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The Truth Sent from Above

[ Roud 2109 ; Ballad Index Leath196 ; trad.]

Heather Wood sang the traditional carol The Truth Sent from Above on the Young Tradition's eponymous first album, The Young Tradition. The album's liner notes commented:

This is a traditional carol, collected in 1909 by Vaughan Williams from Mr. W. Jenkins, of King's Pyon, Herefordshire. The tune is in the Dorian mode, and has affinities with several others, including Searching for Lambs. In 1823 it appeared in Hone's list of carols. Heather learned it at school.

A live recording of Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band singing This Is the Truth from their December 1997 Christmas Tour is on their CD Carols at Christmas.

Kerfuffle sang The Truth from Above in 2009 on their Midwinter album Lighten the Dark.

Lyrics

Heather Wood sings The Truth Sent from Above	Maddy Prior sings This Is the Truth
This is the truth sent from above, The truth of God, the God of love. Theerefore don't turn me from your door But hearken all both rich and poor.	This is the truth sent from above, The truth of God, the God of love. Theerefore don't turn me from your door But hearken all both rich and poor.
The first thing that I do relate Is that God did man create. The next thing which to you I`ll tell Woman was made with man to dwell.
And after that, 'twas God's own choice To place them both in Paradise, There to remain from evil free Except they ate of such a tree.
But they did eat, which was a sin, And so their ruin did begin, Ruined themselves, both you and me, And all of their posterity.
So we were heirs to endless woes Till God the Lord did interpose And so a promise soon did run That he would redeem us by his son.	Thus we were heirs to endless woes Till God the Lord did interpose And so a promise soon did run That he would redeem us by his son.
	And at that season of the year Our blest redeemer did appear And here did live and here did preach And many thousands he did teach.
	Thus he in love to us behaved To show us how we must be saved And if you want to know the way Be pleased to hear what he did say.