The sycamore tree
Language: English
As I sat under a sycamore tree, A sycamore tree, a sycamore tree, I looked me out upon the sea On Christ's Sunday at morn. I saw three ships a-sailing there, A-sailing there, a-sailing there, Jesu, Mary and Joseph they bear On Christ's Sunday at morn. Joseph did whistle and Mary did sing, Mary did sing, Mary did sing, And all the bells on earth did ring For joy our Lord was born. O they sail'd into Bethlehem To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem, Saint Michael was the steeresman, Saint John sat in the horn And all the bells on earth did ring, On earth did ring, on earth did ring: 'Welcome be Thou Heaven's King, On Christ's Sunday at morn!'
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "The sycamore tree", 1930 [ chorus a cappella ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John Theodore Livingston Raynor (1909 - 1970), "The Sycamore Tree", op. 435 (1955) [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-06-23
Line count: 20
Word count: 119