MUSC 320 - Purcell, "Come, let us drink," "Fie, nay, prithee John"

"Come, let us drink"
Composer: Henry Purcell (1659–1695)


"Fie, nay, prithee John" (also known as the Chiding Catch)
Composer: Henry Purcell (1659–1695)


These are both examples of British catches, the style of music that's pretty much like a round. It was hugely popular in 17th-century England, and Henry Purcell (of Dido and Aeneas fame) composed a ton of them. These are two of my favorites. What you get in these two pieces is a perfect example of the spirit of the catch, often a very bawdy type of music. For example, the lyrics of the second are:

Fie, nay, prithee John,
Do not quarrel, man!
Let's be merry and drink about;

[here, the character switches]
You're a rogue, you cheated me!
I'll prove before this company,
I caren't a farthing, sir, for all
you are so stout.

[back to the first]
Sir, you lie! I scorn your word
Or any man who wears a sword!
For all your huff who cares a damn,
And who cares for you?

You can practically hear the drunken people in an English pub yelling "Ohhhhh snap!" This music is delightful.

It's been added to the 320 playlist, too, which you can find here.