Alternate lyrics for the 'Coventry Carol'
The ‘Coventry Carol’, better known as ‘Lully, Lulla, Lullay’, is one of the most beautiful English songs ever written. It has come down to us from a 1534 manuscript by a Robert Croo, a stage manager of the cycle of yearly ‘mystery play’ pageants — plays which act out various biblical episodes, culminating in the death and resurrection of Christ — in the town of Coventry. In the play, after Joseph received the warning from the angel to go to Egypt (in order to flee Herod, who planned to kill all the children of Bethlehem), three Bethlehemite women would enter and sing this song.
Here is an example of Philip Stopford’s setting:
It is perhaps the perfect song for the feast of the Holy Innocents.
I have written alternate lyrics for this version, from the perspective of the Virgin Mary, first rejoicing in the birth of Christ, then being forced to flee, and reflecting on the deaths of the Holy Innocents as she passes onto Egypt. The introduction of a changing meaning to the chorus, through both the context of the verses and slight lyric changes toward the end of the song, I hope evokes different emotions and meanings.
“Lully, lulla, lully, lulla
My Christ, lully, lulla
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
My Christ, lully, lullay“Oh Lord how sweet
It is for me
To hold this promised child!
Yon’ angels sing,
Shepherds and kings,
To my Immanuel:““Lully, lulla, lully, lulla
My Christ, lully, lulla
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
My Christ, lully, lullay”“But Herod King
Has foul decreed:
“Slay all of Bethel’s babes!”
The angel’s moaned,1
We’ll flee from home,
As vagrants or as knaves.2“Lully, lulla, lully, lulla
My Christ, lully, lulla
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child
My Christ, lully, lullay“God have mercy
On those babies
Of David’s town, sore slayed;
For they shall fall
As martyrs all.
E’er we’ll recall this day.“Lully, lulla, lully, lulla
Lay down, lully, lulla
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully lullay“Wherefore I hear
Those mothers’ tears:
Bethlehem weeps this day.
They sing, they cry
A dirge on high:
They sing “Lulla, lullay.““Lully, lulla, lully, lulla
Lay down, lully, lulla
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully lullay.””
The message given to Saint Joseph by the angel.
As wanderers or criminals. I think here, also, of the right of criminals to flee to other towns as given in Deuteronomy 4; the family of Christ are forced here to take on such further lowliness.