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.
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.
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 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.
I know almost nothing about this song. I found it in the old An Tir Songbook but there is no author listed. Searching the web, I can only pull up an old, now deleted reference from Scribd, that lists the first couple of lines. Hopefully, someone can give me some additional information about the song. I would be happy to post the author’s name or, depending on their wishes, remove the post if that is their preference.
I have the song listed in my “Drinking Songs” section. It has the rollicking tempo that fits with the group and the ending seems pretty sotted. I suppose the title may be some reference to “Waes Hael” or “Be of good health”/”Be hale.”
Hael’s Song by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Well, I had a really good time at Fools War. Rumor is I was called in court by the king of Meridies. I wasn’t there of course, I seldom attend Trimarian Courts and couldn’t imagine that I would get called in a court out-of-kingdom. Oh well, I hope they’re not too upset though I think the king steps down next weekend. Hopefully I’m off the hook. =) I’m not sure when I might next attend an event in Meridies but I will keep you posted.
I think my next event is Gathering of the Clans, then maybe the event in Oldenfeld. See you there!
Sorry, I had this post written last week and I was sure I had published it…Oh well!
Okay, another bawdy song up this week. I can’t find much information about The Chandler’s Wife except that is is considered Traditional and it is apparently common enough that numerous people have recorded versions of it.
The Chandler’s Wife by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Aside from the news about Richard (see post below) things went pretty well at Coronation. I did a little wandering during the afternoon and then sang from table to table at the feast. Unfortunately, I had sung myself hoarse by the time I reached head table so I don’t feel I gave the best impression there. After feast, though I like to wander around the camps at night, I just headed home to recover. I was also noticed by Master Evan, who inquired what kingdom I was from. He seemed a little taken aback when I told him, “Trimaris, for the last 15 years.” Perhaps the “Stealth Laurel” guise was a bit too successful? Anyway he chided me for not attending Laurel circles so I told him I would begin attending in the future. I know, I know. With great power yada yada yada.
Next weekend I’ll be at Fools War. It’s actually the first event I attended in this neck of the woods because I went with Keegan before I started going to Trimarian events. This year is Fools War 21 and I have the site token from Fools War IV so it has been quite a while.
Also this weekend will be the first anniversary of the start of this blog, April 3rd in fact. As of today I have had 1499 “hits” on the site over the past year. Not really a lot, but perhaps more than I expected. This Song of the Week post is number 47 which shows I have been a bit remiss in the “weekly” department though I suppose technically I can count next weeks song too for 48. All in all it’s been kind of fun. I have been able to connect with several old friends and it has been good practice for me to get that post up every week. I hope that it has provided some amusement along the way.
At Coronation yesterday, I learned that my friend Richard of Huntington passed away last month. He was a great character, he had great character, and he was always full of life. Annie said he had been able to “read” my post about him and that he always remembered when I would stop by and sing. I’m sure he’s in a better place, I just hope they have good kim chi there for him.
Annie’s comment, and the new king of Trimaris’ comment last night, and some other recent events led me to thinking on the long ride home. I consider my wandering around from camp to camp at events, flipping the scroll out and singing songs, to be integral to my persona as an SCA minstrel. As I’ve said on the “Why Not a Bard?” page, I set out from the beginning to do things in this way, partly to be different and partly from my research & cogitations, because it seemed the right way to do it. I’ve been doing it now for almost 26 years so I kind of have it down. Though it is a bit of work, I usually don’t see what I do as more than a pleasant pastime and a little egobo.
But to others it may be a lot more.
Last night when I passed the scroll to the king for him to select a song, he remarked that he hadn’t seen me around much recently. But he said he remembered when I stopped by his camp at Panhandle Skirmishes 12 years ago. On my recent trip to Artemesia, several people there remembered me (some remembered me so well they could request songs without having to look at the list) but I kind of expected that because, even though I’ve been gone for over 15 years, I got my start in the SCA there and played there for many years. However, as I’m wandering the tables at the feast, a gentleman who didn’t live in Artemisia when I was there says he remembered me from Pennsic when I stopped by his camp. I am certain it’s me he remembered too because beside the fact that I don’t know of very many others who do the camp to camp wandering, he described the song I sang. And it’s a song I wrote. The last Pennsic I attended was number 22, over 16 years ago. I also have on numerous occasions had other people tell me they remembered me from Pennsic or Fool’s War or from events in An Tir a dozen or more years earlier. I just remembered I also have a box stuffed with trinkets that people have gifted me with over the years. In fact, a lovely lady gave me a handmade piece with an elk medallion on it last night at the feast.
The fact that people remember me from what was probably a single meeting, two or three songs sung for them many years earlier, is very gratifying. But when you get right down to it, it’s also very frightening to me. You’d never know it from my seeing me in the SCA but I’m actually a huge introvert. I can only do the minstrel shtick because I studied theater (have my BA in it in fact) and I can hide behind the Ciann persona to get the job done. To be honest, one of the other reasons I do things “minstrel-style” is it’s easy to just wander away if I get uncomfortable, take a few deep breaths and go on. It’s also why I tend to wander around more after dark. Last night at Coronation a lady tried to get me to come to the bardic circle but I politely declined because after all I’m “Not a Bard” but also because I’m less comfortable sitting there in a well-lighted area with everyone looking at me. Oddly enough, I’m uncomfortable “being noticed.”
The moral of the story is if you see me at an event and tell me how much you enjoyed my singing (especially if it was from 10 or more years ago) please don’t be surprised if I am tongue-tied or abrupt. Please don’t be offended if I stammer and seem to run away. I am pleased and gratified that you remember me. It is a huge boost to my self-esteem and my ego. But on the other hand, “You’re scarin’ me, man”
Well, it finally happened. I ran out of other traditional songs so I am starting on the bawdy ones. Though bawdy, these songs are not explicit so I don’t expect any problems. However, let me know if it is a concern and I will look at alternatives.
This song is Traditional and bawdy. The Cantaria Folk Song Archive says it appeared in print in 1698 in Thomas D’Urfey’s Wit and Mirth: Pills to Purge Melancholy.
A Lusty Young Smith by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Looking forward to Coronation and Fools’ War. Hope to see you there.
Well, I suppose I’d better do another Irish song for St. Patrick’s Day. According to Wikipedia, this one was written by Thomas Moore in the early 19th Century and put to an old Irish melody, The Moreen.
The Minstrel Boy by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
It was an interesting experience to drop by an Artemesian event last weekend. Most people had no idea who I was but there were a few old friends to see again. Some others remembered me from when I lived there and some remembered me from when I dropped by their camp at Pennsic 17 or more years ago. My how the time does fly. I’m fairly certain I’ll be going to Uprising this year which will be even more of an “old home week” experience than Defender’s Tourney was.
Upcoming events for me are Coronation at the end of the month and Fool’s War in Meridies in April. Hope you are enjoying Gulf Wars!
Long a favorite of Irish Republican partisans, this song dates back to around 1798. During that period, a law was passed that prohibited wearing “revolutionary insignia” upon penalty of hanging.
Wearing of the Green by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
This weekend I’ll be in Loch Salann in Artemesia. Because I’ll be traveling, I’ll be a day late posting next week’s song.
After that, there’s not a lot going on until Trimaran Coronation at the end of the month and Fools War the following weekend. Perhaps I’ll see you there.
Well, this is a drinking song if I ever heard one. I can find very little about the song except it was popularized by the Clancy Brothers. I got it from my Soodlum’s Irish Ballad Book. This is also a song I have now added to my repertoire (the sixth) as I work my way to 50 new songs for the A&S 50 Challenge.
Look at the Coffin by Glen E Hammer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
I’m sure everyone will be happy to know I took more time tuning my guitar this week and it sounds much better. If only I could tune myself as easily. =) I did pay more attention to the mp3 file and I hope it sounds better too.
Well, things are pretty quiet around Trimaris and Meridies this time of year as everyone prepares for Gulf Wars. My next event will probably be Defender’s Tourney in Loch Salann. Boy will they be surprised.
Not a Bard 