Patrick Comerford
Advent began this week with Advent Sunday, and the countdown to Christmas is truly under way.
At noon each day in Advent this year, I am offering one image as part of my ‘Advent Calendar’ for 2025, and one Advent or Christmas carol or hymn.
‘Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing-day’ is an English carol that is usually attributed as ‘traditional. It first appears in written form in William B Sandys’s Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833). However, it may date back to the 16th century and the text may be derived from a mediaeval mystery play. The original text includes antisemitic language and imagery that ate totally unacceptable and that should never be included in any performances.
Many composers have written settings or arrangements for it, including Gustav Holst, John Gardner (op. 75.2, 1965), Igor Stravinsky, David Willcocks, John Rutter, Philip Lawson, James Burton, Ronald Corp, Philip Stopford, Andrew Carter, Jamie W Hall and Jack Gibbons.
The verses of the hymn take us through the story of Jesus told in his own voice, and his life is repeatedly characterised as a dance, a device later used in the modern hymn ‘Lord of the Dance’.
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:
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:
Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love
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:
Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love
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:
Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love.
