A SOALIN - Noel Paul Stookey, Elena Mezzetti, Tracy Batteast


A Soalin'
Noel Paul Stookey, Elena Mezzetti, Tracy Batteast, 1963

In the 1960s, Noel Paul Stookey (Paul from Peter, Paul & Mary) collaborated with Elena Mezzetti and Tracy Batteast to write a new arrangement for a traditional folk song. They included Christmas references (O Tidings of Comfort and Joy, for example). The original folk song was likely sung on All Soul's Day.

Recorded on Peter, Paul and Mary’s 1963 album, Moving.

It has an upper part and a lower part that can be combined and played fingerstyle.

E----O---2---3-2-O---O---2---3--5--7---O---2---3-2-O---O---2---O--O
B--O---O---O-------O---O---O---------O---O---O-------O---O---3---O-
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------

E------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D----2---O-----------------------------2---O-----------------------
A------------3-2-3---2---O---------------------3-2-3---O-----------
E----------------------------3--2--O-----------------------3-2-O--H 12
Fingerstyle combination:

E----O---2---3-2-O---O---2---3--5--7---O---2---3-2-O---O---2---O---O
B--O---O---O-------O---O---O---------O---O---O-------O---O---3---O--
G-------------------------------------------------------------------
D----2---O-----------------------------2----------------------------
A------------3-2-3---2---O---------------------3-2-3---O------------
E----------------------------3--2--0-----------------------3-2-O---H12


Ay-oh, nobody home
Meat nor drink nor money have I none
Yet, shall we be merry
Ay-oh, nobody home
Meat nor drink nor money have I none (ay-oh, nobody home)
Yet, shall we be merry (ay-oh, nobody home)
Ay-oh, nobody home (ay-oh, nobody home)
Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus, a soul cake
An 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 dwell within your gates, we wish you ten times more
Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus, a soal cake
An 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 (go down into the cellar, and see what you can find)
If the barrels are not empty (if the barrels are not empty)
We hope you will be kind (we hope you will be kind)
We hope you will be kind (we hope you will be kind)
With your apple and strawberry (with your apple and strawberrry)
For we'll come no more a 'soalin this time next year (we'll come no more 'til this time next year)
Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please, good missus, a soul cake
An 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 soul cake
An 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