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The oldest surviving song in English is about.... FARTING GOATS!

 
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I'm not quite sure how I stumbled on it. Maybe I was watching too many videos of traditional Welsh songs, but this showed up as I was browsing youtube and, well, I couldn't resist seeing what it was all about...

Long before Shakespeare, there was Sumer Is Icumen In — the oldest surviving song in the English language with music and lyrics both intact. But beneath its melody lies something more surprising: a hidden medieval joke that later generations tried to censor.

This video unpacks the song’s origins, lyrics, and the strange sense of humour that connects us to people from the England of 800 years ago.  


 
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I watched the whole video - how fun!! Thank you for sharing it, Burra!
 
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Strange the things that just might offend the sensibilities. . . [added: obviously not the monks, given the margin illustrations in some of the Medieval texts.]
We have hosted both cattle and goats, but the only ones that i actually noted farting were the cattle.  Perhaps the goats were more coy about it.
As an aside, cattle can walk, avoid objects in their path, chew, pee and poop all at the same time.  
I also remember singing this song in junior (?elementary) school.  Plain English, and the sanitised version.
 
Burra Maluca
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I'm actually wondering if the 'fart' in question was more of a snort, like this one...

 
Carla Burke
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Entirely possible. It sometimes sounds very much like flatulence, but seems to typically be a communication of displeasure.
 
Burra Maluca
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I tend to interpret it as an alarm sound. Sheep do a similar one, but more sneezy and less farty. And often with a front leg stomp.~

I've failed to find a video of one though. Still looking...
 
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I had the privilidge of seeing this song performed by some fellow performers at one of my Renaissance Faires last summer, they're a delightful ensemble full of singers and midieval instruments.  Los Grillos Consort.
 
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