(With thanks to some of my minister friends south of Hadrian's Wall)
Tunes to which 'While Shepherd's Watched' has been sung in church settings... a) Winchester Old (usual tune)
b) Ilkley Moor bar t'hat (Ilkla Moor baht 'at)
c) Lyngham (Oh, for a thousand tongues)
d) Sweet shining Christmas bells
So far, so good, huh? Keep going... yes, really...
e) The house of the rising sun
f) Ghost riders in the sky
And if not sung, at least been aware of...
g) The laughing policeman
h) Supercalifragilistic...
So, of anyone wants to spice up their carol service, or maybe ruin someone else's, feel free to experiement with any of these
Comments
Cranbrook (aka Ilkley Moor) was written around 1800by a Canterbury Cobbler called Clark, and sung to While Shepherds for decades, long before the I. M. words were written (allegedly by a church choir on an outing) our congregation did it brilliantly last night. Michael Murpurgo referenced it as"the proper tune" on Radio 4yesterday.
I prefer to keep"House of the Rising Sun" for The Lord's My Shepherd (popular at BMS summer schools in the 60s & 70s)