305) (2:44)
From Fred Hamer's collection, combining the "Night Song" and the "Day Song" into one.
"Christ Made a Trance" (Traditional, Roud 2112) (2:32)
A grim Passiontide vision of Christ's pain.
"When Jesus Wept The Falling Tear" (W Billings) (2:24)
Sung as a round. Originally written by William Billings (1746 - 1800, Boston), commonly regarded as the first American choral composer.
"Cherry Tree Carol" (Traditional, Roud 453, Child 54) (4:20)
A song for Epiphany.
"Reaphook and Sickle" (Traditional, Roud 1375) (2:48)
A song for the end of harvest.
"Jack Frost" (Mike Waterson) (4:33)
A description of a frosty scene
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" (Words: Nahum Tate / Tune: Traditional, Roud 936) (5:17)
Sung to one of the many traditional tunes found in Yorkshire - this version was collected from the singing of Walter Pardon.
"On Christmas Day It Happened So" (Traditional, Roud 1078) (2:43)
From Hamer's "Garners Gay". A ploughman is punished for ploughing on Christmas Day.
"Time to Remember the Poor" (Words: John Fielding / Tune: H. T. Dyring, Roud 1121) (4:40)
A poetic plea for charity.
"Jacobstowe Wassail" (Traditional, Roud 209) (2:50)
A Wassail song from the Devon village of Jacobstowe, from the Baring-Gould collection.
"Awake Awake (New Years Carol)" (Traditional, Roud 701) (4:06)
Not the same song as the one by Steeleye Span.
"Diadem" (Traditional, Roud 17726) (3:28)
A song from Yorkshire where Christ is portrayed as a king.
"Jolly Old Hawk" (Traditional, Roud 1048) (2:51)
A Somerset carol from The Twelve Days of Christmas family of songs.
"Gloryland (Baptist hymn)" (Words: Traditional, Tune: Eliza Carthy) (3:40)
A flowing, soaring description of heaven.
Personnel
Waterson:Carthy:
Norma Waterson – vocals, triangle
Eliza Carthy – vocals, fiddle, mandolin
Martin Carthy – vocals, guitar
Tim Van Eyken – vocals, melodeons, brass arrangements
The Devil's Interval:
Jim Causley – vocals
Emily Portman – vocals
Lauren McCormick – vocals
Also with:
Martin Brinsford – percussion
Alice Kinloch – trombone and tuba, brass arrangements
Tom Allan – trumpets, brass arrangements
Oliver Knight – cello