May-o
By Bennett Konesni
May 2024
Lyrics
May-o, May-o
Can I get a hoo for May-o
Can I get a whoop for May-o
Can I get a scoop of Mayo
May-o!
Spring comes in and the birds do sing
And the little bittle lambs will trip on everything!
(Chorus)
The snow is gone and we've got a throng
Bright the sun and flowers so we sing this song
Dance around on the new green ground
Lift your voice and sing and make a jolly sound!
Well haul Away, wontcha laugh and play
When you hear me calling you will hear me say
Well I got my cheese and I got my bread
There’s only one condiment that is in my head
The Story
I love the classic May Day song "Hal an Tow" and thought it would be a fun challenge to write something that could fit the genre. The older I get the more I love the seasonal songs and want to dive in further, and spread the concept farther. It's got some of the same satisfaction as eating seasonally, that physical acknowledgement that we exist in a place and time, and that we are what we eat and we are what we sing.
This one's relatively easy to teach, but be forewarned, it's got a 5-line chorus! If we are what we sing, then am I five-line chorus? A question for the ages.
But boy it's fun to layer with harmonies. You'll notice in the recording that I start off singing the melody but in subsequent choruses I start singing some fun high harmony parts. I do it all for the chuckles.
Of course this one is great for May Day gatherings, maypole dances, or any spring outdoor work where you want to wake up the ground and the people on it. Belt it out! A wooden nickel for the first folks who try it as a Morris Dance. Let me know if you sing it, either way!