This edition was prepared by David Anderson — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Get up before the sun
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Get up before the sun by Edward Alexander Perkins — Lyrics
Get up before the sun, my lads,
Get up before the sun!
This snoozing in a featherbed
Is what should not be done.
Between sunrise and breakfast, lads,
Rise, breathe the morning air,
’Twill make you look so bright, my lads,
’Twill make you look so fair.
Then get up before the sun, my lads,
Get up before the sun;
This snoozing in a featherbed
Is what should not be done.
Get up before the sun, my lads,
Shake off your sloth— arouse!
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About Get up before the sun
Edward Alexander Perkins's Get up before the sun is a secular SATB part-song in English. The music opens with a rousing call to action, immediately establishing the energetic character of the piece. The text urges young men to rise early and embrace the morning air, associating it with health and happiness. Perkins captures this lively spirit through vibrant vocal writing, with the four parts interacting in a dynamic interplay. The composer uses the male-associated 'lads' and the energetic exhortations to paint a picture of youthful vigour and purpose, all set against the backdrop of rural chores and the dawning of a new day. It is a robust and invigorating setting of a text that celebrates the benefits of an active start to the day.
