To hear a performance of William Smarte's setting of this song, go to Adam lay ybounden - Sample page and click on "Listen to this as MP3 (765KB)" to hear a choir sing it. If you click on "or MIDI (4KB)", you will not hear the words.
EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).
ADAM A-D-A-M INDEX-lf BREAK GOD HIS-God's LAW, STUCK. BECOME LIKE SLAVE. FOUR THOUSAND YEAR, WAIT"over time" GOD SAVE HIM-lf. ||: (<) THANK++ GOD, (>) PRAISE GOD. :|| SIN ÒWHATÓ? HE-lf GO-AHEAD EAT APPLE. GOD WARN-lf FORBIDDEN. ||: HIS-lf STORY WRITTEN-DOWN BIBLE. (<) THANK++ GOD, (>) PRAISE GOD. :|| ADAM THROW-CAUTION-TO-THE-WIND, EAT APPLE. NOW MARY READY BECOME ||: HEAVEN ITS-heaven's QUEEN. (<) THANK++ GOD, (>) PRAISE GOD. :|| WE HAPPY ADAM SIN, HAPPY ADAM SIN. WHY? ||: ENCOURAGE GOD SAVE US. (<) THANK++ GOD, (>) PRAISE GOD. :||
Notes: ADAM - [A] taps DS temple with thumb tip twice.
The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.
THROW-CAUTION-TO-THE-WIND - (2h)[1] point to ears and hands jump forward opening to (2h)[5], POs > signer, FOs up.
Lyrics:
Adam lay ybounden,
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long.
All for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkè finden
Written in their book.
Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne had never our lady
Abeen heavenè queen.
Blessèd be the time
That apple taken was,
Therefore we moun singen,
Deo gracias! Deo gracias!
To hear a performance of William Smarte's setting of this song, go to Adam lay ybounden - Sample page and click on "Listen to this as MP3 (765KB)" to hear a choir sing it. If you click on "or MIDI (4KB)", you will not hear the words.
Other composers have written settings for these words: Hubert Bird, Benjamin Britten, Robert Howe, John Ireland, Matthew Larkin, Boris Ord, Martin Setchell, William Smarte, and Peter Warlock.
