Not a Bard

As I mentioned a couple of times, I am going to be at Uprising this year. It’s been many years since I was there but I did make it to the first several of them. Looking back through the archives (okay, The Artemesian Songbook) I came across a couple of songs written for the first Uprising that I hadn’t yet recorded. So I decided that for these next two weeks I’ll record those two and also publish the lyrics to my filk, “The Shires are Revolting.” Or rather, two filks since I wrote two versions so as to be ready regardless of which side won the battles.

Looking back on it, I can remember that we approached that first Uprising as a great idea for an event and a fun time to be had by all. Some of the Loch Salaanites took umbrage at this song and felt we really were out to bash the barony but to me it is so over the top, it can’t be anything but a jest. I guess some folks just can’t take a joke. Please remember it was all in good fun. Seriously! (Until next week’s song at least.)

Oppression’s Dirge – Lyrics – Sheet Music

Oppression’s Dirge by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

And here is the “true” version of “The Shires are Revolting.” – Lyrics

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week

I fixed the problem with the recorder (though I’m not exactly sure how,) so here is last week’s song. It’s one of those Traditional pieces that have many different variations. I actually learned the tune from my Campfire Songs book (again) where it was called Kilgarry Mountain and had a Colonel Pepper as the victim. I picked up these lyrics on the net and prefer them to others I found. Wikipedia guesses that the song originated in the 17th Century. Cantaria doesn’t have much about it except that another alternate title, Gilgarry Mountain. People request it occasionally when they are too lazy to look at the song list but I decided to learn it after their Excellencies of Oldenfeld requested it a couple of times and I needed more songs for my A&S 50 Challenge anyway. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to perform it for them at TMT (Crown) because it was raining Saturday and we couldn’t find them on Sunday night. Oh well, I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities.

Whiskey in the Jar – Lyrics

Whiskey in the Jar by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week, Traditional Song

Sorry I’m late with this week’s song, I’m having difficulties with my recorder.

Posted in General

Wikipedia refers to this song as The Woad Ode. They say it was written (to the tune of Men of Harlech) by an Eton housemaster, William Hope-Jones around the turn of the last century. I suppose it would be reaching a bit to call it “Traditional.”

Woad – Lyrics

This work by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License

Well a busy weekend ahead. I’ll stop at Oasis Firday and then it’s TMT all weekend.

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week

This is a reasonably modern song by an Englishman, John Connolly, but it has “passed into tradition” according to Wikipedia. The song is quite popular in Meridies and I believe it also has some connections to military traditions. I’ve decided I really need to start including the lyrics along with these posts and hopefully I can also go back and add them to earlier posts too.

Fiddler’s Green – Lyrics

Fiddler’s Green by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Taking next weekend off and then it’s TMT weekend. I told Master Evan I’d attend the next Laurel Circle so this would be it. (I assume I’ll be ignored like the previous two times.)

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week, Traditional Song

Oh look! Filk! Well if you’ve read some of the sidebar material here, you know that “filking,” (writing new words to old tunes) was a period practice of minstrels. There are also many Scottish and Irish songs that have been written to old pipe tunes and such. This piece is to the tune of “Bonnie Ship the Diamond” and was written for my first trip to Estrella War. I’m vaguely under the impression it was based on another filk song but I can’t seem to place it.

Artemesian War Song

Artemesian War Song by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

It was nice to have a weekend off but I’ll probably be at the Swampkeype event this weekend. After I watch the shuttle take off Friday, I hope.

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week

I got this song from Viscount William Gallowglass many years ago. (Thanks Wicked Uncle Bill.) I’m not sure where he got it and I haven’t been able to find any more information about it. But it is quite popular, in certain circles, so I am posting it. If anyone knows more about the song, please let me know.

Song of the Free Company – Lyrics

Song of the Free Company by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Well I get a weekend off to rest up before Cattle Raids. Of course, the car needs servicing, the lawn needs mowing….

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week

A little departure from the Traditional this week. This is one of the songs on my SCA list in the Partings section. It is a small group of pieces that are there for certain times when happy or clever doesn’t fit the bill. One of my earlier posts, “Castles of Air” is also in this section. This song is modern filk but fits my Society criteria of “not un-period.” It’s actually a very beautiful and somewhat haunting piece by Mike Whitaker. It makes me think of C.J. Cherryh’s Morgaine series but I’m not sure what it is based on. I got it out of an old filk songbook called Stave the Wails. Thanks to Mike for letting me post it and he has more stuff at his website www.altrion.org. Again I would remind you that though my version is Creative Commons licensed, the words and music are copyright 1988 by Mike Whitaker.

Grey Rider

Grey Rider by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.altrion.org.

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Tags: SCA, Song of the Week

Sorry I am not posting a song today. I recorded it and got it ready but when I was transferring it to digital it sounded. awful. I had a cold last weekend and the hoarseness has held over into today. I will try it again tomorrow and see if it is good enough for you all.

St George’s Fair was fun. Crested Helm tourneys are so different from regular SCA combat. Hopefully, I’ll be in Oldenfeld next weekend for their (and coincidentally, the SCA’s) Anniversary event.

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Tags: SCA

It has been several months since I posted a song by Master Iosef of Locksley, m.k.a. Joe Bethancourt. The tune is a Traditional piece, “Irish Soldier Laddie.” This song is yet another off the excellent CD by Joe and Leslie Fish called “Serious Steel.” The CD is still available for sale on his website, along with many others. Joe’s main site is http://www.whitetreeaz.com/ Again, please remember that though my version of the song is licensed Creative Commons (A,SA,NC), the words are still copyright 1991 W.J.Bethancourt III

I hope Joe will forgive me for a little editing on the choruses but even though I started in the SCA in Atenveldt and have been to Estrella War a couple of times I am a little less focused on it. Of the events I list, Lillies is the only one I have not been to (yet) though I hope to make it someday. I’ve been to all the others at least twice. Of course, I have also been known to switch the order of kingdoms depending on whose camp I’m in at the time.

Aten Man – Lyrics – Link to Joe’s Songbook

Aten Man by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.whitetreeaz.com.

Gathering of the Clans went pretty well. Again I wandered through feast and sang for each table, which was well received. However, I still need to get in better shape vocally and build up more calluses if I want to keep doing that. It kind of wipes me out. I still plan on heading out to St. Georges Feast this weekend.

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