Mill song (George J. Webb)

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• (Posted 2024-02-26)  CPDL #79289:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-02-26).   Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 618 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Mill song
Composer: George J. Webb
Lyricist: Thomas Westwood
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1850 Mason & Law
Description: 

Original text and translations

English text

Merrily the mill-sail
    Turneth round and round,
  With a breezy motion
    And a busy sound.
  Merrily the miller
    Standeth at the door,
  Humming pleasant ditties
    From his ancient store.
Merrily, oh merrily, all the summer’s day,
Hums that burly miller, while the mill-sails play.

    At the open lattice,
      In the homestead near,
    Sits the miller’s good wife,
      With face of blythesome cheer;
    And round about the gateway
      A little sturdy throng
    Of rosy knaves are sporting,
      With laughter loud and long;
And merrily, right merrily, at close of summer’s day,
Aye laughs the miller’s children the while the mill-sails play.

    Good luck befall thee, miller,
      With thy frank and hearty smile;
    Good luck befall thy dear ones all,
      That know nor grief nor guile.
    When worldly cares beset us,
      And worldly hopes decline,
    ’Tis well, I wot, to linger
      By simple hearths like thine,
And merrily, still merrily, to pass the live-long day,
’Midst happier thoughts and better hopes, the while the mill-sails play.