Portobello Lockdown Blues Wassail 2021

Music: Jane Lewis; Words: Jane Garven, Cath Norman, Mary Jane Elton, Tessa Haring, Roz Mackenzie, Diana Cairns, Franny and Peter Wraith, Jane Lewis,
For 2021

1. When the mould of loneliness has blackened your walls
   and your bricks are crumbling with grief
   When your door is rubbed raw by absent friends,
   and you can’t see how this pandemic will ever end,
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blues
2. When your ears are full of all the latest rules,
   And your heart is down in your boots
   When your eyes have turned red from endless Zoom
   And you can’t see anything around but gloom and doom
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blues
3. When your hands are cracking up from all o’ that soap
   And your arms are aching to hug
   When your brain has got lost in a fog of despair
   And you can’t see how you’ll ever comb your hedgerow hair
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blues
4. When your pals come around and they ring on your bell
   And you can’t say come awa in.
   When your home’s not warmed by laughter’s ring
   And you still don’t have a clue when they will let us sing
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blues
5. When you step outside to look at the stars
   And the clouds are piling on in
   When the wind swings round to a Northern blast
   And you cannot bear another day that’s overcast
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blues
6. When you’re tired of watching Netflix and Joe Wicks
   And your sourdough refuses to rise
   When you walk on the Prom but people get in the way
   And you’re thinking that you can’t get through another day.
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blues
7. When your friends are asking for a verse or two
   And your Muse has vanished again
   I suggest you make use of Gordon’s special juice
   It’s the recommended Portobello Lockdown Booze
   Portobello Apple will sweeten your lockdown blue

Portobello Apple is the wonderful sweet and dry apple juice made by Gordon McCulloch from apples gathered from gardens in Portobello (Edinburgh) and beyond. I invited singers from Portobello Community Choir and the lcoal community to contribute phrases, lines and verses to add to my first verse and we ended up with a truly collaborative wassail.It’s quite therapeutic to sing! Feel free to change it to make it relevant to your local community.
All:

Music score:
Portobello Lockdown Blues Wassail