Michaelmas Daisies / It's Harvest Time

This is a bouncy children's hymn for harvest-festival. In England, this is often celebrated at Michaelmas (29 September), which traditionally marked the end of the farming season and time of collecting produce.

The song was written in 1984 by English Roman-Catholic convert, physiotherapist, and later teacher and hymn-writer Estelle White (1925-2011).

The song was published in the BBC's children's hymn book - volume 2, and then the compilation The Complete Come and Praise.

It is set to an unnamed tune, also by White. This has a Cut time signature. In the key of C, the first few notes of the melody are AA G F GA_ GAG E G

Image from PixaBay

Downloads

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Examples

Children's choir with piano

Singer with piano

Instrumental - piano

Lyrics

Michaelmas daisies purple in the border,

Big fat leeks all standing up in order,

Whiskered barley talking to the breeze,
Low hung boughs of laden apple trees,
Chugging engines ready for the reaping,
Pounds of chutney labelled for the keeping,
Giant marrows winning every prize,
Bubbling jars of elderberry wine.

Chorus:
It's harvest time, harvest time again.
Harvest time, give thanks for sun and rain.
A time to take and a time to give
Harvest time, it's a joy to live
At harvest time,
Mellow, fruitful harvest time.

2 Stocky-built trawlers landing with their catches,
Berries gathered, never mind the scratches,
Warm and hazy Indian summer days,
Swallows leaving for another place,
Fruits are bottled, others in the deep-freeze,
Silken poppies blushing in the cornfields.
DON'T BRING MUDDY BOOTS INTO THE HALL,
Golden onions hanging on a wall.