Dancing Day: Extended Remix Edition

Gardner's Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day was not the total massacre I thought it would be on Sunday. It actually sounded like it was coming together, despite it being the first time we had properly rehearsed it, and in the absence of any rehearsal tracks. I'm still finding it difficult, particularly getting the rhythms of the second lines of each of the verses. And when it has been sped up to 180 beats per minute (as is annotated) then really, I have no hope in hell.

Anyway, in an attempt to try to learn the lyrics I searched and discovered that the carol actually goes on for several verses beyond what we have in our sheet music.

This is where it stands at present.

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day;
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance;

Chorus
Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love.

Then was I born of a virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance
Thus was I knit to man's nature
To call my true love to my dance.

In a manger laid, and wrapped I was
So very poor, this was my chance
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass
To call my true love to my dance.

Then afterwards baptized I was;
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father’s voice heard from above,
To call my true love to my dance.

That's where it ends in our music, but the song actually goes on!

Into the desert I was led,
Where I fasted without substance;
The Devil bade me make stones my bread,
To have me break my true love's dance.

The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance.

For thirty pence Judas me sold,
His covetousness for to advance:
Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold!
The same is he shall lead the dance.

Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
Where Barabbas had deliverance;
They scourged me and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance.

Then on the cross hanged I was,
Where a spear my heart did glance;
There issued forth both water and blood,
To call my true love to my dance.

Then down to hell I took my way
For my true love's deliverance,
And rose again on the third day,
Up to my true love and the dance.

Then up to heaven I did ascend,
Where now I dwell in sure substance
On the right hand of God, that man
May come unto the general dance.

I guess you can see why the subsequent verses are generally left out of the canon, much like the extra verses of God Save The Queen which could be quite offensive to the rebellious Scots.

And what does any of this have to do with Alesha Dixon? Nothing really, apart from the fact that (a) she is so pretty, (b) the picture is from the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special last year, so it is vaguely seasonal and (c) Strictly has started again. Yay!