Harmony 303
Community Choir
Lyrics
Tar Barrell in DaleBy George Unthank
All: Tar barrel in Dale.Fire in snow
Toast the New Year. Bid farewell to the old
1.(Sop) The old year out, the New Year in.
(Alto)Please won't you le-et the lucky bird in.
(Low) With bottle in hand and a piece of black coal.
( All) A stranger's a friend when first-footing you go
All: Tar barrel in Dale.Fire in snow
Toast the New Year. Bid farewell to the old
2. (Sop)At midnight's approach the band you can hear.
(Alto)The fiery procession of guises draws near.
(Low)With friends and good company, with voices so clear.
(All) Singing in harmony…(pause)Bringing in the New Year.
All: Tar barrel in Dale.Fire in snow
Toast the New Year. Bid farewell to the old
3. (Sop)Off the heads of the guisers the blazing barrels are hurled (Alto)On to the bonfire; smoke, sparks & flames swirl
(Low)Amidst cheers and rejoicing, the rites of Old Father Time,
(All)We'll link arms together, si-ing Auld Lang Syne
All: Tar barrel in Dale.Fire in snow
Toast the New Year. Bid farewell to the old
3. (Sop)Throughout the year when we sing this song.
(Alto) With Old friends and new friends si-ing along.
(Low) May good fortune be with you. From all sorrows refrain
(All)Till that happy time when we all meet again.
All: Tar barrel in Dale.Fire in snow
Toast the New Year. Bid farewell to the old
This song was written about the New Year’s Eve festival that takes place in Allendale where villagers run through the streets with burning barrels of oil on their backs. The exact origins of the custom remain shrouded in mystery, with no definitive account of how the tradition truly began. Some believe that the festival has pagan origins stretching back to the Middle Ages when the burning of effigies to ward off evil spirits was commonplace. One story has it that on one New Year’s Eve, Allendale’s Victorian village carol singers were plunged into darkness, the wild Pennine wind extinguishing their candles. Barrels of fire were used to replace the candles so that the hardy folk of the Allen Valleys could see their hymn sheets. Other theories suggest that the festival is simply a working-class response to the lavish balls and more genteel New Year celebrations of the upper classes!