Sumer Is Icumin In
Words & Music:
Traditional English
This song is a medieval
English round (or canon) and was first notated in 1240. It is the only known 6-part piece of
music which was written before the 15th century. When you sing it, it is best a capella
(natch!) and in the Middle English, not modern. The way I learned it, all sing the first two lines together
("Sing cuccu, nu..."), then break into a 6-part round. Each part comes in after the previous
part has finished the third line.
Then, all parts repeat the last "Sing cuccu..." line until all
parts are singing it together.
Original
Middle English: Modern
English Translation
Sing,
cuccu, nu. Sing, cuccu. Sing,
cuckoo, now! Sing, cuckoo!
Sing,
cuccu, nu. Sing, cuccu. Sing,
cuckoo, now! Sing, cuckoo!
Sumer
is i-cumin in, Summer
is a-comin' in,
*Lhude
sing, cuccu! Loudly
sing, cuckoo!
Groweth
sed and bloweth med Grows
the seed and meadow blooms
And
springth the wude nu. And
springs the wood anew.
Sing,
cuccu! Sing,
cuckoo!
Awe
bleteth after lamb, The
ewe, she bleats after the lamb,
Lhouth
after calve cu, The
cow lows for her calf.
Bulluc
sterteth, bucke verteth, The
bullock stirs, the buck-goat turns,
Murie
sing, cuccu! Merrily
sing, cuckoo!
Cuccu,
cuccu, Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Wel
singes thu, cuccu. Sing
you well, cuckoo!
Ne
swik thu naver nu! Don't
you ever stop, now.
Sing,
cuccu, nu. Sing, cuccu. Sing
cuckoo, now! Sing, cuckoo!
* subsequent parts enter here