Padstow May Song
Music Player
Summary
When the town clock of Padstow strikes midnight on April 30th, there begins a ceremony which is one of the most remarkable pagan survivals in England. Between 12 and 2 a.m. the hobby horse committee walk through streets and gardens singing the May Day Song. Then, next day, the hobby horse dancer appears. He wears a six-foot hoop skirt, painted shiny black and reaching to the ground. This hoop rests on his shoulders, and his head is covered in a conical black mask on which a sinister face is painted in black and white. The opening photo on this web page shows a re-enactment of the Padstow May Day procession which took place at the Tutira Tradfest on ANZAC weekend in 2019. The Hobby Horse belongs to Robyn Park, and we thank Robyn, her family and all those who joined in the spirit of this Padstow May Day celebration here in New Zealand.
Lyrics
The Padstow May Song
Unite and unite oh let us all unite,
For summer is a-come unto day,
And whither we are going we will all unite,
In the merry morning of May.
Where are the young men that here now here should dance,
For summer is a-come unto day,
Some they are in England and some they are in France
In the merry morning of May.
Where are the maidens that now here should sing
For summer is a-come unto day,
They are in the meadows the flowers gathering,
In the merry morning of May.
The young men of Padstow might if they would,
For summer is a-come unto day,
They might have built a ship and gilded her with gold
In the merry morning of May.
O! where is St. George,
O, where is he O?
He is out in his long-boat all on the salt sea O.
Up flies the kite and down falls the lark O,
Aunt Ursula Birdhood she had an old ewe
And she died in her own park O.
With the merry ring, adieu the merry spring,
For summer is a-come unto day,
How happy is the little bird that merrily doth sing
In the merry morning of May.
Unite and unite and let us all unite,
For summer is a-come unto day,
And whither we are going we will all unite,
In the merry morning of May.
