A'soalin' (Live)

On October 31st, a day that we all refer to as Halloween, throughout this great country of ours, small groups of armed children race, race from house to house demanding protection money. 

Or at least it seems as though that's what they're doing now. I remember when I was a kid, and probably when most of you were kids, we had a lot simpler motivation, right? A couple of jelly beans would do us in, right? You'd stand outside, freezing weather, stand outside a door in a cardboard costume, right, waiting for a couple lights to go out, and you'd tippy-toe up to the front door, very quiet, everybody scared. 

Knock knock knock knock

"Yeah kid, whaddaya want?"

"Boo."

Nowadays they have a much more persuasive policy. First of all they arrive in a motorized division, right? 

"All right, junior, get out. Your mother and I will wait for you here."

And then when the child gets up at the front door he's none too gentle about it. 

Ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom

"Yes, what, what is it?"

"Alright pops, what's it gonna be?

The candy or your front window?"

Well in England they have a counterpart - almost, that is. They go from house to house, not during Halloween nor do they call it trick or treat. They go instead during the Yuletide season. They call the custom wassailing; we call the song A' Soalin'. 

Hey ho, nobody home

Meat nor drink nor money have I none

Yet shall we be merry

Hey ho, nobody home

(Hey ho, nobody home)

Meat nor drink nor money have I none

(Hey ho, nobody home)

Yet shall we be merry

Hey ho, nobody home

Hey ho, nobody home

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus a soal cake

Apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry

Any good thing to make us all merry

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all

God bless the master of this house and the mistress also

And all the little children that round your table grow

The cattle in your stable, the dog by your front door

And all that dwells within your gates, we wish you ten times more

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus a soal cake

Apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry

Any good thing to make us all merry

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all

Go down into the cellar and see what you can find

If the barrels are not empty, we hope you will be kind

We hope you will be kind with your apple and strawber'

For we'll come no more a' soalin' 'til this time next year

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus a soal cake

Apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry

Any good thing to make us all merry

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all

The streets are very dirty, my shoes are very thin

I have a little pocket to put a penny in

If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do

If you haven't got a ha' penny then God bless you

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus a soal cake

Apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry

Any good thing to make us all merry

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all

Now to the Lord, sing praises all you within this place

And with true love and brotherhood, each other now embrace

This holy tide of Christmas of beauty and of grace

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

(Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus a soal cake

Apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry

Any good thing to make us all merry

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all

Three for him who made us all)