In honor of the day
See the sun coming up on a May morning
And rise to greet the day-o
Come and gather in the meadow where the mocking bird sing
To welcome in the May
We were there last night when the dark drew down
And we set the bonfires leaping
Then we vanished in the heather and we couldn't be found
Until the dawn come creeping
[chorus]
Did it get a little warm around the fire last night?
Were the flames a little higher than they had the right?
Was your breath a little heavy and your dress a little tight?
And the moon too bright for sleeping?
Come and dance with the 'ossum (?), welcome him
All decked in garlands gay-o
Come and cut a little caper with a devilish grin
To welcome in the May
We were out last night for to cut the birch
We had it in our keeping
But we dallied and we tarried and we carried our search
Until the sun come peeping
[chorus]
See the sun coming up on a May morning
And rise to greet the day-o
Come and gather in the meadow where the mocking bird sing
To welcome in the May
Now we sowed our seeds and we plowed our fields
In May Day's custom keeping
Come the winter we will celebrate a bountiful yield
For February's reaping
[chorus x3 and fade]
- Annwn
And then there's this, very not safe for work, animated video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8456995878011926927. The appropriate Jonathan Coulton song, of course.