In this holiday episode of Folk Files, we explore the old, wild, wonderful world of wassailing. Wæs hæl!

Host: Olivia Harding

Special thanks to Aaron J. Morton.

Musical excerpts:

ARTIST: The Brown University Madrigal Singers

WORK: Wassail Song, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams

SOURCE: 2010 Holiday Concert

ARTIST: Magpie Lane

WORK: The Somerset Wassail

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhWNp9vh39E

ARTIST: The King’s Singers

WORK: Here We Come A Wassailing

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YUGXr8FcdY

ARTIST: Ian Giles

WORK: God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nppGaVz_8cw

ARTIST: Electra Women’s Choir

WORK: Yorkshire Wassail

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCXM9G9uyt4

ARTIST: Unknown, recorded by Smithsonian Folkways

WORK: John Canoe Music

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nIdRnL7vRU

ARTIST: Lady Maisery, Jimmy Aldridge, and Sid Goldsmith

WORK: Cornish Wassail

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo1aGvEUtcI

ARTIST: Phil Tanner

WORK: The Wassail Song (Gower)

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqCxKtHr778

ARTIST: Rhodri McDonagh

WORK: Deck the Halls (Welsh version)

SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGuTncYncbU