As I Sat On a Sunny Bank

Home
To Relate Many Stories
A Garland of Carols
Shepherds Arise
Down in Yon Forest
The Coventry Carol
As I Sat On a Sunny Bank
While Shepherds Watched [Lyngham]
Nowell and Nowell
In Bethlehem City
Christmas is Now Drawing Near at Hand
The Carnal and the Crane
Boars Head Carol
The Dunstan Lullaby (The Christmas Lullaby)
While Shepherds Watched [Pentonville]

As I  Sat On A Sunny Bank

version 1

As I sat on a sunny bank, 
A sunny bank, a sunny bank,
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas Day in the morning
 
I saw three ships come sailing in
come sailing in, come sailing in
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas Day in the morning
 
And who do you think was in them then
But Joseph and his fair lady!
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas Day in the morning
 
O he did whistle and she did sing
she did sing, she did sing
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas Day in the morning
 
And all the bells on earth did ring,
on earth did ring, on earth did ring,
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas Day in the morning
 
And all the angels in heaven did sing
in heaven did sing, in heaven did sing
As I sat on a sunny bank
On Christmas Day in the morning.
 
[traditional]

version 2

As I sat on a sunny bank,
As I sat on a sunny bank,
As I sat on a sunny bank,
On Christmas Day all in the morning.

I saw three ships come sailing home,
I saw three ships come sailing home,
I saw three ships come sailing home.
On Christmas Day all in the morning.

Who do you think were in those ships?
Who do you think were in those ships?
Who do you think were in those ships?
On Christmas Day all in the morning.

Christ and His Mother were in those ships,
Christ and His Mother were in those ships,
Christ and His Mother were in those ships.

[traditional]

Source: Cecil J. Sharp, English Folk-Carols

(London: Novello & Co., Ltd., 1911), p. 28;

This is the first of three versions

printed by Sharp in this volume.

a garland of carols is
© 2006/2007 sam-and-lizzie
all rights reserved