The Coventry Carol

Carol, England.

“The Coventry Carol” is an English Christmas carol dating from the 16th century. The oldest known text was written down by Robert Croo in 1534, and the oldest known setting of the melody dates from 1591. The major chord at the end is a typical example of a Picardy third.

The carol was traditionally performed in Coventry in England as part of a mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors, and refers to the Massacre of the Innocents, in which Herod ordered all male infants to be killed, and takes the form of a lullaby sung by mothers of the doomed children.

 

Karaoke Video with Lyrics

 

Lyrics

1. Lully, lullay, this little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
Lullay, this little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.

2. O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay”?

3. Herod the king, in his raging,
Chargèd, he hath this day
His men of might in his own sight
All young children to slay.

4. That woe is me, poor child, for thee
And ever mourn and say
For thy parting nor say nor sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay.”

 

Click on the button to watch a karaoke video and
download a PDF file with lyrics to this song for free.

 

Free karaoke MP3 download

To download your free instrumental mp3 of this song,
click or tap on the following button, then choose “Save link as…”

“The Coventry Carol” (instrumental, 2:31 – 3/4 – 93 bpm)

 

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Sheet Music with chords

To save this free music sheet of “The Coventry Carol” to your computer, right click (or tap and hold, on mobile devices) and choose “Save Image As…”.

the-coventry-carol_singing-bell

 

Free Printable PDF with Music sheet and Lyrics

To download a ready-to-print PDF of this song for music activities with a music sheet, lyrics and a drawing for kids to paint, right click (or tap and hold) on the following link, then choose “Save link as…”.

“The Coventry Carol” free PDF download – Singing Bell

 

The Coventry Carol | Free Christmas Carols and Songs

 

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