This edition was prepared by Peter Foggitt — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Chicken Carol
Staff Notation • Secular, Christmas
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Chicken Carol by Peter Foggitt — Lyrics
1. I have a beak and I have two wings
And I live in a hutch and I peck at things;
I really, really wish I could fly
But I can't.
When the sun is out we can wander free,
But when the moon is there, it's the hutch for me,
But I don't really understand why,
Because I am a chicken.
I'm not renowned for my inttellect:
When it comes to perception, I am imperfect;
Most things that happen simply pass me by
From the moment I'm born until the day I die.
I am a chicken.
2. I live in a town in the Middle East
And all of my friends are either bird or beast.
It's really, really busy today,
But I don't know why.
It's dark outside; there's a knock at the door:
There's two human people we have not seen before.
I've no idea why they've come to us
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About Chicken Carol
Peter Foggitt's Chicken Carol opens with SATB voices depicting the charmingly mundane existence of a chicken. The music immediately establishes a light and somewhat humorous character, reflecting the straightforward and unpretentious nature of the lyrics. The vocal parts interact playfully, capturing the perspective of a bird with simple desires and limited understanding. The English text, written from the chicken's point of view, explores themes of confinement, a longing for freedom, and a general lack of comprehension about the world. As the song progresses, the narrative takes an unexpected turn, hinting at a significant event occurring in a Middle Eastern town, with 'bird or beast' companions, culminating in a mysterious knock at the door.
