Calling all you singers - please tell me I'm not the only one that HATES While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks.......

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

to the tune of On Ilkley Moor Ba' Tat???

I'm seriously p*ssed off, people offered me help to get a choir up and running for Christmas, I discussed with the key "helper" what we would sing - and we had an initial rehearsal last week where I thought everything was sorted.

Turned up for practice tonight to find "someone" has changed half the songs, we're singing While Shepherds Watched to that tune and a practice had been arranged for a night I can't do!!!

I like it because of the socks version.

but it doesn't fit to the Ilkley Moor song surely?

oh I don't mind those words - its just this whole commandeering that's gone on - as it happens there is someone that's willing to take the practice on the 14th (the last one before the Carol Service) but no-one bothered to check with me that I could actually be there!

yes it fits SP

yes it fits SP

That sounds like one song to the tune of another from ISIHAC!

I can sort of see how it works - repetition of "flocks by night" at the end of line 1? But nonono!

no you're thinking of the chorus - so there's repetition near the end of teh verse - but none near the beginning.

No I'm not!

Where hast thi bin since I saw thee (I saw theeeee)

While shepherds watched their flocks by night (flocks by niiiiight)

Not like that?

oh yes I see what you mean - but the repeated bit is sung by the bass line - it's not part of the actual tuen

And I'm still p*ssed off

ilkey moor b aht at never heared that version.....!!!!

are you sure q o q??

yes I'm 100% positive - it's hideous and I HATE playing it.

It's not lifebuoy soap, it's sunlight soap.

Seriously, that's annoying, QoQ. Time to throw an "artistic" strop I think, stamp your foot and threaten to flounce. That'll get them singing to your tune again. As it were.

I've tried to sing it to the tune of Ilkley Moor when in a major choir and we had real difficulties. The only thing in its favour is that it isn't arranged by John Rutter.

Give me an hour or so and I'll write down the exact order of the words (music downstairs, me upstairs, house downstairs looks like bombsite, DH due home anytime from 45 minutes onwards.........)

ahh I can't - it's too "political" with the people involved and with only 2 practices left (one of which I can't attend........ok don't tell them this - but I'm actually going to a friends for a girls night in=booze fest ) there's no time to change it

while sheperds watch their flocks
while sheperds watch their flocks
while sheperds watch their flocks.....
(by night)

all seated on the ground
all seated on the ground
all seated on the ground......
(the angel of the lord came down and glory shone around)

Am i missing something?

Isn't it less the tune but more the way people sing it?

Why-ll shepherds watched their flocks byee night
All seated on the grown-ed . . . etc

Can you persuade them to sing it more quietly and spiritually?!

I think if I tried to sing that it would come out as (clears throat):

While shepherds watched their flocks by night (flocks by night)
On Ilkley moor baht'at
The angel of the lord came down
The angel of the lord came down
On Ilkley moor bah't at(wheres that?)
On Ilkley moor bah't at(wheres that?)
ON ILKLEY MOOR BAHT'At

Well it is in God's own county and it has lots of sheep on it.

Thanks 'themildmanneredjanitor.' I haven't heard that version for about 30 years; it took me right back to school. I used to sing it in the school choir!

It should go (to tune of Ilkley Moor):

While sheperds watch their flocks by night,
flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down, Lord came down
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
And glory shone around
And glory shone around

if you can understand that without the music!

While shepherds watched their flocks by night (flocks by night)
All see-eate-ed o-on the-e grou-ound
An aaaangel of the Lord came down
And glory sho-one a-a-round

And glory shone around
And glory shone around
And gloooooreeeeee shone aroooooound

There you are

(It works in my head anyway...)

i seeeeee
seems incongruous to me
i agree q of q