Care, thou canker of our joys

This energetic TTB canon plunges directly into a scene of revelry. The anonymous composer sets a secular English text that defiantly casts out care and sorrow, inviting drinkers to seize the 'villain' and cast him into the bowl. The lyrics are a boisterous call to abandon daytime woes and embrace the pleasures of the night, a veritable 'bacchanalian roar'. The composer uses the canonic form to create a sense of escalating excitement and shared, uninhibited joy, perfect for a male-voice ensemble looking for a spirited and unpretentious anthem of merriment.