Not a Bard

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.)

Posted in Song of the Week
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.

Posted in Song of the Week
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….

Posted in Song of the Week
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.

Posted in Song of the Week
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.

Posted in General
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.

Posted in Song of the Week
Tags: SCA, Song of the Week

Well, we’re back to bawdy song this week. I’m not sure how old the piece is but “Moorland Meg” was referenced in a copy of “The Citizen” in an article about “The Chandler’s Daughter’s Wedding from 1829. There seem to have been multiple songs with this title though so I’m not sure if they are referring to this version. However, Robert Burns apparently refers to it as a “Scots Song” in a collection from 1834.

Moorland Meg

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

I think this is the last bawdy song unless I can get some permissions to post more. In fact I am kind of running out of songs I can do without getting permissions from the authors. Unfortunately I am having trouble contacting many folks so might have to post links to other versions of songs or some such thing.

I’m also starting a third page of Song-of-the-Week entries. to make it easier to deal with.

Gathering of the Clans is next weekend. Perhaps I’ll see you there.

Posted in Song of the Week
Tags: Bawdy, SCA, Song of the Week, Traditional Song