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1
MONDAY
SONGS 7
3 CLASSES
CLASSES 77-79
SONGS IN ENGLISH
FOR ENGLISH STUDY
EACH CLASS
1 FOLK SONG
1 POP SONG
1 LITERARY SONG
1 MUSICAL SONG
1 SACRED SONG
2
preface to: MONDAY songs 7: songs in english for english study
This is the seventh textbook in the Monday Songs series. It is called Monday Songs because this is a class that I teach
and have taught on Monday, and also because many of the songs are songs of youth, and Monday is the first day of the
week. Because of the work involved in preparing this textbook, I am now issuing this in 3 lesson instalments.
This is a textbook for teaching English Language and Literature in an enjoyable format, appealing to a wide range of
students, both young and old. It is a textbook for the entire world. The focus is on song, which is the fundamental
building block of all literary endeavor – and we range from populist & low-brow & ephemeral songs to high-brow &
highly-polished poetry. As noted above, each class includes one folk, pop, literary, musical and sacred song. In this way,
we cover all kinds of song, and there is variety for everyone. As I go forward with these textbooks, if I can, I will
eventually teach the whole of English Literature through song, beginning with medieval poetry, and here in this volume
we have John Milton, and later volumes will treat Pope, Wordsworth, Romantics, Tennyson, Browning, and on up to the
present day. This could take me twelve years or more! I wonder if I will succeed.
At the same time, I will be offering other kinds of song, so that the appeal is wide, and I consider this a good way to go
forward. I hope in this way to invite the students who love pop songs to study the more challenging texts, and also to
invite the ones who love the sacred songs, to consider what I have to say about the pop songs. It is good to enjoy the
beauty of language, and sometimes we do not realize where that beauty is. The point is that we should use our
intelligence to see what is good – whether it is an ephemeral pop-song (which are often good poems in their own right,
when you look at them and think about them) or Paradise Lost, the great masterpiece of blank verse. Judge the works by
the appropriate standard – an epic must be an epic, a pop song must be a good pop song, a folk song a song for the folk,
a sacred song must be good for God (I apologize to those of another faith for the Christian bias of this book, since that
is my own immediate family, but in principle I could include other faith songs, if they are good English songs).
For study purposes, I give the students quizzes on each class. Students must read the class material each week very
carefully, and check all the words, and understand what everything means. With the tools of the internet these days, it is
easy enough to do – and since this is in pdf format, using a dictionary is much less time consuming than it used to be.
There is also a lot of good explanatory material on the internet. You may also listen to most of these songs for free on
the internet. In fact, I designed the book with this in mind: to be an enjoyable vehicle for study, and also to give
enjoyment through listening to the songs, and make the learning process stronger thereby. It is well-known that you
remember an enjoyable class, but forget a tedious one. I hope that English Language and Literature may be
remembered happily with this text book.
It is also meant to be a textbook which can be used with ease by the blind – my wish is to empower the world
community of the blind, by asking them to learn English, and facilitate their power to lobby for better quality in
assistance in the poorest nations. If all the blind are fluent in English, the whole world will be open to them.
In the class teaching I do not have time to explain the words, so I talk in general about what is interesting to me in the
various songs. Monday Songs 7 is more challenging than previous volumes, since I have included longer passages of
difficult poetry. I have quoted at length because Paradise Lost is one of the greatest English “songs.” How well it
speaks, how well it sings!
3
This text book file of songs in English was compiled by Stean Anthony. It was compiled purely for non-profit
educational purposes. Many of the songs in this text book are not in copyright, some songs are in copyright still. Nearly
all the material may be found on the internet, including many performances and recordings of the songs themselves, on
YouTube website and other places. Copyright of the comments on the songs (editorial material) is held by Stean
Anthony. In compiling this textbook I have made use of internet materials, the Wikipedia encyclopedia was very useful.
There may be some errors, for which I apologize, and humbly ask you to tell me of any you find.
Stean Anthony has published a range of books. All with Yamaguchi Shoten, Kyoto, except the first two. Most of these
books were designed to be used as textbooks for education. Please help me by obtaining and reading these books. I
would like to donate these books to prison education, as a mercy gift to prisoners.
4
Books Published by Stean Anthony (2006-2016)
Yuichi Morioka (with others), Big Dipper English Course. Tokyo: Suken
Shuppan, 2006.
Paul Harvey, Eco-friendly Japan. Tokyo: Eihosha, 2008.
essays (English Educ.)
essays
All the books below by Stean Anthony published by Yamaguchi Shoten, Kyoto.
Messages to My Mother books 1-7 (210 chapters on various topics)
Mozzicone books 1-2 (essays)
Selections from Shakespeare 1-5 (180 passages from the works of Shakespeare)
Inorijuzu (poem and prose translations of Buddhist nun Setouchi Jakucho’s writings)
Songs for Islam (short poems based on and responding to the Holy Koran, peace with Islam!)
Songs 365 (short 5 lines poems based upon and responding to the Psalms)
Sufisongs (poems for peace between the Jerusalem faiths)
Saint Paul 200 (quotations from Saint Paul promoting the concept God is Love)
Gospel 365
Saint John 550
Saint John 391
Saint John 190
Saint Mary 100
Saint Mary 365 1-5
Isaiah Isaiah Bright Voice (poetic response to and celebration of the Book of Isaiah)
Hagios Paulos 1-3 (long poem for singing the life of Saint Paul)
Pashsongs (poetry and songs and pop songs by Stean Anthony)
Bird (poems on the theme of birds)
Manyoshu 365 (365 translations of ancient Japanese poetry)
One Hundred Poems (100 translations and responses to Hyakunin Isshu).
Great China 1-4 (translations of ancient Chinese poetry)
Kongzi 136 (136 poem-translations of Confucius Analects)
Heiankyo 1 (translations of ancient Japanese poetry)
Eitanka 1 (pdf file of Eitanka poems = waka style poetry in English)
Monday Songs 1-7
Psalms in English, lecture and text (pdf file per lecture, 60 lectures written, ongoing)
Saint Matthew 331 (Japanese verse-songs for singing the Gospel of St Mt)
essays and poems
essays
poetry
words of wisdom
faith poetry
faith poetry
faith poetry
words of wisdom
prose passages from Bible
faith poetry
Faith poetry in Japanese
Faith poetry
faith poetry
faith poetry
faith poetry
faith poetry
poetry
Poetry
Poetry
poetry
poetry
poetic paragraphs
poetry pdf file
songs for English educ. pdf
Lectures faith poetry pdf
verse-songs in Japanese
Work in Progress
Psalms in English, lecture and text (pdf file per lecture, 40 lectures written, ongoing)
Soulsongs
Pashsongs 2 (poetry and songs and pop songs by Stean Anthony)
Heian Kyo 2 (classical Japanese poetry from the Heian period)
Saint Mary 365 book 6
Hagios Paulos book 4
Sport (poems on the theme of sport)
Exnihil (story)
Hana (poems on the theme of flowers)
Lectures faith poetry pdf
faith poetry
poetry
poetry
faith poetry
faith poetry
poetry
story
poetry
5
Monday Songs 7: Contents 77-79
#
77
77
77
77
77
77
78
78
words
8
6.8
78
78
78
79
79
79
79
79
79
7.1
Song
Scottish Folk (Gaelic): My Fair Young Love
Artist
Flora MacNeil
UK Pop: Ride a White Swan (1970) Jeepster (1971)
Literary: Piers Plowman: A Saint Called Truth (c 1350)
Musical: Porgy and Bess (1934): "Summertime" & "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'"
Sacred: How Can I Keep From Singing? (1869) & How Great Thou Art!
(1949)
Bonus UK Pop: Suffragette (Jet) (1974)
Welsh Folk: (Welsh) Si-Hwi-Hwi & Hiraeth
US Pop: Something There to Remind Me (1964) Alfie (1966) Raindrops Keep
Fallin (1968) Never Fall in Love Again (1969)
Literary: Gawain and the Green Knight: Beheading the Green Knight
Musical: Some Day My Prince will Come (1937) & It’s Not Easy (1977) &
Candle on the Water (1977)
Sacred: Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostomos 7: The Great Doxology
Irish Folk: Carrickfergus & Gortnamona (1891)
US Pop: I Remember You (1941) One for My Baby (1943) That Old Black
Magic (1943)
Literary: Canterbury Tales 1: Prologue First 100 lines Knight & Squire
Musical: Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (1976)
Sacred: Via Dolorosa (1986) & Stabat Mater (Medieval) [Lenten theme]
Bonus Musical: Somewhere My Love (1965)
Marc Bolan T. Rex
William Langland
George Gershwin Nina Simone, W. White
Hymns various: Robert Lowry & Boberg + Hine
Paul McCartney and Wings
Meredydd Evans (from Folkways recording 1954)
Burt Bacharach Songs 2 Sandie Shaw & Cilla Black &
Dionne Warwick
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
(Disney) Snow White (1937) Pete’s Dragon (1977) Helen
Reddy
Sung by Lebanon Choir
Sean O’Shea & Brendan O’Dowda (Percy French)
Johnny Mercer Songs 3
Geoffrey Chaucer
Evita: Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice
Sprague + Borop & Edward Caswall (trans.)
Film Dr Zhivago: Ray Conniff Singers
6
Monday Songs Course 7
077 Monday Songs Class Stean Anthony 8.0 Kwords
5 per class 1 Folk 1 Pop 1 Literary 1 Musical 1 Sacred & Quiz
12 classes & introduction
Folk: My Fair Young Love Mo Run Geal Og
Flora MacNeil
Pop: Ride a White Swan (1970) Jeepster (1971) Marc Bolan T. Rex
Literary: Piers Plowman Truth William Langland
Musical: Porgy and Bess (1935) Summertime & I got plenty of nuttin
Sacred: How Can I Keep from Singing? & How Great Thou Art.
Bonus Pop: Paul McCartney and Wings Jet
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scottish Folk
My Fair Young Love Mo Run Geal Og
Lyrics: “Widow of William Chisholm,” arranged by Flora
MacNeil & Alison Kinnaird
Melody: Traditional
Performed by: Flora MacNeil, on the album Craobh Nan
Ubhal (1994)
Scottish Gaelic: first verse only
Och a Thearlaich og Stiubhart
‘Se do chuis rinn mo leireadh
Thug thu ‘uam gach ni bh’agam
Ann an cogadh ‘nad aobhar
Cha chrodh is cha chaoraich
Tha mi ‘caoidh ach mo cheile
O’n la dh’fhag e mi ‘m aonar
Gun sion san t-saoghal ach leine
Mo run geal og.
English Translation:
Alas, young Charles Stewart
It is your cause that has left me desolate
You took from me everything that I had
In war for your sake
It is not sheep or cattle that I mourn
But my husband
From that day when I was left alone
With nothing in the world but a shirt
My fair young love.
You were tall, of excellent figure
From the crown of your head to your shoes
Your thigh was like the swan’s
Your kisses tasted of honey
Your beautiful brown hair
Was arranged round your neck
Tressed and elegant
So that all paid tribute to its comeliness
My fair young love.
Wide-shouldered, broad
Slim-waisted, most shapely
Only a skilled tailor
Could make a good short coat for you
Or make trews
That were not scrimped or narrow
Like bright salmon your legs
With your short hose about your calves
My fair young love.
Comment
First three verses of eight. A Scottish lament sung by a
lady who lost her husband in the battle of Culloden, 1746.
The cause was that of Charles Stewart, called Bonnie
Prince Charlie, the hope of the Western Isles in Scotland.
(See above in Monday Songs 22 “Charlie is My Darling”
by Robert Burns).
Information on this website: http://chrsouchon.free.fr/morungea.htm
Information below contributed by Malcolm Douglas:
http://www.mudcat.org/:
Lyrics here: http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/macneil/morun.htm
The song appears on the long playing record by the
singer Flora McNeil, “Craobh nan Ubhal: Traditional
Gaelic Songs from the Western Isles” (Tangent TGS 124)
1976. The record gives following summary: “This was
composed by the widow of one of the Jacobite Scots who
fell at the Battle of Culloden on 16th April 1746. It is
variously attributed to the widow of William Chisholm,
standard bearer of the Chisholms of Strathglass, and a
near relative of the chief of the clan; and to the widow of
Gillies MacBain of Dalmagarrie in Strathdearn.”
The song is notable for the strong statement of
passionate attachment by a woman to her husband. Her
married happiness is more important to her than
kingdoms and wars.
Let us remind ourselves of the background. Who were
the Stuarts?
The Stuarts were a Scottish royal dynasty of long ancestry
dating to the middle ages. The royal families of England
and Scotland were united by marriage (1503) through the
foresight of Henry Tudor (Henry VII). This led
eventually to the two nations being united under King
James I (James VI of Scotland) 1604. The Stuarts
remained on the throne until the English Civil War,
which led to the execution (martyrdom) of Charles I
(1649).
Then followed about 20 years of the Cromwell
government, which collapsed on his death, and the son of
Charles I was called back to the throne. Charles II
(r.1660-1685). He was succeeded by his brother, James II
(r.1685-1688).
One of the principal issues throughout seventeenth
century was the Christian faith of the British sovereign.
England, after great trauma, had become Protestant from
the reign of Elizabeth I, with a small minority remaining
Catholic. Some of the leading aristocracy remained
Roman Catholic. Although James I had been a first
generation Protestant, the later Stuarts moved closer to
reconciliation, and many returned to the Catholic Church.
7
This issue was central to the English Civil war, since the
Christian allegiance of the monarch was linked to
England’s independence or submission to European
Catholic powers (or so the population in general
believed). First Spain and then France were dominant
European powers, and British policy was dominated by
the need to protect herself from their hostility.
At the time of James II this was still a vital issue, and was
the reason for the English Parliament turning to William
and Mary (Protestant daughter of James II, married to
William of Orange, Netherlands) to ensure a Protestant
succession to the throne. In turning to William and Mary,
and then to the House of Hanover, the claims of the
Stuart dynasty were ignored. Parliament had passed a law
outlawing a Catholic from being the monarch, but the
Stuarts considered such a law invalid.
Both William and Mary died soon after accession, and
thereafter, Anne, and so Parliament turned to Hanover,
leading to the accession of George I in 1714. He was
descended from James I. They thus ignored the Stuart
claims (because they were Catholic).
At this same time, the Bill of Rights (1689) and The Act of
Settlement (1701), established the structure of British
constitutional monarchy, and outlawed Catholics from
the throne. The British monarch, unlike the absolutist
monarchies of the continent of Europe, was fully
accountable to Parliament. Britain was governed by
Parliament, which was, by European standards, a highly
professional and responsible institution.
Jacobite was the name given to supporters of James II
(from Latin Jacobus) or of his son, the Pretender. The
French generally supported the Stuarts, and James II
lived at the French court in exile.
James Francis Stuart (1688-1766) was James II’s son. He
was called the “Old Pretender.” His son, Charles Edward
Stuart (1720-1788), called the “Young Pretender,” was
Bonnie Prince Charlie.
In 1743 the French decided to send an invading force to
Britain, led by ‘the Young Pretender.’ The scheme fell
through due to stormy weather. The Prince decided to go
ahead without French assistance, and he set out for
Scotland with only a handful of companions, landing in
the Outer Hebrides in July 1745.
He gathered an army of 5,000, marched to Edinburgh,
and defeated a Hanoverian force led by Sir John Cope at
the Battle of Prestonpans, near Edinburgh in September
1745. His Highland supporters would have been content
with that success, but Charles was determined to invade
England, and his army marched reluctantly south.
They captured Carlisle but, by the time they reached
Derby, his Lieutenant-General Lord George Murray and
the other commanders were convinced that they could
never take London, for George II had not just one army
but three ranged against them. Furthermore, there was a
total lack of support for Charles amongst the English, for
example Manchester provided only a few hundred
recruits of poor quality.
Much against the Prince’s will, his supporters turned
back at Derby. Pursued by the government forces, they
won a victory at Falkirk but were finally crushed at the
Battle of Culloden in 1746.
Although the Jacobite movement persisted for more than
50 years, the cause was defeated once and for all. The
remaining rebels were hunted down, while the power of
the clan chiefs was diminished by an Act abolishing
heritable jurisdictions.
Charles escaped from the field and after months of being
hunted through the Western Highlands, escaped to
France, to spend the rest of his life in exile. After his
father’s death, he styled himself ‘Charles III.’ He died in
Rome in 1788.
This text is taken from:
British Monarchy
The Official Website of the
http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/Scottish%20Monarchs(400ad-1603)/TheJacobiteClaim
ants/PrinceCharlesEdward.aspx
Flora MacNeil (1928-2015)
Born on the island of Barra (Outer Hebrides, Scotland),
one of the strongholds of Gaelic poetry and song. She
was raised to love singing, and there were frequent
singing competitions, called ceilidhs. She was discovered
in the 1950s, at a time of increasing world interest in
folksong. She sang in Gaelic on the public stage in
Edinburgh (1951). From that time she was a frequent
performer and recorder of the Western Islands Gaelic
song tradition.
Her recordings and the programmes made about her are
the more valuable because there are not many fluent
Gaelic speakers left.
short clip about Flora MacNeil and her daughter (Maggie
MacInnes), also a singer and harpist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV6TO_omV6Y
some good Scottish Gaelic recordings at website:
Association for Cultural Equity, Alan Lomax:
http://research.culturalequity.org/rc-b2/audio-ix-recording.jsp?d-446288-p=2
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UK Pop
Ride a White Swan (1970)
Lyrics: Marc Bolan
Music: Marc Bolan
Issued as a single in late 1970, performed by Marc Bolan
with T. Rex
8
Ride it on out like a bird in the skyway
Ride it on out like you were a bird
Fly it all out like an eagle in a sunbeam
Ride it all out like you were a bird.
Wear a tall hat like the druid in the old days
Wear a tall hat and a Tattooed gown
Ride a white swan like the people of the Beltane
Wear your hair long, babe, you can’t go wrong.
Catch a bright star and place it on your forehead
Say a few spells and baby, there you go
Take a black cat and sit it on your shoulder
And in the morning you’ll know all you know.
Wear a tall hat like the druid in the old days
Wear a tall hat and a Tattooed gown
Ride a white swan like the people of the Beltane
Wear your hair long, babe, you can’t go wrong.
Da di di da
da di di da rpt
Comment
This was the song that brought Bolan to popular success
in the UK. The content is typical of those years,
sub-hippy, neo-Tolkien, Druidic new-age but at the
deeper level quite a different message. We find the same
thing with Led Zeppelin, though Bolan is probably in the
other camp.
The surface appears to be: fly like a bird, wear Druidic
clothes, sport a wizard’s hat, put a star on your head, have
a cat as your familiar. A promotional advert for the next
witches’ coven? It sounds like it. Old Nick has
transformed himself into a rock star, and sings in that
strange nasal way?
How do we know that it might have another message? At
this vantage point, long years after, and without knowing
anyone connected with that world, it is difficult to say,
except that there is a hint in the band’s name, which
could be meaning good, or it could be bad: the T is king
(the Tau being the symbol of the cross), or it sounds like
“T wrecks,” which would be the witches and warlocks.
Birds in the skyway – well, this of ancient times would be
goodness, and we are reminded of the “birds of heaven”
of the Gospels, an obvious allegory for angels. Ride it out
– what does this mean? Endure it. Put up with it like you
were a bird flying in the sky. Like an eagle. The eagle is a
Biblical allegory, an ambivalent one, but suggesting the
power and majesty of God. It is also strongly associated
with the Orthodox Christian Churches, the eagle was the
old flag of Byzantium. Is this a message of solidarity
with the Orthodox? 1970. There was still communist
oppression, and also oppression in other nations.
Wear a tall hat like a Druid – could this be a reference to
the tall hats worn by the Orthodox brothers and sisters?
One of the distinguishing features of the orthodox is
their clothing. A tattooed gown? This is nonsense – you
cannot tattoo a gown. What does he mean?
Embroidered? Tattoo is a military musical performance.
Body decoration, often practiced by native peoples.
Puzzling.
Ride a white swan. Swans are a central motif in European
folklore, from Russia to Ireland. Fairy people would ride
a swan. A symbol of purity and goodness.
Beltane is a Celtic word meaning the first of May, an
ancient festival day. This could be a clear hint about Mary
(whose month is May) and the old Catholic Church
associated with the Celts. People of the Beltane: the Celts.
The first Christians in the British Isles were the Celts, the
most famous was Saint Patrick, of Welsh Celtic
background (c 400).
Wear your hair long? This could be a hint for the
orthodox – the Russian and Greek monks do not cut their
hair, and priests and Bishops are distinguished by long
beards. A star on the forehead? There are stars on the
Russian icons of Mary. Spells? Could these be prayers?
Black cat? Black is the orthodox garb. Could “cat” be a
whip, penance for one’s sins?
Have I gone mad in my interpretation? Perhaps I have,
but the songs are written as allegories, and Marc Bolan is
writing them in disguise. He finishes with Da di di da –
sounds like Morse? Da is Russian for yes. Great song,
thank you Mark!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UK Pop
Jeepster (1971)
Lyrics: Marc Bolan
Music: Marc Bolan
Performed on the album Electric Warrior (1971) by Marc
Bolan with T. Rex
You’re so sweet, you’re so fine
I want you all and everything just to be mine
‘Cos you’re my baby, ‘cos you’re my love
Oh girl I’m just a jeepster for your love
You slide so good with bones so fair
You’ve got the universe reclining in your hair
‘Cos you’re my baby, yes you’re my love
Just like a car you’re pleasing to behold
I’ll call you Jaguar if I may be so bold
Oh girl I’m just a jeepster for your love - oh
The wild winds blow upon your frozen cheeks
The way you flip your hip it always makes me weak
9
Oh girl I’m just a jeepster for your love - oh
Your motivation is so sweet
Your vibrations are all burning up my feet
‘Cos you’re my baby, mmh, ‘cos you’re my love
I said girl I’m just a vampire for your love
Ooooo ow!
Aaaaah ow!
Vampire!
Comment
Arch, over-the-top, camp, outrageous – mocking himself
as he sings, Marc Bolan created a new genre of bizarre
glamour Rock. This is a love song – how beautiful you are,
it’s hard for me to withstand. The song did well on the
British charts, reaching No. 2. It is in fact a very witty
and clever allegory, and difficult to gauge the point of
view. Great poem!
What does the strange phrase “Girl, I’m just a jeepster for
your love?” actually mean? The jeepster was a redesigned
Jeep, put on the American market in the years after the
Second World War. The Jeep is an all-purpose military
vehicle, hardy and designed to be used in all kinds of
environments. The jeepster was in fact an early version of
the off-road four-wheel-drive family cars that became so
popular much later. It was not particularly successful in
1950. There were Jeepsters put into production in the
1960s, and they must have been popular with off-road
enthusiasts – into the wilderness of the American
Continent.
What’s the point of the phrase, “Girl I’m just a jee?” Is
there some hint here? Jee could signify Jesus. Does the
word have some coded meaning? He could be saying that
he is a gay or a transsexual? In the 1970s, this was a
constant theme in the glamour rock songs, David Bowie
being the primary example. It was part of the ongoing
process of educating society towards greater tolerance on
such an issue, and also because popular entertainment
has always thrived on the allure and excitement that
attaches to the topic – this was true in London Music
Hall, in theatre in Jacobean England, and always true for
Kabuki or Peking Opera. It sounds like he is saying, “I’m
a fool for your love.” But that is not the point. Perhaps the
clue is given at the end of the song, when he finishes with
those extraordinary yelps and whoops Ow! Ow! Ow! – he
is making a confession, and something hurts.
“You slide so good” – this is a strange way to praise
movement. Surely he is not suggesting a snake? Perhaps
the beloved one is allegorized as the natural world?
What’s the point here?
church everywhere on earth. Is this a veiled and
irreverent love-song to Mary?
She has got such good curves that he calls her a jaguar,
either the Brazilian panther, or the British sports car.
She’s a jaguar, he’s a jeepster? Different class of car? Or
is this England – America? There is obviously an allegory
there, but I have not worked it out. Could it be a love
song between the American Continent and the British
Isles? Maybe it’s a satire.
“Your motivation is so sweet.” Again, this is not ordinary
English. Motivation is perhaps used in the root sense of
“movement.” “Vibrations” is a slang word of the period
= “good vibes” – someone who is attractive in personality
or good-looking. “Feet” this is the old Biblical metaphor.
Feet are close to the earth, far from heaven = sinfulness =
desire for you is making me want to sin. The metaphor is
an important hint that there is a morality underneath the
song which is completely at odds with its zany surface
appearance. Appearances are deceptive. This was true of
so many of the pop and rock bands of that period, and
probably remains true. David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, and
maybe even those Punk Rock bands of the late 70s and
80s.
He finishes with the word “vampire.” Some point is
being made. It could be a confession again. Perhaps he is
hinting that he is a “vamp.” To quote from the OED:
“A woman who intentionally attracts and exploits men;
an adventuress; a Jezebel; freq. as a stock character in
plays and films.” How could he be a vamp? Or is he
mocking someone?
Marc Bolan (1947-1977)
Born in London, father an Ashkenazi Jew with
Russian/Polish background. Birth name: Mark Feld.
When young he worked as a model for a clothing
catalogue. Overcoming hurdles he succeeded in forming
the pop-rock band Tyrannosaurus Rex in (1967-1977) and
issued 4 albums. He changed style with the single “Ride
a White Swan,” and with the new name T. Rex for a few
years was highly successful in the UK (1970-73). Many of
the leading pop stars and artists of subsequent
generations cite Bolan and T. Rex as a strong influence,
probably due to his anarchic glam-rock style, his witty
lyrics, and his personal charisma. He died in a car
accident in 1977, leaving his fans heart-broken.
In 1969, Bolan published his only book of poetry entitled
The Warlock of Love, which sold very well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
The writing is rather witty, with the good line “universe
reclining in your hair.” Universe? Who is the beloved one,
with such beautiful hair? Universe in some contexts can
refer to the Catholic Church, which calls itself the
“universal Church,” and prides itself on being the same
William Langland, Piers Plowman. (c. 1330? – 1400?)
“A Saint Called Truth,” extract from Passus 5 B-text.
From Donald Davie, ed. The New Oxford Book of
Christian Verse, 12-14, trans. By Donald Attwater.
10
Also A.V.C.Schmidt, trans. William Langland: Piers
Plowman. (OUP, 1992). Vision 2: Passus 5 p. 60 (c line
520)
(Schmidt p. 59 line 507)
Then Hope seized a horn called,
“Turn, O God, and bring us back to life,”
and into it blew a breath,
“Blessed are those whose sins have been forgiven!”
At this, all the saints in heaven chorused together:
“You will preserve both men and beasts, O Lord:
O God, how you have multiplied your mercies!”
(Trans. Attwater line 510)
A thousand men then
Came thronging together
Who cried upward to Christ
And to his clean Mother
To have grace to go with them
Truth for to seek.
But there was no wight so wise
That he knew the way thither
But blundered like beasts
Over banks and on hills
A long time, till twas late
That they a man met
Appareled as a Paynim
In a pilgrim’s wise.
He bare a staff bound
With a broad strip
In bindweed wise
Wound about.
A bowl and a bag
He bare by his side
An hundred ampullas
On his hat set,
Signs of Sinai
And shells of Galicia,
Many a cross on his cloak
Keys also of Rome
And the vernicle in front
So that men should know
And see by his signs
What shrines he had sought.
This folk asked him first
From whence he did come.
From Sinai, he said
And from our Lord’s sepulcher;
Bethlehem and Babylon
I have been in both;
In Armenia, in Alexandria
And many other places.
Ye may see by my signs
That sit on my hat
That I’ve walked full wide
In wet and in dry,
And have sought good saints
For my soul’s health.
Knowest thou aught of a saint
That men call Truth?
Could’st thou show us the way
Where that wight dwelleth?
Nay, so help me God!
Said the man then,
I saw never palmer
With pike nor with scrip
Ask after him, till
Now in this place.
Peter! quoth a Plowman
And put forth his head,
I know him as well
As a clerk doth his books.
Conscience and Mother-Wit
Made known his place
And made me swear surely
To serve him forever
Both in sowing and setting
So long as I work.
I have been his follower
All these forty winters
Both sown his seed
And driven his beasts,
And watched over his profit
Within and without.
I dike and I delve
And do what Truth biddeth:
Sometimes I sow
And sometimes I thresh;
In tailor’s and tinker’s craft
What Truth can devise;
I weave and I wind
And do what Truth biddeth.
For though I say it myself
I serve him to his pleasure;
I have good hire of him
And oftentimes more.
He is the readiest payer
That a poor man knoweth;
He withholds not his hire
From his servants at even.
He is lowly as a lamb
And lovely of speech,
And if ye are wishful to know
Where that he dwelleth,
I shall show you surely
The way to his place.
Comment
In the allegorical dream-vision, the dreamer sees a crowd
of people seeking a saint called “Truth.” A humble
ploughman called Piers (Peter) appears after others fail to
know the right way. He tells them that he has served his
Lord Truth all his life and he will show them where he
lives. The allegorical narrative then goes forward. It is an
allegory for Christ (who is Truth). The poem would
presumably have been used for recreational listening in
the Monasteries. A monk would have chanted out the
narrative for the edification and amusement of his
brothers, or perhaps for aristocratic patrons, who would
not have been fluent in Latin. There is a strong vein of
satire both of aristocratic vices and of the Church. This
is a modern translation. The original can be found on the
internet.
William Langland (c. 1332 – c. 1386)
Little is known about William Langland. He lived in
southern England, in London, perhaps in the Midlands.
Probably in minor orders. There is no firm evidence that
he was the author, and the widely differing versions, and
the general content suggest a group of monks with a
strong point of view and love of alliterative poetry. It
would probably have been chanted out loud.
Hope’s cry quotes from Ps 71 in the form that it had in
the mass. Ps 71.20; 18.3; 32.1; 36.7
Clean: without sin
Wight: person
Pilgrim: satirical portrait of the false pilgrim
Palmer: pilgrim
Sit on my hat: Pilgrims wore the scallop on their hat
Wise: way
Aught: anything
Pike: a pikestaff, a pilgrim’s staff
Scrip: prayers
Dike: dig a ditch
Delve: dig the earth
Thresh: thresh the corn, separate wheat from chaff, also
spelt thrash
Piers Plowman, A-, B-, and C-texts The vision of William
concerning Piers the Plowman..., ed. W.W. Skeat, EETS
OS 28, 38, 54 (1867, 1869, 1873).
Piers Plowman, B-text The vision of Piers Plowman: a
critical edition of the B-text..., ed. A.V.C. Schmidt
(London, 1978)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Musical
Summertime (1935)
Lyrics by: Ira Gershwin & Dubose Heyward
Music by: George Gershwin
From the opera Porgy and Bess (1935)
Sung by: Nina Simone
11
Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry
One of these mornings
You’re going to rise up singing
Then you’ll spread your wings
And you’ll take to the sky
But until that morning
There’s a’nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mammy standing by
Comment
This is perhaps the most famous song from the Gershwin
opera Porgy and Bess. It is sung throughout the opera
and is a theme. It has also become a jazz standard,
recorded countless times by hundreds of artists.
Interesting quote about this song posted on Wikipedia:
Heyward’s inspiration for the lyrics was the southern folk
spiritual-lullaby All My Trials, of which he had Clara sing
a snippet in his play Porgy. The lyrics have been highly
praised by Stephen Sondheim. Writing of the opening
line, he says:
“That “and” is worth a great deal of attention. I would
write “Summertime when” but that “and” sets up a tone,
a whole poetic tone, not to mention a whole kind of
diction that is going to be used in the play; an informal,
uneducated diction and a stream of consciousness, as in
many of the songs like “My Man’s Gone Now.” It’s the
exact right word, and that word is worth its weight in
gold.”
courageous and inspired choice. Under-appreciated at
the time, nevertheless many of the songs have become
very popular.
George Gershwin explained why he called Porgy and
Bess a folk opera in a 1935 New York Times article:
“Porgy and Bess is a folk tale. Its people naturally would
sing folk music. When I first began work on the music I
decided against the use of original folk material because
I wanted the music to be all of one piece. Therefore I
wrote my own spirituals and folksongs. But they are still
folk music – and therefore, being in operatic form, Porgy
and Bess becomes a folk opera.”
The opera made a political statement simply by the fact
of being produced and performed in the way it did – to
give a voice to the suffering of the African American
community. In 1936 the cast protested against
segregation in the audience of the theatre in Washington,
and were successful. It was first performance there before
an integrated audience. It was no small matter then, with
the memory of people in the chains of slavery still very
much alive. In Copenhagen 1943 the show was produced
by whites in blackface under Nazi occupation. An
obvious message. The Nazis closed it.
The opera was not successful because it was perhaps too
raw in its depiction of African-American low life, with
drug-taking and male violence to women. There’s an
allegory working through the opera, glimpsed in the
names of the characters. Porgy, the poor beggar with a
good heart, Crown, the bad guy with physical strength,
Bess, Crown’s girl, who finds that she really loves Porgy.
As a character, Porgy is a prototype of the down-and-out
figures that are found in much of the literature of the
period. Gershwin is of course leaning to the left, and
sympathizes with the suffering of the poor. The afflicted
poor, the ones closest to God, though it may be
well-disguised. As a Jew, there go I.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The song is a lullaby. The content is an ideal – quite the
reverse of the world that African Americans endured,
though of course everything is relative. For poor seasonal
workers, there was plenty of work in summer and food is
cheap. It was an easy time. Rise up singing? Various
meanings are possible. Growing into adolescence.
Leaving the home. At the end of life, the soul will rise up
to Heaven. Perhaps the image is that of a bird in the nest,
completely protected, and leaving the nest, to face the
outside world. These are simple lyrics but Sondheim is
right – it is a magnificent poem, written in a perfect
folk-idiom.
Porgy and Bess (1934)
Opera composed (1934) by George Gershwin, with a
libretto by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin from
Heyward’s novel Porgy, and later play of the same title.
First performed in New York City (1935), and featured a
cast of classically trained African-American singers — a
USA Musical
I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin (1935)
Lyrics by: Dubose Heyward
Music by: George Gershwin
From the opera Porgy and Bess (1935)
Sung by: Willard White (1993)
Conduct. Simon Rattle, dir. Trevor Nunn.
TV show sound based on Glyndebourne production
(1986/87).
Oh, I got plenty o’ nuttin’
And nuttin’s plenty for me
I got no car, got no mule
I got no misery
De folks wid plenty o’ plenty
Got a lock on de door
12
‘Fraid somebody’s a-goin’ to rob ‘em
While dey’s out a-makin’ more
What for
I got no lock on de door
Dat’s no way to be
Dey kin steal de rug from de floor
Dat’s okeh wid me
‘Cause de things dat I prize
Like de stars in de skies
All are free
Refrain
I got my gal, I got my song
Got Hebben the whole day long
No use complaining
Got my gal, got my Lawd
Got my song
I got the sun, got the moon
Got the deep blue sea
De folks wid plenty o’ plenty
Got to pray all de day
Seems wid plenty you sure got to worry
How to keep the debbel away
Away
I ain’t frettin ‘bout hell
‘Till de time arrive
Never worry long as I’m well
Never one to strive
To be good, to be bad
What the hell
I is glad I’s alive
Comment
A lighthearted song given to us without fanfare, but in
fact singing the true values. Porgy sings the song in Act 2
after he and Bess have been living together, expressing
his new happiness. He is singing the song to other
characters, and there is a short reprise of the song at the
end of the act. The principal musical phrase also appears
later in the score as a leitmotif signifying Porgy’s joyful
feelings, most extensively when Porgy returns after being
released from prison. At the very end, a fragment of the
principal phrase appears at the beginning of the final aria,
“Oh Lawd I’m on my Way,” to signal Porgy’s renewed
optimism and potential happiness as he sets out to find
Bess. [Note from Wikip.] The song content is also part
of the message of the opera. True values lie in “poverty”
and being happy with little. Material wealth brings only
sorrow – hidden here we find a Franciscan message, and
there are a few hints of that kind.
Excellent version
Porgy and Bess (EMI 1989), an uncut complete studio
recording of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera
production under the direction of Simon Rattle. This
recording served as the soundtrack of the highly
acclaimed 1993 television production of the opera.
Willard White was Porgy, Cynthia Haymon was Bess.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
US Sacred
How Can I Keep From Singing? (1869)
Words by: Robert Lowry (1826-1899)
Melody by: Robert Lowry, called “How Can I Keep from
Singing”
Sung by: Enya (some phrases are altered)
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul -How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I’m clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smooths
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His –
How can I keep from singing?
Comment
“The text of this hymn was most likely written by a
Baptist preacher and musician, Robert Lowry. It first
appeared as number 16 in Bright Jewels for the Sunday
School, published in 1869, of which Lowry was the editor.
In that book, the initials “R.L.” appear above the music
where the composer is credited, but the space for the
author of the text is blank. However, “Shall We Gather at
the River” (number 110 in Bright Jewels), which was
unquestionably written entirely by Lowry, is attributed in
the same way. Lowry originally wrote the text in three
long stanzas. Modern hymnals split the stanzas in half;
the second half of the original second stanza is used as a
refrain, and the first half of the original third stanza is
omitted. It usually appears with four stanzas and a refrain.
The theme of the text is Christian peace and joy, even in
13
times of trial.”
“Robert Lowry wrote the tune HOW CAN I KEEP
FROM SINGING (also called ENDLESS SONG from
the opening line of the first stanza) to accompany these
words, and it appeared with the text in Bright Jewels in
1869. It was originally written in triple meter (3/2), but
some modern hymnals have changed the tune to a
slightly irregular duple meter (4/4) with a little
syncopation. The tune is pentatonic with a consistent
rhythmic pattern (in its original form), and works well
when sung unaccompanied.” [Information from
Hymnary.org Tiffany Shomsky]
“A reporter once asked him what was his method of
composition — “Do you write the words to fit the music,
or the music to fit the words?” His reply was, “I have no
method. Sometimes the music comes and the words
follow, fitted insensibly to the melody. I watch my moods,
and when anything good strikes me, whether words or
music, and no matter where I am, at home or on the
street, I jot it down. Often the margin of a newspaper or
the back of an envelope serves as a notebook. My brain is
a sort of spinning machine, I think, for there is music
running through it all the time. I do not pick out my
music on the keys of an instrument. The tunes of nearly
all the hymns I have written have been completed on
paper before I tried them on the organ. Frequently the
words of the hymn and the music have been written at
the same time.”
How Great Thou Art (1885 1949)
Swedish Folk Melody: “O Store Gud”
Original Swedish Lyrics: Carl Gustav Boberg (1859-1940)
Translator: Stuart K. Hine (1949)
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand has made
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee,
How great thou art, how great thou art!
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:
(Repeat Refrain)
“Shall We Gather at the River?” is without question, the
most widely popular of all his songs. Of this Mr. Lowry
said: “It is brass band music, has a march movement,
and for that reason has become popular, though for
myself I do not think much of it.” [Information from
Hymnary.org]
There is a good secular version of this hymn sung by
Enya (1991), replacing “Christ is Lord” with “Love is
Lord.” Her version has some extra verses and she makes
the song a freedom song, following a version used by folk
singers. The hymn also became an unofficial anthem for
the Quaker movement.
Lowry, Robert, was born at Philadelphia, Penn. 1826, and
educated at Lewisburg University. Having received
ordination as a Baptist Minister, his first charge was at
West Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1876 he was appointed
Professor of Rhetoric in his old University. On resigning
his Professorship he undertook the charge of the 2nd
Baptist Church, New Jersey. He died in 1899.
Sung very well by Amanda Borkoski:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx1f7uqEXU0
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UK Sacred
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:
(Repeat Refrain)
When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
(Repeat Refrain)
Comment
One of the most popular modern hymns sung regularly in
the English-speaking nations, associated with the
Evangelical Churches, but sung by all. Sung in the Billy
Graham crusades in the 1950s. Based on a Swedish poem
by Carl Gustav Boberg (1885). Translation by Stuart K.
Hine (1949).
The hymn is distinguished by excellent rhyming, which
echoes very pleasingly. There is also a witty fluency in
rhyming “take it in” (understand) with “away my sin.”
This is a strongly Methodist standpoint and this hymn
expresses it very well. It is amazement at the goodness of
God’s mercy that will forgive us completely. The hymn
conveys the spirit of the psalms, in particular Psalm 8. It
is a good example of how good poetry can be found in
14
hymn translation, which succeeds in making something
remarkable from what is already well known.
Boberg is said to have composed the original after seeing
a great thunderstorm followed by calm. It was translated
first into German, and then into Russian.
Hine added the verses at the end, which give a Christian
Gospel focus, elaborating on the original message of awe
and gratitude of the psalms (which is also gratitude for
God’s mercy, which is salvation).
There have been many translations of this hymn, and
also different versions.
Carl Gustav Boberg (1859 – 1940)
Sweden. Swedish Covenant Church. Editor of
Sanningsvittnet 1890-1916, organ of the Evangelical
National Foundation. Member of the Swedish Parliament,
1912-1931. Popular speaker and writer. Published several
collections of poetry and a number of hymns. Member
of committee responsible for the first two hymnals of the
Swedish Covenant. Author of “Jesus, Jesus, O det ordet”
(“Jesus, Jesus, Name Most Precious”); “Min själ
berömmer Gud med fröjd” (My Soul Now Magnifies the
Lord”); “O Store Gud” (“O Mighty God”).
Stuart K. Hine (1899-1989)
Great Britain. Methodist missionary in the Western
Ukraine. In 1931, he and his wife returned to Britain and
conducted gospel campaigns throughout Great Britain.
During those years, Hine published many song books
and wrote many gospel songs. Note from Hymnary org:
Hine prepared the English translation from the Russian.
Because much of the original was lost in multiple
translations, the text in modern hymnals is usually
credited to Hine. The hymn gained great popularity after
George Beverly Shea sang it in the Billy Graham
Crusades, 1955.
Jet! Oo Jet! Oo
Ah, mater, want Jet to always love me?
Ah, mater, much later
And Jet
I thought the major was a little lady suffragette
Jet! Oo Jet! Oo
Ah, mater, much later
Jet! With the wind in your hair of a thousand laces
Climb on the back and we’ll go for a ride in the sky
And Jet
I thought the major was a little lady suffragette
Jet! Oo Jet! Oo
Jet-Jet-Jet
And Jet you know I thought you was a little lady suffragette
Jet
A little lady, My little lady, yes
Comment
Paul McCartney writing Post-Beatles did well with this
song in the charts. He succeeded in developing the
Beatles songwriting style further – a style which included
little messages alongside the love lyrics, often connected
to the history of Church or the choice of one church over
another, or some other topic.
McCartney is a poet and a songwriter. He is fond of puns,
both literal puns and also sound-puns. Our enjoyment of
the song is also about working out what he is actually
saying (text and subtext). One shouldn’t explain too
much, but it is also true that for many foreign users of
English, unless one is given some help, one will simply
never appreciate the artistry, which would be a pity.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bonus UK Pop
Jet (1974)
Lyrics & Music: Paul and Linda McCartney
Performed by: Wings on the album Band on the Run
(1974)
Jet! Jet! Jet!
I can almost remember their funny faces
That time you told ‘em you were going to be marrying soon
And Jet
I thought the only lonely place was on the moon
Jet! Oo Jet! Oo
Jet! Was your father as bold as the sergeant major?
Well how come he told you that you were hardly old enough yet
And Jet
I thought the major was a lady suffragette
Note from Songfacts:
“Jet” was the name of a black Labrador that Paul
McCartney and his wife Linda owned, and the dog
provided the title for the song. The McCartneys owned a
variety of animals, and at the time their brood included a
Golden Lab named Poppy, a Dalmatian named Lucky,
and the old Sheepdog Martha. “Jet” was chosen not
because he was Paul’s favorite, but because the name
makes a stadium-ready title, perfect for throwing your fist
in the air when it’s performed in an arena. The song is
really about freedom; McCartney did something similar
when he used an amusement park ride as the title for a
song about madness in “Helter Skelter.” Paul’s wife
Linda gave some clues to the thought process behind “Jet”
when she said in 1976: “He wanted that one to be totally
mad. Paul’s had a lot of practice in the studio. He’s done
some very trippy things. Every now and then he
remembers
how
much
he
loves
it.”
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=699
15
The note on “Songfacts” is a good example of
misinformation supplied to mask the hidden meanings.
Why should they mask the meanings? Because of
censorship and sensitivity in many parts of the world,
and also preconceptions about what is appropriate for
playing on the air repeatedly in Europe and America.
There are guidelines about how much “religion” can be
put out, and also on the content of the message.
As is well known among McCartney’s fans, he had a
Catholic background, and the group came from an area
in the UK with a strong Catholic presence. In British
history, the Catholics had been a harshly persecuted
minority. The dialogue (or shouting match) between Old
Church (Roman Catholic) and New Church (Anglican
Protestant) is a subtext of the songs. This is also found in
the USA, which is more openly religious than the secular
UK, and where the RC Church also suffered
discrimination, and has continued to grow.
How to interpret the song? Here are some ideas, maybe
wrong.
Jet: is this the name of his Labrador? Obviously not. It is
some kind of code. Is it the name of God? Is it a
slang word? Look in OED? Various meanings. It
could be a hint for Jesus? Is there another language
here? Is it “Je” in French? He is declaring
something important. Is it freedom? There are
various meanings and perhaps there is some
bitterness here.
Marrying: a story about someone getting married, called
Jet? Two levels here, as in the “Song of Solomon.”
Also, is this his personal story – the break-up of the
Beatles connected to the marriages of Lennon and
McCartney?
Moon: being lonely, personal suffering, what does “moon”
mean? McCartney is a poet – moon has various
meanings and a joke here as well.
Old: this could be a hint for the “Old Church.”
Major: Latin meaning “greater,” and is a hint for Mary
“major is a lady.” Mary could be like a sergeant
major sometimes? Latin words are key words from
the time of the Beatles. It is good to learn Latin, a
beautiful language. Perhaps there is a hint about the
new development in armed forces, where women
were allowed to have full equality (same thing in
many areas of work, such as train drivers, police,
politicians, judges). Wings were singing about
removing the barriers to freedom and justice.
Perhaps it was a song about Margaret Thatcher, who
was a sufferer (she was prepared to be unpopular if
it meant that the greater good could be achieved for
the whole nation, a very difficult task).
Suffragette: women’s freedom to vote, women’s rights.
The song is about this, but there’s no explanation,
the word itself is strong enough. Linda Eastman is
pushing this forward. It was a great movement
following the principles of non-violence and
self-sacrfice. Perhaps suffragette is a hint for a
saint? The point is that successful pop anthems
have a powerful reach. In the homes of a billion
people around the globe, they would have got out
the dictionary and asked, what is this “suffragette?”
What was that movement? Was it good or not? Just
pushing that word forward is moral educational
work. Jet – suffragette – speed up women’s rights?
In the UK 1970 the struggle was 50 years old. It was
only achieved in 1945 in France (McCartney born in
1942). Even today there are places where women
cannot vote. There is also a sound pun here. It
sounds like “Sufferer!” “Jet!” To suffer? To suffer,
when necessary, for God – a religious statement? Is
Jet, Jesus who suffered?
Mater: Latin for mother. Used to mean “mother” in
nineteenth century middle-class families. Mary?
Mary was both Mary the religious contemplative,
and also like Martha the worker, who became a
suffragette, or both were both?
Ride in the sky: the last verse takes up the image of the
jet as a jet plane. Sky is heaven. There is an allegory
here about religious life. How does it work? Often
there are two or three different meanings running
through at the same time, a feature of poetry from
ancient times – in ancient Chinese and Japanese
poetry there are always different meanings going on.
The Bible – as we find in the “Song of Solomon,”
which is a pattern for all allegorical poetry.
As you consider these questions, it becomes clear that
this is a kind of coded poetry, with references to many
areas, a vehicle for education, and also making a difficult
statement about suffering. Although it was not evaluated
as such, it is in fact a work of poetic art.
16
Folk: Si-Hwi-Hwi & Hiraeth
Meredydd Evans
in 1954, Evans was approached by Folkways Records
founder Moses Asch to record songs from his native
Wales. The recording, Welsh Folk Songs, has become a
classic in Wales and remains a largely hidden gem in the
Folkways collection.
Pop: Something (1964) Alfie (1966) Raindrops (1968) Never Fall (1969) Bacharach songs
Literary: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight c 1350
Musical: Some Day My Prince Will Come & It’s Not Easy & Candle on the Water
Disney
Sacred: The Great Doxology sung in English
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Welsh Folk
Si-Hwi-Hwi Lullaby
Written by: Rowland Walter, bardic name Ionoron Glan
Dwyryd
Sung by: Meredydd Evans (1919 - 2015) on LP Welsh
Folksongs
(Folkways 1954) CD track 12 MP3
Si-hwi-hwi Si-hwi-hwi Si-hwi-hwi
Tlwe dy fam, O paham
Y gwneir can iti?
Daw’r dyn gwyn gyda’i ffyn
Erbyn dydd yfory
O! na chawn i fynwes lawn
Fel y cawn wylo
Byddai’r bed imi’n wledd
Mi gawn hedd yno.
lwli
Free adaptation:
Si-hwi-hwi Si-hwi-hwi Si-hwi-hwi
You are your mother’s darling
Why should anyone harm you?
Tomorrow the cruel white-man
Comes with his whips and chains.
O that my dry heart were full of tears
So that I might weep the grief away
The grave will be a joy for us
There we will find peace.
Comment
From the original LP notes:
The melody on which this song is based is very old, and
is usually referred to as “Rhuddlan Marsh.” The present
singer was often lulled to sleep by this song; his mother
learned it when she was a young woman, but apart from
being able to give the name of the man she heard singing
it, she could supply no more details about it. The words
clearly belong to the last century, and were associated
with the struggle for slave-emancipation. They express
the feelings of a slave woman singing her baby to sleep.
Smithsonian Folkways Remembers
Meredydd Evans (1919-2015)
Meredydd Evans, Welsh scholar, language activist,
musician, broadcaster, and writer, passed away at age
ninety-five on February 21. While a student at Princeton
On a damp day in August 2008, video producer Charlie
Weber and I had the privilege of interviewing Evans at
his home near Aberystwyth, Wales. When we arrived at
their cozy stone home nestled in a hillside, Evans and his
wife Phyllis greeted us like long-lost relatives even
though we had never met before, brewed us some tea,
and put us at instant ease. Spending a couple of days with
the Evanses, and the resulting interview which took place
in front of a crackling fire in their living room, remains
one of my best memories of my research trips to Wales
between 2003 and 2008, preparing for the Wales
Smithsonian Cymru program of the 2009 Smithsonian
Folklife Festival.
The interview was edited into two fine short videos, one
highlighting the process of making the 1954 recording,
and the other discussing his views on the Welsh language.
These videos offer a brief glimpse of Evans’s work,
humor, and broad knowledge of all things Welsh and
much more. I am glad our paths crossed, however briefly,
and I join in mourning with those who knew him well
and his many fans. He will be sorely missed.
[Betty
Belanus, curator Smithsonian]
You can view these interviews on YouTube. In the
interview, Evans reminds us of the community of
suffering between the African Americans, who struggled
for freedom from slavery up to the nineteenth century,
and a Welshman who wrote a song in support [see below].
The Welsh themselves had suffered oppression and
slavery under the Anglo-Saxons in the earliest period, and
many of the earliest Christians in Italy and Greece were
slaves, the Gospel message giving them strength and
dignity. At the deep root, the Welsh understood their
suffering.
Tribute to Meredydd Evans mentions this song:
The folk song Si hwi hwi – an example of a Welsh
spiritual lullaby.
150 years ago this year, the American Civl War ended and,
with it, the formal abolition of slavery in the United States.
And there are many cultural connections between Wales
and the abolitionist movement in America at the time –
including a number of anti-slavery Welsh hymns, poems
and songs. Si hwi hwi belongs to this honourable
tradition.
The author of the lyrics is Rowland Walter, bardic name
‘Ionoron Glan Dwyryd’ – a quarryman and poet from the
Blaenau Ffestiniog area in north Wales who emigrated to
Vermont in America around 1853, and became active in
the movement to abolish slavery.
17
The song is composed from the perspective of a mother
singing her baby to sleep on the eve of being torn apart
and ‘sold’ as slaves. There’s a clear tension between the
soothing melody and the dark lyrics.
As far as I can tell, the song has survived to this day
thanks to the late Dr Meredydd Evans, or ‘Merêd’ as he
was fondly known. Merêd was a singer, scholar,
campaigner, and historian of Welsh folk music. Along
with his wife, Phyllis Kinney, they published several
important collections of folk songs.
Merêd came from Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog – the
same area as the composer of Si hwi hwi – and he
remembers his mother singing the song to him as a child,
as a lullaby to help him sleep.
A few decades later, in the 1950s, Merêd moved to
America to study at Princeton, and he was invited to
record a collection of Welsh folk songs for the Folkways
label – a seminal record that was chosen as one of the
New York Times’ records of the year in 1954.
Until that point, there was no written or audio record of
the melody and lyrics together, so we can assume that the
song would have disappeared had Merêd not recorded it.
And that recording, in many ways, completes the circle –
a century after Rowland Walter moved from Blaenau
Ffestiniog to the United States and composed the song,
Merêd made the same journey to record the song and to
ensure its preservation. Merêd is as much a part of the
song’s history as the composer himself. [abbreviated
from blog written by singer Huw M = Huw Meredydd
Roberts.]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pass away, but Hiraeth never does.
It is great, cruel Hiraeth that breaks my heart.
At dead of night when I am asleep
Hiraeth comes and awakens me.
Hiraeth, Hiraeth, clear off !
Don’t press so heavy upon me.
Move a bit to the edge of the bed
And let me sleep.
Comment
From the original notes on the LP:
Both words and melody of this lovely song are very old.
The word “hiraeth” cannot be adequately translated by
any English word; it is a compound of longing, nostalgia
and homesickness – a rather sad, meditative yearning for
things loved.
Meredydd Evans (1919 - 2015)
Highly distinguished collector, editor, performer and
historian of Welsh folksong. Long career in the public life
of Wales working both at university and in BBC Wales. A
great promoter of the Welsh Language. When he was a
student in Princeton US he made this record for the
Folkways collection in the Smithsonian.
See above for other Welsh folksongs by Evans and others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Pop
Always something there to remind me (1964)
Lyrics: Hal David
Music: Burt Bacharach
Performed by: Sandie Shaw 1964 & Dionne Warwick 1967
I walk along the city streets you used to walk along with me
And every step I take reminds me of just how we used to be
Welsh Folk
Oh, how can I forget you, girl, when there is
Always something there to remind me.
Hiraeth Longing
Welsh Traditional
Sung by Meredydd Evans on LP Welsh Folksongs
(Folkways, 1954) track 3
Smithsonian Institution
Welsh first verse only:
When shadows fall, I pass a small cafe where we would dance at night
And I can’t help recalling how it felt to kiss and hold you tight
I was born to love you and I will never be free
You’ll always be a part of me.
Dwedwch fawrion o wybodaeth,
O ba beth y gwnaethpwyd hiraeth;
A pha ddefnydd a roedd ynddo
Na ddarfyddo wrth ei wisgo.
If you should find you miss the sweet and tender love we used to share
Just go back to the places where we used to go and I’ll be there.
Translation:
Tell me thou great ones of learning
Of what is Hiraeth made
And what kind of material
Is it that never frays with wear?
Gold, silver, velvet, satin
and all such treasures
Always something there to remind me
I was born to love you and I will never be free
You’ll always be a part of me ‘cause there is
Comment
18
A song about heartbreak with a tempo and melody at
odds with the content. The lines are well phrased and it
tells the truth. When there is heartache, everything you
encounter seems to remind you of the pain. When you
read the song more closely, it appears that the loved one
has perhaps died, and that it is her voice (above in italic)
telling him to revisit the places where they used to be
together. How true it is that happiness is strongly
associated with place! Bacharach and David are very
skillful at pitching the songs where they strike the heart.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Pop
Alfie (1966)
Music by: Burt Bacharach
Lyrics by: Hal David
Sung by: Cilla Black (1966) Dionne Warwick (1967)
What’s it all about, Alfie
Is it just for the moment we live
What’s it all about when you sort it out, Alfie
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind
And if only fools are kind, Alfie
Then I guess it’s wise to be cruel
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie
What will you lend on an old golden rule
As sure as I believe there’s a heaven above, Alfie
I know there’s something much more
Something even non-believers can believe in
I believe in love, Alfie
Without true love we just exist, Alfie
Until you find the love you’ve missed you’re nothing, Alfie
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And you’ll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie
Comment
“Alfie,” from the 1966 Michael Caine film, was an Award
nominee for Best Song for 1966. Bacharach wrote the tune
with Warwick specifically in mind, but the producers
wanted a British singer to record the tune. Cilla Black
recorded it and her version went to number 95 in the USA,
but was a hit in England. Sonny Rollins and Cher sang on
the film. Dionne Warwick recorded it in 1967. This
became a great hit. In 2008, her recording of Alfie was
chosen for the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The content is a statement of faith, very clear and strong,
and for many performers and artists of that period was
the best statement that they knew. Warwick did well with
the song, but Cilla Black excelled herself – a perfect song
for her. Bacharach states that this is his personal favorite
of all his songs.
Alfie – is there some other message here? It sounds like
“I’ll fee” – various possible meanings. The old English
meaning of “fee” is to give loyalty or faith to someone.
Fie in French is trust. Alfie is short for Alfred, an old
Anglo-saxon name. King Alfred the Great (849 – 899)?
“Alf ” means elf. A wise and scholarly King, who
translated pious texts from Latin into English. Perhaps
when Cilla sings it, she is saying, “I’ll trust in God.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Pop
Raindrops keep falling on my head (1969)
Lyrics: Hal David
Performed by: B. J. Thomas on the film soundtrack and
released as a single
Performed by: Joanna Wang (1988- ) 王若琳 on
YouTube. Great version.
Raindrops keep falling on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin’ seems to fit
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling
So I just did me some talkin’ to the sun
And I said I didn’t like the way he’ got things done
Sleepin’ on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling
But there’s one thing I know
The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me
It won’t be long ‘till happiness steps up to greet me
Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Crying’s not for me
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothing’s worrying me.
Comment
Written for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance
Kid. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
David and Bacharach also won Best Original Score. The
song was recorded by B. J. Thomas. The single reached
number 1 on charts in the United States, Canada, Norway.
By 1970 millions of copies had sold, making it one of
Bacharach’s best-known songs.
A beautiful lyric, characterized by wit and assurance.
Initially there was reluctance to put it on the radio,
perhaps because of the first two lines, but before long it
had captured the imagination of America. Bacharach
songs always have some kind of subtext. The skill lies in
the fluency and naturalness of the idiom and yet retaining
some other meaning. The singer has the blues but is not
going to be defeated by them. The melody, as in the
other examples, is at odds with the words. It is bright and
cheerful, but the content is about sadness.
There is a moral message there. Rain on the head –
sorrow? The feet too big? “Feet” are a biblical metaphor
19
for sin, often sexual misdemeanors. If the feet are too big
for the bed, what does that mean? I won’t explain, but
there are various possibilities, and it is meant to be a
thorny point. Nothing sounds like “know thing,”
conscience is making him feel sorrow for something.
“Sun” is also an ancient pun for “son,” and this points to
Christ.
That is why I’m here to remind you.
What do you get when you fall in love?
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
So for at least until tomorrow
I’ll never fall in love again.
The song was popular in European translation both in
French (French singer Sacha Distel, whose version Toute
La Pluie Tombe Sur Moi) and in Italian (Distel again
with Gocce Di Pioggia Su Di Me).
Comment
Originally written for the 1968 musical Promises,
Promises, the song’s narrator thinking on the various
troubles that love brings. Witty lyrics and great rhymes
and bright melody. Similar in style to “There’s always
something there to remind me.” The song succeeds
brilliantly by the cleverness of the phrasing and also the
deeper truth about heartbreak, about disillusionment,
and yet the hope that perhaps one day something will
turn out well. Although she says she will never fall in love
again, she qualifies it with “until tomorrow.” The rhyme
on “pneumonia” is wonderful – going one better than
Cole Porter. There is also a hidden religious message
there perhaps – out of the chains of passion and
suffering. What does desire bring but sorrow?
Joanna Wang (1988- )
Rising star from Taiwan. Born in Taipei but raised in
California. Great voice.
Promises, Promises was a musical written by Bacharach
based on the 1960 film The Apartment. Book by Neil
Simon based on the screenplay of The Apartment by
The song ends on a carefree note – is this good that he
should be carefree? It sound good but in fact, there is a
deeper irony, as there is in the film, about irresponsibility
vs carefree & don’t-care-attitude. “Nothing’s worrying
me” could also mean its opposite “Knowing “a thing” is
worrying me, i.e. is getting at me.” In the Bacharach
songs, you can often find two points of view going on at
the same time, depending on how deeply you consider
the meaning. Some thorns can be found.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Pop
I’ll Never Fall in Love Again (1968)
Lyrics: Hal David
Performed by: Dionne Warwick on the album I’ll Never
Fall in Love Again (1969)
Performed by: The Carpenters on the album Close to You
(1970)
A guy with a pin to burst your bubble
That’s what you get for all your trouble
What do you get when you kiss a guy
You get enough germs to catch pneumonia
After you do, he’ll never phone you
Don’t tell me what it’s all about
‘Cause I’ve been there and I’m glad I’m out
Out of those chains those chains that bind you
That is why I’m here to remind you.
Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond. This was a musical
with content that went against the grain of the traditional
American musical, in the style of Sondheim. A young
executive allows his company superiors to use his
apartment for their amorous liaisons in order to gain
promotion in his company. Things get complicated when
he falls in love with one of the young women who are
involved with one of his bosses.
In the Scottish Band Deacon Blue video performance of
the song (1990), they split up the phrase “I’ll never fall”
and “In love again.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (c 1350)
Author: unknown
Medieval poem written in Middle English Northern
Dialect c 1350
Excerpt is a summary of sections 4-20 from Passus 1.
All were in good spirits and looking forward to a mighty
feast. The king raised his cup and, thinking of the
entertainment to come, wished aloud that they might
have some wonderful mystery or adventure to spice up
the feast.
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
So for at least until tomorrow
Before he had time to put his cup back on the table, the
knights all gasped in astonishment as there rode into the
hall the strangest man they had ever seen.
Out of those chains those chains that bind you
The visitor was extremely tall and his face was as fierce as
20
his arms were strong. His red eyes glowered from
beneath great bristly eyebrows and over his broad chest
hung a green beard, as big as a bush. His coat, hood and
hose were green as was his horse. The horse’s mane and
tail were knotted with golden threads and bells. In one
hand he held a green holly bough and in the other, a huge
razor sharp axe. The axe handle was richly decorated in
gold and green.
The knights were dumbfounded. The king invited the
stranger to join them at the table but he replied that he
had not come to feast but to prove, once and for all, the
courage of the famous fellowship before him.
“If it is battle you seek,” replied the king, “I will gladly
accept your invitation.”
“No Sire,” said the Green Knight, “I come not to fight
but to challenge.
I want to know if any man here is bold enough to fetch
one blow at me with this axe, on condition that, in a year
and a day, he shall stand a blow from my hand.” With
that, he raised the giant axe above his head.
All the knights were silent. No one cared to offer him
such an exchange of blows. The Green Knight looked
scornfully around those assembled.
“Is this,” he sneered, “the court of which such mighty
boasts are made?”
Stung by shame, the King cried out that he would take up
the challenge.
“You will see,” said the King, “that we fear not your big
words or the sharp steel of your axe.”
The Green Knight sprang from his horse and put the axe
in Arthur’s hand but the Knights pulled him away saying
it was no adventure for a king.
The young man grasped the heavy axe, heaved it high
and delivered it with all the strength of his arm. Down
came the razor sharp axe on the brawny neck, sheering
through skin and bone so the heavy head fell to the floor.
But the giant stood firm and, without flinching, picked
up his head and sprang on his horse.
Passus 1 Stanza 19: The beheading of the Green Knight
by Gawain
Trans. by A. S. Kline, on website:
http://www.poetryintranslation.com/#English
The green knight on his ground graciously stands:
with a little lean of the head, flesh he uncovers;
his long lovely locks he laid over his crown,
and let the naked neck to the stroke show.
Gawain gripped his axe and glanced it on high,
his left foot on the field before him he set,
letting it down lightly light on the naked,
that the sharp of the steel sundered the bones,
and sank through the soft flesh, sliced it in two,
that the blade of the bright steel bit in the ground.
The fair head from the frame fell to the earth,
that folk flailed it with their feet, where it forth rolled;
the blood burst from the body, the bright on the green.
Yet nevertheless neither falters nor falls the fellow,
but stoutly he started forth on strong shanks,
and roughly he reached out, where the ranks stood,
latched onto his lovely head, and lifted it so;
and then strode to his steed, the bridle he catches,
steps into stirrup and strides him aloft,
and his head by the hair in his hand holds.
and as steady and staunch him in his saddle sat
as if no mishap had him ailed, though headless now
instead.
Original text: Passus 1 stanza 19
From this website:
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/Gawain/1:1?rgn=div1;view=fulltext
“Grant me the chance,” begged Sir Gawain. The rash
young man was keen to help his king. “This is a game for
a young man to play.”
The others backed him and, reluctantly, Arthur withdrew
his challenge.
“Nephew,” said the king, “take care that you put all your
heart and strength in the stroke, so he can never repay
you.”
The Green Knight smiled grimly. “It suits me well,” he
said, “to take a blow from thee, but first you must swear
that you will seek me out in twelve months and a day, so I
can give back what I received from you.”
Sir Gawain gave his word and the giant pulled loose his
hood and pushed aside his hair to expose his neck.
Stroking his great beard he awaited, unconcerned, what
was to come.
Þe grene knyȝt vpon grounde grayþely hym dresses,
A littel lut with þe hede, þe lere he discouerez,
His longe louelych lokkez he layd ouer his croun,
Let þe naked nec to þe note schewe.
Gauan gripped to his ax, and gederes hit on hyȝt,
Þe kay fot on þe folde he before sette,
Let him doun lyȝtly lyȝt on þe naked,
Þat þe scharp of þe schalk schyndered þe bones,
And schrank þurȝ þe schyire grece, and schade hit in twynne,
Þat þe bit of þe broun stel bot on þe grounde.
Þe fayre hede fro þe halce hit to þe erþe,
Þat fele hit foyned wyth her fete, þere hit forth roled;
Þe blod brayd fro þe body, þat blykked on þe grene;
And nawþer faltered ne fel þe freke neuer þe helder,
Bot styþly he start forth vpon styf schonkes,
And runyschly he raȝt out, þere as renkkez stoden,
Laȝt to his lufly hed, and lyft hit vp sone;
And syþen boȝez to his blonk, þe brydel he cachchez,
Steppez into stelbawe and strydez alofte,
21
And his hede by þe here in his honde haldez;
And as sadly þe segge hym in his sadel sette
As non vnhap had hym ayled, þaȝ hedlez he were
in stedde.
Select Glossary and Notes
Both in grammar and vocabulary Middle English differs
substantially from Modern English, and this is
compounded by the fact that Sir Gawain was written far
from London. Nevertheless, many of these words are
found in OED, though with different spelling. It would be
rewarding to learn this dialect and other dialects of
extant Middle English (Chaucer, Piers Plowman).
Middle English Dictionary:
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/med/lookup.html
Dress: make ready, prepare oneself
Lut = lout: to bend low, bend down, stoop [trans. as
“lean” above = wrong]
Lere = lyre: flesh
Note: stroke of axe (dialect)
Kay: left (dialect)
Fold: earth, land
Lightly light: swiftly to fall
Naked: naked flesh
Scharp: blade, sharp weapon
Schalk: man
Shrank: sink, cut through
Shyire: soft?
Grece = grease: fat of an animal, but here it is flesh?
Fatted animal. Grease of a gander or a goose.
Schade: cut
Halce: neck
Fele: many, crowd
Freke: brave man, a warrior, a man-at-arms; a creature
such as a giant, demon, angel.
Blykked = bliken: to shine, gleam, glisten, glitter.
blonk = blank: horse OE blanca, blonca
sadly: soberly, solemnly
segge: man
Comment
Excerpt from this medieval poem. Sir Gawain was King
Arthur’s nephew and one of the greatest knights of the
round table in the medieval romance. His name is
assumed to come from Welsh, deriving from Gwalchmei
which means hawk. He appears in the Arthurian legends
and romances written in Europe. He was best known in
England from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
This poem is extant from a single manuscript Cotton Nero
A.x. and dates from approx. 1350, from the NW Midlands
of England. There are three other religious poems on the
MS and it is assumed that they are by the same
anonymous author: Pearl, Purity and Patience. There are
translations of the poem by J.R.R.Tolkien and Simon
Armitage.
The Green Knight is an allegory. What does he represent?
He appears suddenly during the banquet at
Christmastide held by King Arthur. He is completely
dressed in green, his beard is green, and his horse is
green. He offers a strange bargain. The knights may cut
off his head, if he will be allowed to do the same a year
later. Sir Gawain cuts off his head, but he does not die, he
picks up the head, and rides away. A year passes, and
Gawain must find the chapel of rendezvous and offer his
own neck.
He could symbolize the end of the year, brought to a
close at Christmastime. It could be the slaughter of the
fatted goose for the banquet? It could be the cycle of life
and death symbolized. It could be virtue’s triumph over
natural instincts, as displayed by Gawain, who later
resists sexual temptation, though he accepts the green
girdle to save his own life (and in that sense fails).
excerpt above taken from:
http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/textonly2762-sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight.html
Text found at:
http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/sggk_neilson.pdf
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Musical
Some Day My Prince Will Come (1937)
Lyrics by: Larry Morey
Music by: Frank Churchill (who also wrote the score)
Sung by: Adriana Caselotti
Some day my prince will come
Some day we’ll meet again
And away to his castle we’ll go
To be happy forever I know
Some day when spring is here
We’ll find our love anew
And the birds will sing
And wedding bells will ring
Some day when my dreams come true.
Comment
Romantic song of longing sung by Snow White in the
film, genius in the gentle and powerfully universal
characterization of Snow White’s feelings. Who has not
longed to meet the beloved one of their dreams? There is
of course hidden out of sight a religious allegory – who
is the Prince who is to come? When will there be a divine
wedding? It is a hint about the return of Christ the King,
but it is not an obvious allegory.
In the song she says “some day we’ll meet again.” This
refers to an earlier meeting with the Prince who had
fallen in love with her at first sight.
Frank Churchill was a key figure in the Disney early years,
composing music for many of the animations, and
responsible for some of the most successful songs. His
song for The Three Little Pigs, “Who’s Afraid of the Big
22
Bad Wolf,” was a huge commercial success. He also
wrote the music for “Heigh-Ho,” and “Whistle While
You Work.”
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
This was the first full-length feature film animation
created by the Disney studios at great expense and labor.
It was a gamble that paid off, as the film went on to win
huge audiences year after year, and to be popular
throughout the world. Disney invested the money he
earned in new studios and staff, improving the quality of
later work. The film was also considered an artistic
triumph, transferring the beauty of ancient folktale into a
new medium. The success of the film generated a new
industry, leading to other masterpieces such as The
Wizard of Oz. It is remarkable that even today, nearly 80
years later, it remains immensely enjoyable, and has lots
of laughs. A masterpiece of its kind.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Musical
It’s Not Easy (1977)
Words and Music by: Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
Sung by: Helen Reddy & Sean Marshall
In the Disney musical film Pete’s Dragon (1977)
He has the head of a camel
The neck of a crocodile
It sounds rather strange
He’s both a fish and a mammal
And I hope he’ll never change.
Cause it’s not easy
To find someone who cares
It’s not easy
To find magic in pairs
I’m glad I found him
I love him
I won’t let him get away
Cause it’s not easy.
You say the head of a camel
The neck of a crocodile
And the ears of a cow!
It’s clear that friends can be different
Yes I understand you now.
It’s not easy
To find someone who cares
It’s not easy
To find magic in pairs
Now that you have him
Hold him, treasure him from day to day
It’s so easy.
Life is lollipops and raindrops
With the one you love
Someone you can always be with
Argue and agree with
Climb the highest tree with.
It’s not easy
To share somebody’s dream
It gets easy
When you work as a team
You’ve got to tend it, fan it.
That’s what I plan to do
Oh, I had one friend by my side
Now I have two
Him and you
Him and me
And it’s so easy.
Comment
This was musical film with an animated character, a
dragon who is called Elliott. The story is about an orphan
called Pete, who enters the town of Passamaquoddy, a
fishing community on Passamaquoddy Bay in eastern
Maine. His only friend is a dragon called Elliott, who also
acts as his protector and can make himself invisible and
is generally visible only to Pete, which occasionally lands
Pete in trouble with the locals.
In this song, Pete has met Nora in a seaside cave. She
arrives to take Pete to safety in the nearby lighthouse. She
is in love with Paul, who has been lost at sea. She hears
from Pete about his dragon, believing that it is not real,
and only an imaginary friend.
The song hints about the suffering of children from
broken homes (Pete) and difficulty of making and
keeping friends. At the same time, it is an allegory about
love and faith. The dragon who is visible or invisible, who
has the symbolic name Elliott (which sounds like the
word spoken by Christ, or a name like Elijah) and who
saves the young boy. In the wonderful “Pete’s Song”
sequence, Pete calls him an angel. This is the oriental
dragon, and “angel” might be a good translation, since it
represents complete goodness, and is also somewhat
fearsome.
Nora shows great wisdom in accepting the boy’s dream
and giving him the trust and love he needs. There seems
to be an hint about a relationship developing when one
partner has an “imaginary” but real friend (Jesus or Mary
or God) and the other does not. How to keep faith alive?
It needs to be tended and the flames must be fanned to
keep them alive.
The animals he mentions have all got a symbolic
meaning: the camel is the desert, the crocodile is Egypt.
The fish? And a mammal? Mother? Ears of a cow? A
joke? The lyrics are simple and tender and beautifully
sung.
Is there another message hinted at here? The benevolent
lovable and loving dragon, who has to be invisible, but
sometimes appears, if you know where to look? I choose
23
to believe that this a hint about the behind-the-scenes
role played by Japan over the last 50 years, making many
good things happen, but not gaining any credit, and
suffering in fact a lot of bad publicity over that period. I
am sure that in the world of film and TV there was a lot
of cooperation between Japan and the US and Europe
that we were never told about, and which resulted in
strengthened friendship and peace.
The Great Doxology sung in English (not in fact part of
the Chrysostomos Liturgy, it is a hymn)
Sung by The Lebanon Choir
Glory to Thee, who hast shown to us the light!
Glory to God in the highest, and οn earth peace, goodwill toward men.
We praise Thee,
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We bless Thee,
We worship Thee,
USA Musical
Candle on the Water (1977)
Lyrics and music by: Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn
Sung by: Helen Reddy
I’ll be your candle on the water
My love for you will always burn
I know you’re lost and drifting
But the clouds are lifting
Don’t give up you have somewhere to turn.
Till every wave is warm and bright
My soul is there beside you
Let this candle guide you
Soon you’ll see a golden stream of light.
A cold and friendless tide has found you
Don’t let the stormy darkness pull you down
I’ll paint a ray of hope around you
Circling in the air
Lighted by a prayer.
This flame inside of me will grow
Keep holding on you’ll make it
Here’s my hand so take it
Look for me reaching out to show
As sure as rivers flow
I’ll never let you go.
Comment
Song from Pete’s Dragon, a 1977 live-action and animated
musical film from Walt Disney Productions. Nora sings
this to her fiancé Paul, who is feared lost at sea. She is the
daughter of the lighthouse keeper, and stands in the
lighthouse as she sings.
It is a love song but clearly something else. She is singing
with the voice of Jesus or Mary, and the song is
addressed to anyone who is lost and lonely and suffering,
as orphan Pete is, rejected by his family. Her song makes
explicit the need that Pete expresses through the
imaginary dragon, who protects and comforts him in the
trauma of his life. She sings to Paul but she is also
singing to Peter.
The question is who the figure could be? It is cleverly
pitched to interpretation from various perspectives. Who
would the candle be?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
Orthodox Liturgy of St John Chrysostomos in English
Part 7
We glorify Thee,
We give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty;
Lord, the Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest on the right hand of the Father,
and have mercy upon us.
For Thou only art Holy, Thou only art the Lord,
O Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Every day I will bless Thee and praise Thy name for ever and ever,
and unto the ages of ages.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of our Fathers,
and praised and glorified is Thy name for evermore. Amen.
O Lord, let Thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in Thee.
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes.
O Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation.
I said, Lord have mercy upon me, heal my soul,
for I have sinned against Thee.
O Lord, unto Thee have I fled for refuge, teach me to do Thy will, for
Thou art my God.
For with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light shall we see light.
O continue Thy mercy upon those that know Thee.
O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy upon us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Now and for ever and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
Comment
This is part seven of the series introducing the Liturgy of
St John Chrysostomos. In fact this is a separate hymn,
but it has been part of the prayer services from early days.
The Great Doxology is the sacred hymn which ends the
Matins service, which precedes the Divine Liturgy.
Translated into Latin, it is also known as the “Gloria,”
24
and has been set to music many times, because it has a
prominent place in the Mass. It is an ancient hymn sung
daily in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. It is one of the
best-loved of all Christian hymns. The musical settings
of this great hymn are very many, and include some of
the most beautiful music in the history of European
civilization.
The hymn is based on Luke 2:14 in which the angelic
host appears to the shepherds and announces to them the
Nativity of Christ. The hymn also incorporates verses
from Psalm 145:2 and Psalm 119:12. Every phrase in the
hymn has a biblical source, so that it is in fact simply an
arrangement of holy scripture.
It comes from an ancient Greek hymn dating from at
least the 3rd century, and perhaps even the 1st century. A
very similar form is found in the Codex Alexandrinus (5th
century) and in Pseudo-Athanasius (sometime prior to
the 4th century).
.
The Great Doxology has some similarities to Saint
Polycarp’s final prayer before his martyrdom, as reported
by Eusebius. “I praise Thee for all, I bless Thee, I glorify
Thee.” Polycarp is said to have been martyred 156-167
C.E.
Kyrio hoti Theos hagios [serve] the Lord because He is
holy God.
“Mighty” Ischyros may be found at: Deut 10.17 ὁ
θεὸς ὁ μέγας καὶ ἰσχυρὸς ho theos ho megas kai ischyros
a great God and mighty
“Immortal” Athanatos (this was a term used by the
Greeks for the Olympian gods, transferred by the Church
to God).
It appears not to be in the Septuagint, and is only found
in Saint Paul in the form above “Athanasia Immortality”
– perhaps in the earliest days they avoided the word
because of the strong associations with the Greek gods,
later it became a strong term for God: against-death =
undying, immortal, everlasting obviously referring to
Christ’s resurrection, the victory over death, as Paul says.
What is the Church trying to do with this hymn? In a
word, by quoting the best scriptures, and using the best
symbolic language, the Church is attempting to sing as
the angels would sing, as we are taught in the Old and
New Testaments. This is also why the singing of the
hymn (and the Liturgy in general in the Orthodox
tradition) is given such importance. It must sound as
heavenly as possible, a pleasing gift and sacrifice to God.
The words “Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day
without sin,” will be altered to correspond with the time
of day at which the hymn is sung:
Sung by the Lebanon Choir in a lively modern melodic
style, recording quality not very good however:
•At Matins: “this day”
•At Vespers: “this evening”
•At Compline: “this night”
The Great Doxology performed by the Chanters of St.
George of the Great Martyr Church in Birmingham,
Alabama. This is also rather good, a modern-style
adaptation.
The Latin version of the hymn, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,”
shorter than the Greek, came into wide use in the
Western liturgical tradition. According to tradition, the
Latin translation was made by St. Hilary of Poitiers (300
to 367). St. Hilary had been banished to Phrygia for four
years (c. 356) by the emperor Constantius II because of
his defense of the faith against Arianism. In the East he
would have been exposed to the hymn during his exile,
and could very easily have brought a version of it back
with him. [Source: From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia]
Let us consider the Biblical origin of the holy sentence:
“O Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy
upon us.”
Holy God
Joshua 24:19
Holy Mighty
Deut 10.17
Holy Immortal
1 Tim 6.16 & 1 Cor 15.53-4
(athanasia immortality)
The phrase “Holy God” may be linked to Joshua, when
he was giving strong direction to the people of Israel to
serve God, who is a holy God: κυρίῳ ὅτι θεὸς ἅγιός
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQckHXWer3U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWIQkNn9bOY
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
25
Folk: Carrickfergus & Gortnamona
Pop: I Remember You (1941) One for My Baby (1943) That Old Black Magic (1943) Mercer
Catholics 8:1. Ballygrant is in the Scottish Isles (Islay), so
in the original song the singer is in the isles of Scotland,
and longs to be home. In ancient times there was
migration between Northern Ireland and Western
Scotland, and the Scottish Gaelic and Irish Language are
closely related.
Literary: Canterbury Tales (c 1380) Prologue Chaucer First 100 lines
Musical: Don’t Cry for Me Argentina Evita Lloyd Webber & Rice
Sacred: Via Dolorosa 1986 & Stabat Mater trans c. 1860
Bonus Musical: Somewhere My Love
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Irish Folk
Carrickfergus
Lyrics: traditional, various versions
Music: traditional air called “Carrickfergus”
Sung by: Sean O’ Se
I wish I was in Carrickfergus
Only for nights in Ballygrant
I would swim over the deepest ocean,
The deepest ocean for my love to find.
But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over
And nor have I the wings that I may fly
If I could find me a handsome boatman
To ferry me over, to my love, and die.
My childhood days bring back sad reflections
Of happy times I spent so long ago
My boyhood friends and my own relations
Have all passed on now like melting snow.
There are various versions of this song. It is a song of
nostalgia, sung by an “old rover” who loves his porter
(beer). In this version, we seem to have different songs
spliced together. One voice is a ne’er do well man and
another voice might be a woman of low reputation?
Joan Baez on YouTube sings a nice version of this. Sean
O’Shea, on an old Irish TV programme on YouTube,
sings better than all the others by a great margin. His
version is a bit tongue-in-cheek, the first line is replaced
with the phrase “I wish I’d had you in Carrickfergus,”
which has a sexual nuance. There are double meanings in
the song, and I guess that there might even be a hidden
statement about gay rights! Ireland was once a rather
hard place in some respects. His singing of this Irish air
is exceptionally good, and it used to bring tears to my
eyes long ago, and still does. The old singing bards of
ancient Ireland sing when he sings. There is suffering in
the song. Loved ones will die and they are gone.
For Sean O’Shea see above in the Irish Folksongs.
Irish TV Program talking about the song, and Sean
O’Shea singing this with an accordion, in Irish Gaelic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXwkjFKhmxM
Better recording by Sean O’Shea great tenor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EthYRWPXdFM
And it’s in Kilkenny it is supposed
Where the marble stones are as black as ink,
With gold and silver I will support you,
And I will sing no more ‘till I get a drink;
I am always drunk and seldom sober,
Constantly roving from town to town;
Now when I’m dead and my days are over,
Come, Molly, a stór, and lay me down.
Comment
This traditional song gained great popularity from its
performance by Sean O’Shea in the 1960s, the melody was
arranged and probably composed by Sean O’Riada. The
original song was about a man being cuckolded, a bawdy
and witty song, but the English version is nostalgic.
Carrickfergus is an ancient town on the north coast of the
Belfast Lough. Carrick means rock in Gaelic. It takes its
name from a sixth century Irish king, Fergus. From the
early days of the English involvement in Ireland it was a
fortified centre. It has the best preserved Norman castle
in Ireland, and in the colonization under Elizabeth I,
many English settlers were placed in the surrounding
region. It was a garrison town for most of its history. It
remains a town with a majority of Protestants over
On the website “The Mudcat Café” you can find out
more about this song – some very interesting and
informed discussions.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Irish Folk
The Woods of Gortnamona (1891)
Lyrics by: Percy French
Music by: Philip Green (1911-1982)
Sung by: Brendan O’Dowda
Long, long ago in the woods of Gortnamona,
I thought the birds were singing in the blackthorn tree;
But oh, it was my heart that was ringing, ringing, ringing,
With the joy that you were bringing, oh my love, to me.
Long, long ago in the woods of Gortnamona,
I thought the wind was sighing round the blackthorn tree;
But oh, it was the banshee that was crying, crying, crying,
And I knew my love was dying far across the sea.
Now if you go through the woods of Gortnamona,
You’ll hear the raindrops creeping through the blackthorn tree;
26
But oh, it is the tears that I am weeping, weeping, weeping,
For the loved one that is sleeping far away from me.
Comment
Gortnamona House is a beautiful Georgian house set in
its own parkland in East Galway and made famous
nationally by Percy French’s song, “The Woods of
Gortnamona.” A succession of families have lived in this
place. Percy French was a close friend of Edward Lynam
and was a frequent visitor to Gortnamona. During one of
these visits, shortly after the death of his beloved wife in
1891, he wrote “The Woods of Gortnamona,” a lyric in
which he expressed his feelings of deep loss.
Monday Songs 64 & 72 for more information about
Johnny Mercer and other Mercer songs.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Pop
One for My Baby (and One More for the Road) (1943)
Words by: Johnny Mercer (1909-1976)
Music by: Harold Arlen
Sung by: Fred Astaire in the film The Sky’s the Limit
Sung also by Frank Sinatra
It’s quarter to three, there’s no one in the place except you and me
Percy French (1854-1920)
See above for more information about this great
songwriter from Ireland.
So, set ‘em up, Joe, I got a little story you oughta know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ttbUWbBdE
I got the routine, so drop another nickel in the machine
We’re drinkin’, my friend, to the end of a brief episode
Make it one for my baby and one more for the road.
I’m feelin’ so bad, wish you’d make the music pretty and sad
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Could tell you a lot, but you’ve got to be true to your code
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road.
USA Pop
You’d never know it but buddy, I’m a kind of poet
I Remember You (1941)
Words by: Johnny Mercer
Music by: Victor Schertzinger
Song used in the 1941 movie The Fleet’s In
Sung by: Jo Stafford 1943
And I got a lot of things to say
And when I’m gloomy, you simply gotta listen to me
Till it’s all talked away.
Well that’s how it goes and Joe, I know your gettin’ pretty anxious to close
So, thanks for the cheer, I hope you didn’t mind my bendin’ your ear
Was it in Tahiti?
Were we on the Nile?
Long, long ago,
Say an hour or so
I recall that I saw your smile.
I remember you,
You’re the one who made
My dreams come true
A few kisses ago.
I remember you,
You’re the one who said
“I love you, too.” I do.
Didn’t you know?
I remember, too,
A distant bell,
And stars that fell like rain
Out of the blue.
This torch that I found must be drowned or it soon might explode
So, make it one for my baby and one more for the road
That long, long road.
Comment
Jazz standard, on a theme which now seems out of date –
drinking heavily alone in a bar late at night to drown
sorrows. Alcoholic excess used to be a symptom and
cause of social misery in America and Europe. In the
early twentieth century it was still considered acceptable
and manly to be drunk to excess, but attitudes have
changed somewhat since then. This is one of the effects
of the women having greater influence on public life,
since there had always been a great difference between
the way that men and women consumed alcohol and
related to alcohol.
When my life is through,
And the angels ask me to recall
The thrill of them all,
Then I shall tell them
I remember you.
I got the routine – this means I am set in my present
habit of drinking one after another and I am not
going to stop – used to mean “I know how to do
something.”
True to your code: military slang, pledge of honor
Torch: this refers to his passion for Judy Garland, who is
13 years younger, age 19. Maybe torch means
something like unquenchable passion.
Set em up: set up the drinks, fill the glasses.
Comment
An attractive romantic lyric by Mercer, said to have been
written for Judy Garland. Now a Jazz standard. See above
Notes from Songfacts (abbrev.):
This classic drinking song was written by Harold Arlen
(music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics) for the 1943 film The
27
Sky’s the Limit, where it was performed by Fred Astaire.
The song is about a lovelorn guy who drinks away his girl
problems at a bar - he has one drink for the girl, and
another one for the ride home. In the movie, Astaire’s
character gets tipsy but still manages a world class dance
routine.
The song has been recorded countless times, including
four times by Frank Sinatra, and is considered a Johnny
Mercer classic.
The inspiration for the song was Mercer’s affair with Judy
Garland, just as it was for “I Remember You.” He met
Garland in 1941 when she was just 19 years old, 13 years
his junior. Even by Hollywood standards the affair was
scandalous. Mercer was married to Ginger, a former
showgirl. The lyrics, co-written by Mercer and Harold
Arlen, indicate that the affair is about to end.
The affair never really ended, though, and Mercer did not
divorce his wife, either. He and Ginger were married for
46 years until his death in 1976, but many understood that
it was Garland who had his heart. It is also fitting that the
song is really a lament to Joe, the bartender. Mercer was a
notorious drinker and it is not hard to imagine him telling
this tale to a bartender at “quarter to three.” Legend has
it that he wrote the song on a napkin at the legendary
New York bar P.J. Clarke’s. He used the name Joe
presumably for the rhyme.
The most famous version of this song is by Frank Sinatra,
who first recorded it in 1947 when he was at Columbia
Records.
When Sinatra performed the song in clubs, it was a
dramatic moment. A single spotlight would shine on his
face and he would sing it accompanied by just his piano
player Bill Miller and a cigarette.
This melancholy song served also as a poignant farewell,
as Bette Midler proved when she sang it to Johnny Carson
on his May 21, 1992 final episode of “The Tonight Show”
(1962-92). Midler changed the lyrics, singing, “John, I
know you’re getting anxious to close.” Midler won an
Emmy for this performance. The point was that JC and
the program had been widely loved.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Pop
That Old Black Magic (1942)
Words by: Johnny Mercer
Music by: Harold Arlen
Sung by: Glenn Miller and His Orchestra
That old black magic has me in its spell,
That old black magic that you weave so well.
Those icy fingers up and down my spine,
The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine.
The same old tingle that I feel inside,
And then that elevator starts its ride.
And down and down I go; round and round I go
Like a leaf that's caught in the tide.
I should stay away, but what can I do?
I hear your name and I'm aflame.
Aflame with such a burning desire
That only your kiss can put out the fire.
For you're the lover I have waited for,
The mate that Fate had me created for.
And every time your lips meet mine,
Darling, down and down I go; round and round I go
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under that old black magic called love.
Comment
Classic American song, with witty phrases and a strong
melodic line. Covered by countless artists since,
memorably by Ella Fitzgerald. One of the strengths of
the American song was how the fabric of modern life was
always there – such as the elevator, already by 1940 quite
a common feature of New York buildings but
nevertheless undeniably modern.
Other notable cover versions include one by Sammy
Davis, Jr. with Decca Records. It charted in 1955 and
spent 6 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaking at position
#16. Sammy Davis, Jr. performed "That Old Black
Magic" during a guest appearance on the television
series I Dream of Jeannie.
Sammy singing a lively version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNiIjKrn47E
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
Chaucer Canterbury Tales (c 1380?)
1 Prologue [Lines 1-100]
On the left you have the text as printed in the Riverside
Chaucer, on the right words in explanation. Below you
can also find further notes and you can find websites with
modern translations if you need them. Please read and
understand the Middle English, and I will ask you the
meanings of words in the quiz. Most of these words are
in OED, in one form or another, and there are also
excellent dictionaries on the web – the Middle English
Dictionary MED 1100-1500.
1: Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
[sweet showers in April]
2: The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
[drought pierced]
3: And bathed every veyne in swich licour
[vein such liquid]
4: Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
[virtue: strength made flower]
5: Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
[west wind also breath]
6: Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
[wood and heath moorland]
7: The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
[crops: new leaves]
28
8: Hath in the Ram his halve cours yronne,
[ram constellation ]
9: And smale foweles maken melodye,
65: Somtyme with the lord of Palatye
[Balat, Turkey]
66: Agayn another hethen in Turkye.
[against]
[outstanding reputation]
10: That slepen al the nyght with open ye
[ye: eye]
67: And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys;
11: So priketh hem nature in hir corages;
[spurs nature in their lust]
68: And though that he were worthy, he was wys,
12: Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
[desire go]
69: And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.
[manner]
13: And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes,
[pilgrims seek foreign shores]
70: He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde
[villainy]
14: To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
[old shrines known various lands]
71: In al his lyf unto no maner wight.
[man]
72: He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
[perfect]
15: And specially from every shires ende
16: Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende,
[go]
73: But, for to tellen yow of his array,
17: The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
[martyr]
74: His hors were goode, but he was nat gay.
18: That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke.
[sick]
75: Of fustian he wered a gypon
[coarse cloth, tunic]
19: Bifil that in that seson on a day,
[befell, happen
76: Al bismotered with his habergeon,
[stained by his chainmail]
20: In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay
[Southwark, London]
77: For he was late ycome from his viage,
[recently arrived journey]
21: Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage
[go]
78: And wente for to doon his pilgrymage.
22: To Caunterbury with ful devout corage,
[feelings]
23: At nyght was come into that hostelrye
[hostel]
The Squire’s Portrait
24: Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye,
25: Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle
[sundry]
26: In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle,
27: That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.
[would]
28: The chambres and the stables weren wyde,
[large]
29: And wel we weren esed atte beste.
[treated well]
30: And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste,
31: So hadde I spoken with hem everichon
[hem: them]
32: That I was of hir felaweshipe anon,
[hir: their]
33: And made forward erly for to ryse,
34: To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse.
[tell to you]
35: But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space,
[nevertheless]
36: Er that I ferther in this tale pace,
37: Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun
79: With hym ther was his sone, a yong squier,
[squire, attendant and servant]
80: A lovyere and a lusty bacheler,
[lover lively young knight]
81: With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse.
[curly locks
82: Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse.
83: Of his stature he was of evene lengthe,
[moderate height]
84: And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe.
[agile]
85: And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie
[expedition on horseback]
86: In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,
[Flanders, Artois, Picardy ]
87: And born hym weel, as of so litel space,
[conducted himself well]
88: In hope to stonden in his lady grace.
89: Embrouded was he, as it were a meede
[embroidered meadow]
90: Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede.
[according to reason]
38: To telle yow al the condicioun
91: Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day;
[fluting, piping]
92: He was as fressh as is the month of May.
39: Of ech of hem, so as it semed me,
93: Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde.
40: And whiche they weren, and of what degree,
[degree: rank]
41: And eek in what array that they were inne;
[clothes]
42: And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.
[will]
94: Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde.
95: He koude songes make and wel endite,
[compose a poem]
96: Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write.
[joust draw]
97: So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale.
The Knight’s Portrait
98: He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale.
99: Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable,
43: A knyght ther was, and that a worthy man,
100: And carf biforn his fader at the table.
[carve in front of]
44: That fro the tyme that he first bigan
45: To riden out, he loved chivalrie,
46: Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie.
47: Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre,
[war]
48: And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre,
[further]
49: As wel in Cristendom as in hethenesse,
50: And evere honoured for his worthynesse.
51: At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne.
[Alexandria]
52: Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne
[begin the board, start feast]
53: Aboven alle nacions in Pruce;
[Prussia]
54: In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce,
[Lithuania, Russia]
55: No Cristen man so ofte of his degree.
56: In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be
[Grenada siege of Granada 1492?]
57: Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.
[Algeciras, Belmaria? Portugal?]
58: At Lyeys was he and at Satalye,
[Ayash, Atalia]
59: Whan they were wonne; and in the grete see
60: At many a noble armee hadde he be.
61: At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene,
62: And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene
[Tlemcen, Algeria]
63: In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.
[lists of combat]
64: This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also
[ilke: same]
Glossary and Notes
The astronomical details were important to Chaucer, who
knew a lot on the subject. The sun has passed through
the second half of the zodiacal sign Aries (Ram) the time
is thus late April. The principal difficulty for a foreign
reader is the spelling.
Holt: wood, copse
Ye: eye, note the old spelling and etymology: OE eage
changing to pl “eagen” “eyen” and northern “een”
Ferne: old, former
Halwes: form of hallow, a saint’s shrine, to seek hallows
Kowthe: couth known
Holy Blissful Martyr: Saint Thomas à Becket
Tabard: the Tabard Inn.
Tabard: coarse fabric loose upper garment without
sleeves, later a garment worn by a knight over
armor with armorial bearings
Wend: go (archaic) past tense gives us: “wended” and
“went”
29
Corage: in the sense of spirit, feelings, also thoughts,
connected to the Latin root cor heart
Freedom: generosity of spirit (old meaning)
Courtesy: knightly virtue, good courtly manners and
grace
Bord: board, begin the board, i.e. sit in the place of honor
Pruce: Prussia
Reysed: note gives “ridden on raids” but raise means
“raze to the ground”??
Siege of Granada: this cannot be the capture of Granada
from the Moors 1492 Isabella & Ferdinand, [unless
these details were added to Chaucer’s MS later]
surely the place names refer to much earlier times,
as in the Chanson de Roland
Belmarye = Belmaria: is this a fictional place? Riverside
note says Morocco, from “Benmarin”?? If this is
fictional, is it hinting that the list of places where
the knight has fought is improbably long? With
Chaucer we have to try to judge the tone of voice.
Tramyssene: name derived from Spanish Tremecen
In lists: knightly jousting
Prys: Price, reputation
Fustian: formerly, coarse cloth made of cotton and flax,
now, a thick cotton cloth of a dark color
Gypon: gipon, from jupon, tunic
Bismotered: smotter splatter stained
Habergeon: sleeveless coat of mail, originally lighter than
a hauberk
Pilgrimage: the purpose of the pilgrimage was to do
penance for sin, presumably for the knight for the
men he had killed in his combat
Deliver: free from all encumbrance or impediments;
active, nimble, agile, quick in action.
Chyvacchie: from OF. Chevauchie expedition on
horseback, calvalry raid
Indite: speak, compose a poem
Hoot: hot, passionately
Nyghtertale: by night
Servisable: willing to serve
he has left shows an intelligent understanding of
European writing (Petrarch and Boccacio) and a vast
reading. The satire in The Canterbury Tales is constant
and generally good-humored and wise. The scope of the
work gives Chaucer the status of being one of the
greatest English poets.
Comment
The first 100 lines of the Canterbury Tales, from the
beginning. The presentation of the Knight and Squire
seems laudatory. Perhaps there is a edge of mockery
there in the elaborate list of places visited by the Knight,
and some gentle satire of the agile and lusty young squire,
embroidered like a flowery meadow.
[Chorus:]
Don’t cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343-1400)
Son of John Chaucer, a London Vintner. Served in France
with Edward III’s army, taken prisoner and ransomed.
He married (1366?) Philippa, the sister of John of
Gaunt’s third wife, Katharine Swynford. Philippa died in
1387 but Chaucer enjoyed Gaunt’s patronage all his life.
He held positions at court and served abroad in
ambassadorial posts. In 1374 controller of customs in the
port of London, a lucrative source of income. He was
made knight of the shire for Kent. Obviously a man of
ability who was well-liked and rewarded at court. He was
buried in poet’s corner in Westminster Abbey. The work
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/CT-prolog-para.html
http://www.librarius.com/canttran/gptrfs.htm
http://ummutility.umm.maine.edu/necastro/chaucer/translation/ct/01gp.html
MED: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/med/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UK Musical
Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (1976)
Lyrics by: Tim Rice
Music by: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Sung by: Sarah Brightman, Elaine Paige, Julie Covington,
Madonna
It won’t be easy, you’ll think it strange
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all that I’ve done
You won’t believe me
All you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she’s dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Couldn’t stay all my life down at heel
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around, trying everything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
They are illusions
They are not the solutions they promised to be
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me
Don’t cry for me Argentina.
[Chorus:]
30
Have I said too much?
There’s nothing more I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me to know
That every word is true
Comment
Evita started life as a concept album (1976) that
developed into a musical (1978). It was a high risk subject
for a London audience, 99 percent of whom had never
heard of Eva Peron. Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber
were on the crest of the success of Jesus Christ Superstar.
The subject grew out of Tim Rice’s interest being caught,
and developed after watching Argentine film director
Carlos Pasini Hansen’s TV film Queen of Hearts which
had aired in the UK in 1972. He met the director and
watched the film many times, and saw that the story had
potential. A modern parable, the life of a saint or the
story of a sinner? A woman to lead the nation? This was
soon to become a reality with Margaret Thatcher being
elected leader of the conservative party and becoming the
first woman Prime Minister of the UK. Also, Princess
Diana became a similar kind of figure for the world.
The musical told the life story of Eva Peron (1919-1952).
Age 15 in 1934, her first love affair with tango singer
Augustin Magaldi. She arrives in Buenos Aires, with
dreams of success on the stage or in film. She meets the
up-and-coming Colonel Juan Domingo Peron, soon to
become a general and run for president. Highly attractive,
she uses her charms to open doors. She moves in with
Peron, marrying him in 1945. He becomes president 1946.
Because of her charisma, she brings widespread
popularity to the movement that becomes “Peronism.”
This lasts for only a few years before she becomes sick
with cancer and dies in 1952, still at the height of her
popularity. The politics are liberal-centrist, focused on
the cult of her personality, but encouraging a genuine
democratic growth, particular among women, who
received the franchise for the first time, signed by Peron.
The musical makes a choric figure out of Che Guevara,
the opposition, who will fight with the Marxist Fidel
Castro to establish a socialist republic in Cuba.
not happening then in South America (or Cuba). How to
free women from the chains of stereotype? Perhaps that
important educational issue was the point. For many
women in South America, Eva Peron gave a powerful
lesson. A woman could be a popular and successful
politician, even when the elite was against her.
In her last two years as First Lady of Argentina, in which
she developed a large charitable foundation, the
perception of her became that of a selfless and devoted
saint doing everything she could to alleviate the suffering
of the poor. The cancer which took her life developed
very quickly, and the national grief at her death was
overwhelming. In a brief few years she had become a
symbol for a renewal in Argentina which had inspired the
whole nation, and which has remainded. There is a
parallel in North America with the loss of Kennedy ten
years later. Perhaps even today, for many Argentines, she
is an embodiment of the spirit of the nation.
Looking at the pictures of her, I am struck by her
intelligence and ability. As so many women have had to
do, to survive in a masculinist world, it is necessary to
pretend to be less clever than one really is. What a great
leader she might have been if she had survived!
The song above, which reviews her life, and looks to the
future, brings out her sainthood – she was not motivated
by money or fame (they are illusions) but she says to her
nation “I love you and I hope you love me.” A great
lesson, for so many politicians are motivated by those
illusions alone.
Evita 1996
Film directed by Alan Parker and written by Parker and
Oliver Stone, the film starred Madonna, Antonio
Banderas, and Jonathan Pryce. Perhaps Madonna’s finest
hour, a role that she was born to play (she said). The film
included one new original song “You Must Love Me”
written by Lloyd Webber and Rice.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
USA Sacred
Is it a morality tale condemning the way that Eva rose to
power? Is it praising her for her strength of character that
she used what power she had and then tried to do some
good, when she had the chance? There was controversy
about the portrayal of Eva Peron, but Rice and Webber
were making a work of art not a TV documentary. The
point was found in her name, in her iconic status in a
deeply Catholic nation. Woman is pushed into one of two
roles, Mary Magdalene or Saint Mary, or perhaps has to
be both at different times. The Vamp or the Saint, even if
she had great intellectual ability. Tim Rice was probably
questioning that from a British perspective, where the
Queen did not fit into those stereotypes, and yet fulfilled
her role superbly, and in British society in general, there
were many leading women whose intellect and strength
made a great contribution in many fields. That was still
Via Dolorosa (1986)
Lyrics and music: by Billy Sprague and Niles Borop
Album: sung by Sandi Patti on the album “Songs from
the Heart” 1991
Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day
The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street
But the crowd pressed in to see
A man condemned to die on Calvary.
He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon
His back
And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those who cried out for His death.
31
(chorus)
Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King,
But He chose to walk that road
Out of His love for you and me.
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.
The blood that would cleanse the souls of all men
Made its way to the heart of Jerusalem.
Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road
Out of His love For you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary.
Comment
A Christian hymn to be used for Passion week,
specifically for Good Friday.
The hymn presents to us the suffering of Jesus Christ as
we read it in the Gospels. Calvary is the place of
crucifixion, also called Golgotha. The title of the hymn is
the Latin name given to the road in Jerusalem, the “way
of sorrow,” on which tradition tells us that Jesus carried
his cross. Also called Via Crucis. The content is central to
the Christian faith. The focus is perhaps a special virtue
of the Roman Catholic interpretation, in which the figure
of Jesus Christ as a suffering human being is given
prominence. Although the song is religious, it is also
quite universal. We can understand the suffering of Jesus
as a metaphor for the suffering of all humanity. The
message is that our compassion for him is required, and
we should imagine that he is our own family member.
Feel pity for the suffering one. Our feelings of grief and
sorrow are released and we should become more merciful
and compassionate.
whose nature was both divine and human, I suffered with
you.” In Christian Gospels, this “incarnation” is a unique
event, and the theological description has been a point of
bitter disagreement, but the metaphorical power of the
work is the point. As Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta
explained so well, the old man dying on the street (who is
not even a Christian) – he is also Jesus Christ. If we are
given a choice, what should we do? Help him. If we have
a soul given to us by God, is it not true that God is
present in all of us, like a spark to light our minds to his
mercy?
The Via Dolorosa is also the name of an actual street in
Old Jerusalem. It goes from the Antonia fortress to the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a distance of about 600
metres. It is marked by nine stations of the cross and five
stations are within the Church. The way itself is a
pilgrimage, and every year thousands of Christians walk
this way, and pray at each station. In the fourteenth
century the Franciscan custody of the Holy Land was
established, which meant that Franciscan Friars had a
duty to maintain, protect and guide the faith and its
shrines in the Holy Land. It was the Friars who
developed the way as a devotional practice.
Sandi Patti (1956- )
American Christian music singer, became very prominent
from the early 1980s, and has won many awards. She has
a long list of albums. She was been inspirational to many
in the world of Christian music. Her rendition of this
song won a Dove award for song of the year 1986.
You can find the song at:
Girls Choir, St. Mary & St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church, Croydon UK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL5XcNAbFz0
another Coptic website offers this, said to be produced by
Saint Abraam Coptic Church, Long Island New York, a group called Trinity:
http://tasbeha.org/mp3/Songs/English/Trinity_-_Via_Dolorosa.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The specifically Christian content is found in the key
words “lamb – Messiah – gave out of love – cleanse.” The
Church’s explanation is that Jesus Christ is the awaited
Messiah (the promised deliverer of the people of Israel,
sent by God, a being of angelic power and authority) who
appeared in an unexpected form (a humble teacher who
ate with unclean people). He was in fact exactly what was
promised, but he refused to benefit from the powers he
had, and suffered the same penalties as any human being.
Why did he do this? There is a lot to say about this, but
briefly one could say that God was allowing humanity to
understand His mercy. God is all-mighty, everlasting and
all merciful. The life of humanity, and the life of the
people of Israel, sometimes becomes a “via dolorosa.” “If
my created being, whom I loved, must walk that way,
then I, the source of goodness, will suffer exactly the
same. To be fair to my creation, how could I do
otherwise? I am not a God of coldness and distance.
There is suffering for the created world (according to my
eternal plan). Therefore, in the figure of Jesus Christ,
UK Sacred
Stabat Mater
Original Latin: author uncertain
English translation: Edward Caswall (1814-1878)
Music: J. Dykes (1875) & STABAT MATER (MECHLIN)
At the cross, her station keeping,
Stood the mournful mother weeping,
Where He hung, the dying Lord;
For her soul of joy bereavèd,
Bowed with anguish, deeply grievèd,
Felt the sharp and piercing sword.
Oh, how sad and sore distressèd
Now was she, that mother blessèd
Of the sole begotten One;
Deep the woe of her affliction,
When she saw the crucifixion
32
Of her ever glorious Son.
Who, on Christ’s dear mother gazing
Pierced by anguish so amazing
Born of woman, would not weep?
Who, on Christ’s dear mother thinking
Such a cup of sorrow drinking
Would not share her sorrows deep?
For His people’s sins chastisèd,
She beheld her Son despisèd,
Scourged, and crowned with thorns entwined;
Saw Him then from judgment taken,
And in death by all forsaken,
Till His Spirit He resigned.
O good Jesu, let me borrow
Something of thy Mother’s sorrow,
Fount of love, Redeemer kind,
That my heart fresh ardor gaining,
And a purer love attaining,
May with Thee acceptance find.
Comment
A Christian hymn to be used for Passion week,
specifically for Good Friday.
Note from cyberhymn website: The original of this hymn
has been variously attributed to Gregory I, Bernard of
Clairvaux, Pope Innocent III, Bonaventura, Jacopone da
Todi, Pope John XXII, Pope Gregory XI & others (Stabat
Mater Dolorosa). Translated from Latin by Edward
Caswall & the compilers of Hymns Ancient and Modern.
Stabat Mater Dolorosa, often referred to as Stabat Mater,
is a 13th-century Catholic hymn to Mary. It is about the
Sorrows of Mary. The title of the sorrowful hymn is an
incipit (beginning phrase) of the first line, Stabat mater
dolorosa (“The sorrowful mother stood”). The Stabat
Mater hymn, one of the most stirring of extant medieval
poems, meditates on the suffering of Mary, Jesus Christ’s
mother, during his crucifixion. It is sung at the liturgy on
the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. It has been set to
music by many composers. The Vivaldi setting is
particularly good. [information from Wikiped.]
The original Latin is very powerful when set to music.
The brevity of the phrases and the intensity of the
sentiment provoke a strong emotional reaction. It is said
that no one can listen to the Stabat Mater and fail to weep.
In the Vivaldi setting, you may note how the composer
imitates the sound of sobbing with the musical phrase.
The sharp sword that she feels in her soul refers to the
prophetic phrase spoken by the priest Simeon to Mary “a
sword shall pierce thy soul also.” (Lk 2.35) This is
understood to refer to the pain she will feel in the
suffering of Jesus. It is also an allegorical statement. Mary
is first of all the mother of Jesus, but she also represents
many things, so that the “sword” and the “heart” have
various interpretations (Israel the people, the Church,
perhaps appealing to the Greeks in the universal mother
figure) There is also a holy reference in the background
(see the Psalms).
The “sole begotten one” is a holy name for Christ,
translating the Latin of unigeniti, which translates Grk
monogenēs (Jn 1.14). This is translated as “only begotten”
but could also be something like “uniquely begotten.” It
is an important word in Christian theology, defining the
relation between “son” and “father,” a word found only
in the Gospel of John and Hebrews.
The focus on the sufferings of Mary, Holy Mother of the
Lord, was a leading Christian devotion for many
centuries, unfortunately dropped by the Protestant
Churches in the Reformation. The purpose of the
devotion is to highlight the intensity of the mental
suffering of the mother, as she is obliged to witness her
son’s death, and is unable to stop it. Her son suffers the
torments of the cross, and Mary suffers the torments of
one who loves and cannot do anything. She is the greatest
witness to Jesus Christ, since her life encompasses his
life.
This great hymn is given to the congregation to soften
our hearts in understanding of such suffering, and to
increase our gratitude for those who have suffered on our
behalf. As children we should feel gratitude for mothers,
and for those who suffered for us (which reverses the
cross relation between mother and son). It is a very
powerful and universal message. How many times our
mothers have suffered for us, when we happily lived
through our childhood, not paying attention to the
trouble and griefs that she had? The Stabat Mater is
intended to provoke such thoughts, effectively to restore
our humanity to us. Let us consider the grief of the
mother for her son who has had to sacrifice his life in war,
to save the nation – that duty repeated countless times –
she was powerless to prevent it. The grief of mothers also
repeated again and again.
Edward Caswall (1814-1878)
Born in Hampshire, England son of a Church of England
vicar. Educated at Brasenose, Oxford (1836), took up a
post as an Anglican curate, but resigned after a year. His
wife died, and he joined the Oratory of St. Philip Neri
under St. John Henry Newman (1850). He had converted
to Catholicism in 1847. A son of the Oxford Movement.
One of the great translators and hymn writers of the
nineteenth century.
He wrote original poems that have survived only in
Catholic hymnals. Caswall is best known for his
translations from the Roman Breviary and other Latin
sources, which are marked by faithfulness to the original
and purity of rhythm. They were published in Lyra
Catholica, containing all the breviary and missal hymns
(London, 1849); The Masque of Mary (1858); and A May
Pageant and other poems (1865). Hymns and Poems
33
(1873) are the three books combined with many of the
hymns rewritten or revised. Some of his translations are
used in Hymns Ancient and Modern.
Caswall produced another translation of Stabat Mater,
which can be found on the Wikiped. website, and follows
the original Latin more closely (published in Lyra
Catholica 1849). [Information from Wikiped.]
“Caswall’s translations of Latin hymns from the Roman
Breviary and other sources have a wider circulation in
modern hymnals than those of any other translator, Dr.
Neale alone excepted.” John Julian, Dictionary of
Hymnology (1907)
Among the many excellent hymns Edward Caswall translated
can be found these three in Hymns Ancient and Modern and
there are many others which I hope to consider later. J. E. Neale
is also excellent.
24 “Hark a Thrilling Voice is Sounding” [from Latin]
92 “Come thou Holy Spirit Come” [Veni Sancte Spiritus]
146 “When Morning Gilds the Skies” [from German]
“See Amid the Winter’s Snow” in Easy Hymn Tunes
Adapted for Catholic Schools (1851) & Masque of Mary (1858)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bonus Musical
Somewhere My Love (1965)
Lyrics by: Paul Francis Webster
Music by: Maurice Jarre
Theme used in the film Dr Zhivago
Song performed by: the Ray Conniff singers
Sung by: Andy Williams
Somewhere, My Love,
There will be songs to sing
Although the snow
Covers the hope of spring;
Somewhere a hill
Blossoms in green and gold,
And there are dreams?
All that your heart can hold.
Someday
We’ll meet again, My Love,
Someday,
Whenever the spring breaks through.
You’ll come to me
Out of the long ago,
Warm as the wind,
Soft as the kiss of snow;
Till then,
My Sweet, think of me now and then;
God speed,
My Love, til you are mine again.
Comment
Beautiful song written to the melody of Lara’s Theme,
the haunting leitmotif of the film Dr Zhivago. That theme
is so poignant. The song sums up the heartbreak of the
hundred years 1850-1950, when there were so many wars,
so many soldiers lost and families broken, so many
revolutions and the disasters that followed, and also great
movements of people leaving Europe for the USA.
Paul Francis Webster (1907-1984)
Successful American lyricist.
Among his songs are:
Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
Rio Bravo (1959)
Ballad Of The Alamo (1960)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
34
I hope you enjoyed this course – God bless and may all go well for you!
I hope to finish Monday Songs 7 shortly.
Stean Anthony
IF YOU HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THIS TEACHING MATERIAL AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE HARD WORK
TAKEN TO COMPILE IT, THEN I ASK YOU RESPECTFULLY TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO A REPUTABLE
CHARITY.
I PARTICULARLY FAVOR:
CHARITIES FOR THE BLIND
CHARITIES FOR THE DEAF
CHARITIES FOR SUFFERERS OF LEPROSY (INDIA, AFRICA, ASIA, SOUTH AMERICA)
CHARITIES TO SUPPORT SPORT FOR DISABLED PERSONS IN THE POOREST COUNTRIES
CATHERINE SULLIVAN CENTRE FOR HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN STRATHFIELD NSW AUSTRALIA
HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND
IF YOU WISH, YOU MAY MAKE A COPY OF THIS FILE FOR STUDY PURPOSES AND SHARE WITH FRIENDS IN
AFRICA OR ASIA OR ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

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