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1
MONDAY
SONGS 3
SONGS IN ENGLISH
FOR ENGLISH STUDY
EACH CLASS
1 FOLK SONG
1 POP SONG
1 LITERARY SONG
1 MUSICAL SONG
1 SACRED SONG
2
This text book file of songs in English was compiled by Paul Harvey, pen name 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 Paul AS Harvey. In compiling this textbook I have made use of internet materials, the Wikipedia encyclopedia
was very useful.
Paul Harvey (Stean Anthony) has published a range of books. All with Yamaguchi Shoten, Kyoto, except the first one.
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.
Eco-Friendly Japan (Eihosha)
(essays)
Messages to My Mother 1 -7 (essays and poems)
Mozzicone 1 - 2
(essays)
2 volumes
Selections from Shakespeare 1 – 5
Inorijuzu
7 volumes
(poetry)
5 volumes
(words of wisdom)
Songs for Islam
(poetry)
Sufisongs (poetry)
Songs 365
(poetry)
Saint Paul 200
Gospel 365
(words of wisdom)
(prose passages)
Manyoshu 365
(poetry)
One Hundred Poems
Saint John 550
(poetry)
(poetry)
Isaiah Isaiah Bright Voice
Great China 1
(poetry)
Great China 2
(poetry)
Pashsongs
(poetry)
(poetry)
Saint Mary 100 (poetry)
Saint Mary 365 book one (poetry)
Kongzi 136 (poetic statements)
Eitanka 1
(poetry)
pdf file
Monday Songs 1 (songs for English study)
pdf file
pdf file
pdf file
pdf file
3
Monday Songs Course 3
025 Monday Songs Class Paul A.S. Harvey
3.1 Kwords
5 per class 1 Folk 1 Pop 1 Literary 1 Musical 1 Sacred & Quiz
12 classes & introduction
Folk: English Greensleeves
Pop: A Horse with No Name America
Literary: In Praise of Mary & The Irish Dancer HG Anthology
Musical: What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong
Sacred: Jerusalem William Blake
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Greensleeves
Traditional, various versions.
Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company.
Chorus:
Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.
Alas, my love, that you should own
A heart of wanton vanity,
So must I meditate alone
Upon your insincerity.
Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart
But my heart remains in captivity.
If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain
A lover in captivity.
I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.
Thou couldst desire no earthly thing,
But still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
I bought thee kerchiefs for thy head,
That were wrought fine and gallantly;
I kept thee at both board and bed,
Which cost my purse well-favoredly.
I bought thee petticoats of the best,
The cloth so fine as it might be;
I gave thee jewels for thy chest,
And all this cost I spent on thee.
Thy smock of silk, both fair and white,
With gold embroidered gorgeously;
Thy petticoat of sendal right,
And these I bought thee gladly.
My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.
'Tis, I will pray to God on high,
That thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.
Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.
Comment
Well-loved traditional English folk-song, considered by
some to have been written by Henry VIII for Anne
Boleyn. This is unlikely. It dates from the Tudor period
(text extant from c 1580) and was set to music in the time
of Shakespeare.
Lady Greensleeves: beloved is a lady of elegance and
high-fashion, this name also hides her identity
Wanton vanity: the lover chides her for her unkindness to
him by commenting on vanity
Kerchiefs: expensive cloths and gifts, perhaps the singer
is a nobleman, and she an attendant
Sendal: silken material, expensive
My men clothed in green: perhaps green was the
household livery
Gallantly: with good workmanship
Board and bed: table (food) and place to sleep
Well-favoredly: cost a lot, because I had favored you well
Smock: upper garment, shirt
Vouchsafe: promise
Alfred Deller (1912-1979) one of the most highly
celebrated of English counter-tenors of the last century
sings a few verses. Celtic Woman has a good version on
YouTube (Méav Ní Mhaolchatha).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
A Horse With No Name (1972)
Lyrics by Dewey Bunnell
Performed by America
On the first part of the journey,
4
I was looking at all the life.
There were plants and birds, and rocks and things,
There was sand and hills and rings.
The first thing I met, was a fly with a buzz,
And the sky, with no clouds.
The heat was hot, and the ground was dry,
But the air was full of sound.
I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name,
It felt good to be out of the rain.
In the desert you can remember your name,
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain.
La, la, la continued.
After two days, in the desert sun,
My skin began to turn red.
After three days, in the desert fun,
I was looking at a river bed.
And the story it told, of a river that flowed,
Made me sad to think it was dead.
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no
name,
La, la, la continued.
After nine days, I let the horse run free,
'Cause the desert had turned to sea.
There were plants and birds, and rocks and things,
There was sand and hills and rings.
The ocean is a desert, with its life underground,
And a perfect disguise above.
Under the cities lies, a heart made of ground,
But the humans will give no love.
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no
name,
If we judge the song on its own merits, however, it is a
dream about leaving behind a hateful world. To be in a
place where people do not give pain, where one can
remember one’s own name. People yearn for escape from
alienation and oppression. But the journey does not seem
to lead anywhere. Where does this “horse with no name”
take us? To the good earth? To a paradise-garden? To
happiness? The loveless world of humanity is left behind.
The horse is abandoned. The singer is at the sea – it is
death he has come to. The dream-song is a disguised
allegory about false faith, the false-belief he has relied on
(a horse without a name) is a false-faith without a true
name (without the true name of God or Jesus). Such a
faith leads to death. This is a strong interpretation – do
you agree with it?
Bunnell made the following comments about this song:
“I had spent a good deal of time poking around in the
high desert with my brother when we lived at Vandenberg
Air Force Base [in California]. And we’d drive through
Arizona and New Mexico. I loved the cactus and the heat.
I was trying to capture the sights and sounds of the
desert, and there was an environmental message at the
end. But it’s grown to mean more for me. I see now that
this anonymous horse was a vehicle to get me away from
all the confusion and chaos of life to a peaceful, quiet
place.”
Horse with no name: what does this suggest? A hired
horse – your own horse would have a name. Horses are
always given names, an unnamed horse is somehow
unsettling, untrustworthy?
Ain’t no one: dialect English, there isn’t anyone
America
America is an English-American folk rock band that
originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey
Bunnell and Dan Peek (born 1952). They were sons of
American fathers and British mothers, raised in the UK.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
La la, la, continued.
Literary
Comment
A poetic dream-sequence, said to be about drug
experience. Horse was said to be a code-word for the
drug heroin.
New Oxford Book of English Verse
As far as that drug is concerned, let me say that in the last
half-century it destroyed as many lives as a small-scale
war – such is the disastrous effect of addiction to this
drug. Some things such as heroin must never be tried – it
is a horse of death. A significant difference between
American high-school kids and kids of the same age in
Japan, Korea or China, is that between 1 or 2 % in the
USA abuse this drug (higher numbers in certain places),
but 0 % over here. It is an indication of significant failure
in American education and social policy.
Of one that is so fair and bright,
Velut maris stella
[like a star of the sea]
Brighter than the dayes light,
Parens et puella,
[mother and maiden]
I cry to thee; thou see to me!
[look after me]
Lady, pray thy son for me,
Tam pia,
[so devoted]
That I mote come to thee, [may come]
Maria.
Edited by Helen Gardner (OUP, 1972).
2 In Praise of Mary
5
Lady, flower of alle thing,
Rosa sine spina,
[rose without thorn]
Thou bore Jesu, heavenes king
Gratia divina.
[grace divine]
Of alle thou bearest the prize,
Lady, queen of Paradise,
Electa.
[chosen by God]
Maide milde mother is
Effecta.
[proven]
Of care conseil thou art best [in distress best counsellor]
Felix fecundata,
[fertile with happiness]
Of alle weary thou art rest,
Mater honorata.
[honored mother]
Beseech him with milde mood
That for us alle shed his blood
In cruce,
[on the cross]
That we moten come to him
[may]
In luce.
[in light]
All this woreld were forlore
[world would be forlorn]
Eva peccatrice,
[through sinful Eve]
Till our Loverd was y-bore
[Lord was born]
De te genetrice.
[from you the mother]
With Ave it went away
Thuster night, and cometh the day
[dark night]
Salutis.
[of salvation]
The welle springeth out of thee
Virtutis.
[of virtue]
Well thou wot he is thy son [you know]
Ventre quem portasti.
[whom you bore in your womb]
He will not werne thee thy boon,
[he’ll not deny thy prayer]
Parvum quem lactasti. [because you suckled him]
So hende and so good he is,
[gracious]
He haveth brought us to bliss
Superni,
[of heaven]
That hath y-dit the foule pit
[shut up hell]
Inferni.
[of hell]
3 The Irish Dancer
I am of Ireland
And of the holy land
Of Ireland.
Good sir, pray I thee,
Of Sainte Charity,
Come and dance with me
In Ireland.
Comment
Two medieval lyrics dating probably from the thirteenth
century (c 1250?). The first is a macaronic poem, with the
Latin words completing the sense of the English, so the
meaning would only have been understood by the clergy.
The second is a medieval English song about Ireland,
perhaps considered to be a land of saints. It was adapted
by W. B. Yeats as a song by a woman, “I am of Ireland,
and the holy land of Ireland, and time runs on, cried she.
Come out of charity, come dance with me in Ireland.”
Thuster, thester: v. obs. To become dark, grow dim, or to
make dark.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
What a Wonderful World (1967, released October 1968)
Lyrics by George David Weiss & George Douglas (Bob
Thiele)
Sung by Louis Armstrong
I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom, for me and you.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue, and clouds of white.
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky.
Are also on the faces, of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying, “I love you.”
I hear babies cry, I watch them grow,
They’ll learn much more, than I’ll ever know.
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
Comment
This is sung by Louis Armstrong and it became strongly
associated with him. His deep gravelly voice, and sunny
personality are perfect for this song, which is a message
about happiness in the way things are, conveying a mood
of contentment and optimism. The song has a message
about racial diversity and harmony in the phrase, “The
colors of the rainbow.” The comment about today’s
children learning more than the older generation is an
optimistic statement about the power of education to
change society. The cover picture of Louis Armstrong on
the single released with this song, where he is grinning
from ear to ear, is like a message saying: here’s a “big
smile for the world.” The song was not initially successful
in the USA, where there was a lot of racial and political
tension 1967-8. (Martin Luther King assassinated in April
1968.) But it was number one in the UK (1968). But it
became a world-classic. Louis Armstrong was never
political, concentrating on performance (which infuriated
his radical African-American friends at that time). “For
me and you” means for black and white – it is a song
about love between all people.
Allegorical elements in the song
Although the words are very simple the song is an
allegory. Green trees / red roses bloom for everyone –
meaning that it is a beautiful world to share, belonging to
all. In the colors there may be a message, red and green
(stop and go?). There may be a comment here about
6
being thankful for the gift of sight, suggested by the
emphasis upon “see” and the colors.
“I see” is a Jewish allegorical statement for true belief –
in the one true God (this is a common biblical allegory).
Blue sky signifies heaven and happiness, white clouds,
perhaps rain. The next line suggests that both the day
and night are blessed or sacred – and if every day is blest,
then all our life is blest. Ps 23.6. There is a spiritual
message here but it is not completely explicit.
The rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant. The colors
upon the faces indicate racial diversity. “Color” was used
in this racial sense, and was a very loaded word (not used
like this now). In South Africa “coloreds” was the term
used to label people of mixed racial background, an
ignorant prejudicial term used to segregate communities
(whites, coloreds and Africans). Nowadays the rainbow
stands for a pluralist tolerant society, also a symbol of
freedom for alternate sexuality and gender (but not then).
The song celebrates people greeting one another freely
and without inhibition in an ideal society without racial
prejudice and inequality, where just an ordinary greeting
is a statement of love. The last verse is a statement of
confidence in the power of education to remove prejudice,
something that has been proved to be true, especially in
Japan. He concludes with an emphasis on the word “Yes”
and this could be a hint about Christ (Iesus). The song is
a like a modern psalm!
Louis Armstrong (1901 – 1971)
American jazz trumpeter and vocalist from New Orleans.
Born in poverty, the grandson of slaves. He was
befriended by a Jewish family and became a lifelong
friend to Judaism. Apparently he was baptized a Catholic
at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in New Orleans. He
dropped out of school and made ends meet by taking
part-time jobs in the streets. He learnt to play the
trumpet at a home he was sent to, and from the age of 18
his career as a professional musician took off. He
developed his own style and originality through the 1920s,
making numerous records, and became the most
influential African-American performer of his generation.
He died soon after recording this song, and it remains his
testimony of love for the world – Pops (one of his
nicknames) saying, “I love you” to the world, and to us
even now.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time (1804)
“Jerusalem” Music by C. H. Parry (1848-1918)
Words by William Blake (1757-1827)
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green?
And was the Holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark satanic mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land.
Comment
Mystical poem written by William Blake when he was
writing his symbolic epic poem “Milton” (1804). The
poem asks whether Jesus visited the shores of England.
This is a reference to a legend in which a young Jesus,
accompanied by his uncle Joseph of Arimathea, visited
Glastonbury. The legend is linked to the Book of
Revelation (3:12 and 21:2) describing a Second Coming,
when Jesus establishes the new Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a
metaphor for Heaven. It is a rhetorical question – and the
answer is, Not yet!
There is also perhaps a hint about Blake’s visions – he
saw angels, and he may be asking whether Jesus had
been seen in vision (as Saint Paul did). The Lamb is a
frequent symbol in his writing and his art. He then asks
to be furnished like an avenging angel or a prophet, in
order that the Holy City (Heaven) may be built on
England’s soil. (The poem is followed in the preface to
“Milton” by a quotation from Numbers 11.29: “Would to
God that all the Lord's people were prophets,” so he is
announcing effectively that he is a prophet.) Blake was a
non-conformist and a man of deep spiritual faith,
rejecting conventional morality. There is also a Romantic
protest here against the industrial revolution, just
beginning to have an impact on English towns. The
“satanic mills” may also be a veiled protest against the
established church. It is a mystical and spiritual poem, so
it is ironic that it should be sung by so many people and
so often in England on secular occasions, even on the
football terraces – a good indication that people often just
do not think about the words properly!
Note adapted from Cyberhymnal website
C. H. Parry set Blake’s Preface to Milton to music for a
rally of the “Fight for the Right” movement. It became
known as “Jerusalem” when Parry conducted it in 1918 at
a concert to mark the final stage in the Votes for Women
Campaign, after which it was adopted by the National
Federation of Women’s Institutes (and is still sung at
meetings of WI Groups all over Britain). Blake would
surely have approved of the use of his poem for the cause
of women’s emancipation. Edward Elgar added an
orchestral score in time for the Leeds Festival of 1922,
turning it into the popular national hymn which
7
traditionally ends the last night of the promenade
concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. It is heard in the movie
Chariots of Fire (1981) and it is one of the most popular of
all English hymns.
8
026 Monday Songs Class
Paul A.S. Harvey
2.5 Kwords
Folk: Scottish Willie Stewart Robert Burns
Pop: U2 I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
Literary: Maid of the Moor & The Virgin’s Song HG Anthology
Musical: Tis done I am thy bride & Were I thy bride G&S
Sacred: Handel Coronation Anthems 1727
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Willie Stewart (1795)
Text: Robert Burns
Arranged by Eddi Reader
Sung by Eddi Reader
Chorus:
You're welcome, Willie Stewart,
You're welcome, Willie Stewart,
There's ne'er a flower that blooms in May,
That's half sae welcome's thou art!
Come, bumpers high, express your joy,
The bowl we maun renew it,
The tappet hen, gae bring her ben,
To welcome Willie Stewart,
Chorus
May foes be strang, and friends be slack
Ilk action, may he rue it,
May woman on him turn her back
That wrangs thee, Willie Stewart,
Gae: go
Tappet hen: tappit hen a quart measure of whiskey
served in a ben-bowl with a lid
May foes be strang: even though foes be strong
Slack: slow (in coming to help)
Ilk: such
Wrangs: wrongs
Ken: know
Eddi Reader’s note: “This was written for Robert’s good
friend William Stewart. As I searched through some
songbooks this song caught my eye because it was titled
“Enscribed on a Tumbler.” Robert had a diamond stylus
and wrote these verses onto a crystal glass one night in
celebration of his good friend. He wrote the last two
verses for Willie’s daughter Polly Stewart and I used those
verses to continue his tribute to Willie.”
For information about Eddi Reader see Monday Songs 1.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
I still haven’t found what I’m looking for (1987)
Lyrics and vocals: Paul Hewson (Bono)
Performed by U2
I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you
Chorus
A flower, it grows, it fades, it falls
And nature cannot renew it.
But worth and truth, eternal youth,
We’ll give to Willie Stewart.
May she whose arms shall enfold thy charms
Possess a loyal and true heart
To her be given, to ken the heaven
She holds in Willie Stewart.
Comment
A song of friendship, sung to a lively Celtic tune by Eddi
Reader who conveys the spirit of these songs so well.
Glossary
No flower in May is as welcome as you are!
Sae: so
Bumper: glass
Maun: must
Renew it: refill the bowls for drinking
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in her fingertips
It burned like a fire
This burning desire
I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
I believe in the Kingdom Come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I'm still running
9
You broke the bonds
You loosed the chains
Carried the cross
To my shame
To my shame
You know I believe it
Comment
A song with an obvious spiritual message. Called a
gospel song by Bono. Both the lyrics and the vocal style
proclaim that the singer has something important to say.
He has expended all energy to be with the beloved. It
sounds like a love song, but as the song goes forward it
sounds more like a poem about searching for truth or
faith. Run through the fields, climbed mountains,
crawled? Why crawled? As a baby? Or as a paratrooper?
Scaling city walls? Scaling city walls is ancient warfare. Is
he confessing to acts of war? Then follows a statement
about seeking consolation in desire and sexual
experience. This burnt like fire. Perhaps this refers to
false gods – in the Old Testament adultery has this
metaphorical meaning.
Then he half-quotes from Saint Paul – speaking with the
tongue of an angel. Without love this would be
meaningless (according to 1 Cor 13). It sounds like he is
making a confession and seeking God. I believe in the
“Kingdom Come” – this is a phrase from the King James
translation of the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done.” This sounds like he is asserting belief
in Christ’s reign on earth, the Kingdom to come. The
next line sounds Apocalyptic – when Christ returns all the
colors will become one, i.e. white or light itself perhaps.
The last verse is a prayer to Jesus. “Yes, I’m still running,”
is a code to say that Ies (Iesous = Jesus) is still running
the show. The shame is perhaps the shame he has
confessed to, warfare and false belief – but he is still
undecided about what he is looking for. The song works
by suggestive statements without closure – this makes it
more interesting, and avoids being too didactic in tone
(which will not work in pop lyrics).
U2
For information about the band see Monday Songs 21
(Pop: New Year’s Day).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
4 The Maid of the Moor
Maiden in the moor lay,
In the moor lay,
Seven nighte full
Seven nighte full
Maiden in the moor lay
In the moor lay
Seven nighte full and a day.
Well was here meat.
What was here meat?
The primerole and the ––
The primerole and the ––
Well was here meat.
What was here meat?
The primerole and the violet.
Well was here dring.
What was here dring?
The colde water of the ––
The colde water of the ––
Well was here dring.
What was here dring?
The colde water of the welle-spring.
Well was here bower.
What was here bower?
The rede rose and the ––
The rede rose and the ––
Well was here bower.
What was here bower?
The rede rose and the lily-flower.
5 The Virgin’s Song
Jesu, sweete sone dear,
On poorful bed liest thou here,
And that me grieveth sore.
For thy cradle is as a bere,
Ox and asse be thy fere,
Weep I may therefore.
Jesu, sweete , be not wroth.
Though I n’ave clout ne cloth
Thee on for to fold,
Thee on to folde ne to wrap,
For I n’ave clout ne lap,
But lay thou thy feet to my pap
And wite thee from the cold.
Comment
Two medieval songs. The first is a melodious song, with
repeated lines. What is it about? It sounds like a fragment
from a Romance – a maiden alone in the wilderness,
seven nights symbolizing a certain length of time. She
lives on flowers, and the spring water, and sleeps on roses
and lilies. It could be an allegory for holy virgins in a
convent, or for an eremite or anchorite, separating herself
from the word. The second song is as though sung by
Mary, regretting the poverty of Jesus’s birth. Note that
10
Middle English preserved the final e at the end of words,
and this is pronounced: foldė thus has two syllables.
Dring: drink
Bere: byre
Fere: companion
Wroth: angry
N’ave: ne have, do not have
Thee … fold: to fold thee in
Clout: piece of cloth
Lap: fold
Feet: this must be a mistake for head
Pap: breast
Wite: keep
O weary wives
Who widowhood would win,
Rejoice that ye have time
To weary in.
2 Were I thy Bride (1888)
From The Yeomen of the Guard Act 1 (sung by Phoebe)
W.S. Gilbert & A. Sullivan
Were I thy bride,
Then all the world beside
Were not too wide
To hold my wealth of love Were I thy bride!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
1 Tis done I am a Bride (1888)
From The Yeomen of the Guard Act 1 (sung by Elsie)
'Tis done! I am a bride! Oh, little ring,
That bearest in thy circlet all the gladness
That lovers hope for, and that poets sing,
What bringest thou to me but gold and sadness?
A bridegroom all unknown, save in this wise,
Today he dies! Today, alas, he dies!
Though tear and long-drawn sigh
Ill fit a bride,
No sadder wife than I
The whole world wide!
Ah me! Ah me!
Yet maids there be
Who would consent to lose
The very rose of youth,
The flower of life,
To be, in honest truth,
A wedded wife,
No matter whose!
Ah me! what profit we,
O maids that sigh,
Though gold should live
If wedded love must die?
Ere half an hour has rung,
A widow I!
Ah, heaven, he is too young,
Too brave to die!
Ah me! Ah me!
Yet wives there be
So weary worn, I trow,
That they would scarce complain,
So that they could
In half an hour attain
To widowhood,
No matter how!
Upon thy breast
My loving head would rest,
As on her nest
The tender turtle dove Were I thy bride!
This heart of mine
Would be one heart with thine,
And in that shrine
Our happiness would dwell Were I thy bride!
And all day long
Our lives should be a song:
No grief, no wrong
Should make my heart rebel Were I thy bride!
The silvery flute,
The melancholy lute,
Were night-owl's hoot
To my low-whispered coo Were I thy bride!
The skylark's trill
Were but discordance shrill
To the soft thrill
Of wooing as I'd woo Were I thy bride!
The rose's sigh
Were as a carrion's cry
To lullaby
Such as I'd sing to thee,
Were I thy bride!
A feather's press
Were leaden heaviness
To my caress.
But then, of course, you see,
I'm not thy bride.
Comment
From The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), Savoy Opera,
11
music by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. Two
beautiful arias from this light opera, which is closer to
opera than the other productions of G&S. In the first aria
Elsie sings about the irony of being married to a man
(Fairfax) who has been sentenced to death. There is a
cynical edge to this aria – she says that some women
might be happy to be married to anyone, and then happy
to be a widow (because of the wealth it would bring).
The beautiful melody is slightly at odds with the content.
The second aria, sung by Phoebe, is a warm statement of
love for Fairfax.
The Yeomen of the Guard
For information about this light opera see Monday Songs
19. Elsie is sung by Elsie Morison, Phoebe by Marjorie
Thomas, Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, recorded 1957.
Circlet: a ring
Save in this wise: except in this way
Trow: believe (poetic)
Rejoice that ye have time: be glad that you have time
(because Fairfax is sentenced and has no time)
Carrion: literally a carcass or dead body, but here
something vile
Feather’s press: weight of a feather? Press can also mean
cupboard but that is not relevant here (clothes-press).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
G. F. Handel, Coronation Anthems (1727)
1 Zadok the Priest
2 Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
3 The King Shall Rejoice,
4 My Heart Is Inditing.
Zadok, the Priest, and Nathan, the Prophet, anointed
Solomon King;
and all the people rejoiced, and said:
God save the King, long live the King, may the King live
forever!
Amen! Alleluia!
The King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord.
Exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.
Glory and great worship hast thou laid upon him.
Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness
and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
Alleluia!
Comment
The Coronation Anthems were commissioned and
performed at the coronation of George II and his Queen
Caroline in 1727. Popular from that date they have been
performed regularly ever since. The music is ceremonial
and extrovert, befitting a venue such as Westminster
Abbey.
The text of Zadok the Priest is derived from the biblical
account of the anointing of Solomon by Zadok and
Nathan and the people's rejoicing at this event. The
significance of this is that, following David, Solomon was
the greatest King of Israel, and he built the Lord’s
Temple. Zadok is high priest (like an Archbishop or
Pope), descending from Aaron, of great legitimacy, and
Solomon is anointed as a king sacred to God. The
implication is that the British King is as legitimate as
Solomon, and must serve God and protect His English
Temple, which is the Church. These words have been
used in every English coronation since that of King
Edgar at Bath Abbey in 973 and Handel's setting has
been used at every coronation since 1727. It is
traditionally performed during the sovereign's anointing
and its text is after 1 Kings (1:38–40). About 5 minutes.
My Heart is Inditing. This piece sets a text developed by
Henry Purcell for the 1685 coronation, consisting of a
shortened adaptation of verses from Psalm 45 (verses 1, 10,
12, which is a wedding song in praise of the King) and
Book of Isaiah (chapter 49, verse 23, about the restoration
of Israel). In 1727 it was sung at the end of the coronation
of Queen Caroline, with adaptations by Handel to make
its words more appropriate. The music is in four sections
and characterized by a more refined and distinguished air
than the other anthems. About 12 minutes.
Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened. The text of the second
My heart is inditing of a good matter:
I speak of the things which I have made unto the King.
Kings daughters were among thy honorable women,
Upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in vesture of
gold,
and the King shall have pleasure in thy beauty.
Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and queens thy nursing
mothers.
Let thy hand be strengthened and thy right hand be
exalted.
Let justice and judgment be the preparation of thy seat!
Let mercy and truth go before thy face.
Let justice, judgment, mercy and truth go before thy face.
Alleluia!
hymn is from Psalm 89 (verses 13-14, a psalm that
announces God’s love and covenant with David. It then
mourns downfall, and prays for restoration by God. A
grand statement which concludes Book III of the psalter).
It is divided into three parts. About 9 minutes.
[information from wikipedia and choralwiki].
The King Shall Rejoice. Taking a text from Psalm 21
(verses 1-3, 5, a psalm of praise of victories for the King).
Handel splits this work into separate sections.
Prevented: gone before and granted to
Indite: put into speech, compose
For more information about Handel see Monday Songs 7
& 22 & 24.
12
027 Monday Songs Class Paul A.S. Harvey
3Kwords
Folk Wesh: Y deryn pur The Dove & Ar lan y môr Beside the Sea
Pop: Yellow Submarine Beatles
Literary: 6 Et Incarnatus Est. 7 The Complaint of Troilus. HG anth.
Musical: Walking in the Air from The Snowman Peter Auty
Sacred: By the Rivers of Babylon Ps 137 Boney M
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Welsh Folksong
1 Y deryn pur The Dove (one verse in Welsh)
Y deryn pur â'r adain las
Bydd i mi'n was dibrydar
O! brysur brysia at y ferch
Lle rhois i'm serch yn gynnar
Dos di ati, dywed wrthi
Mod i'n wylo'r dwr yn heli
Mod i'n irad am ei gwelad
Ac o'i chariad yn ffaelu â cherddad!
Duw faddeuo'r hardd ei llun
Am boeni dyn mor galad!
The Dove
Oh gentle dove, with pinion blue,
Fly swiftly to the maiden
Whom long I've loved with passion true.
A message bear love-laden.
Go to her and say I'm weeping,
One hope in my bosom keeping;
Tis to meet her fondly greet her;
Yet if her love I fail to waken,
May Heaven forgive her all the pain
She gives this heart forsaken.
With heart so gay on happy day
I walked with step so sprightly,
The fairest maid I ever saw
Came tripping there so lightly.
On her beauty so amazing,
All transfixed I stood there gazing,
'Mong the fairest she seemed rarest,
Her smile did shed around fresh beauty;
She shone an angel to my view,
To love her was but duty!
Translations found on:
http://www.angelfire.com/in/gillionhome/Lyrics/Caneuon/deryn.html
Beside the Sea
Beside the sea red roses growing
Beside the sea white lilies showing
Beside the sea their beauty telling
My true love sleeps within her dwelling
Beside the sea the stones lie scattered
Where tender words in love were uttered
While all around there grew the lily
And sweetest branches of rosemary
Now, o’er the sea, my heart is crying,
O’er the sea, O hear me sighing,
O’er the sea my soul comes winging,
Where your golden voice is ringing.
Translated by Malcolm Cowen 2008
Sian James singing Ar Lan Y Mor (Beside the Sea) with harp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oho2kSoIx6A
Comment
Two traditional Welsh folksongs, sung in Welsh. Two
translations. Many Welsh folksongs are about birds, often
as messengers of some kind. We will listen to the songs
in Welsh, because it is a beautiful language, and very
important to the British Isles. (The Britons, composed of
many tribes, were the original Celtic inhabitants of the
British mainland. They were displaced to present day
Wales by the Germanic Anglo-Saxons, who settled in
England.)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
Yellow Submarine (1966) 26
Lennon-McCartney
In the town where I was born,
Lived a man who sailed to sea,
And he told us of his life,
In the land of submarines,
So we sailed on to the sun,
Till we found the sea of green,
And we lived beneath the waves,
In our yellow submarine,
We all live in a yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
2 Ar lan y môr Beside the Sea (one verse in Welsh)
Ar lan y môr mae rhosys cochion
Ar lan y môr mae lilis gwynion
Ar lan y môr mae 'nghariad innau
Yn cysgu'r nos a chodi'r borau.
And our friends are all aboard,
Many more of them live next door,
And the band begins to play.
(Trumpets play)
13
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
Yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
As we live a life of ease
Every one of us has all we need,
Sky of blue, and sea of green,
In our yellow submarine.
(Haha!)
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
church in China or the Soviet Union, during the years of
oppression – when Christians were persecuted.
When one reads the lyrics in this way it is like reading a
kind of poetry, but the point is that there is no fixed
meaning – interpretation is free, and in some contexts
certain messages can be communicated. It is a method
of getting through to people in societies that are
oppressed with censorship. If the message is too strong
or too obvious, the censors will not permit it, and also it
won’t be popular.
Vocals are by Ringo Starr, his first lead vocal. He was the
nicest of the Beatles, said to be good with children, and
if he sang, it pointed to some special meaning. Written by
Paul McCartney who said it was a children’s song. Now
well-known as a nursery rhyme.
(fading)
yellow submarine, yellow submarine,
yellow submarine, yellow submarine.
Comment
A song which appears to be a song for children, with a
playground melody, but obviously there’s something else
being said. What could the “land of yellow submarines”
mean? Is it just a surreal nonsense song?
In the Beatles songs a hidden clue is found in the Latin
language, as we have seen with the Beatles name itself,
which is partly formed from the Latin word for blessed,
“beatus,” like the “Beatnik” generation in America in the
1950s. A submarine is of course a vehicle for travelling
under the water. “Sub” means “under,” and “marine,”
means the sea, both from Latin. It could be a kind of a
joke, “sub - under” can also mean “beneath the rule,” or
“under the government of,” and the word Marine, might
be Marine, in the sense of soldier – the Marines were
American soldiers. The word Yellow could be “Yell – ow”
= shout ouch! Or it could be yellow which might be an
unpleasant joke about skin color (very offensive), which
might refer to China or Japan. Or yellow might be the
color of brightness. Or it might refer to the Yellow River –
a submarine up the Yellow River? Or yellow might be a
hint about God: Y a code for Christ on the cross, like a
pictogram, El the ancient Hebrew name for God. It could
be a protest song against American occupation of a
foreign land in Asia, as in Okinawa, Japan or the US army
in Vietnam.
I prefer to understand the meaning as Sub-Maria, under
the love and care of Mary, and yellow meaning bright. Is
there perhaps a joke for Japan in the double meaning on
the word Haha! which is a laugh in English, and the word
for mother in Japanese haha 母 ?
There is also a sense in the phrase living under the sea,
of being out of sight, suggesting the underground
“Yellow Submarine” was the inspiration and basis for
The Beatles' fourth film, released in 1968, as well as its
accompanying soundtrack album.
The song spent four weeks at number 1 in the UK charts.
The chorus of the song is sung with great strength and it
has a powerful rhythm. This does make a statement to me
– it’s a message – we are in a bright submarine, safe
under sea, where the bad guys cannot get to us, we are
waiting until the bad times finish, then we will come up,
an underground church – the chorus line like a statement
of identity. It is a psychological strength-song for people
who feel persecuted. In fact, this is what prayer can also
be, and the brightness inside the head is like a bright
image of hope.
Polish football team Lech Poznan uses a cover of the
song translated into Polish as its anthem, which suggests
that the political & religious meaning was understood
there – under Communist oppression in the 1960s.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
6 Et Incarnatus Est. William Langland (1330-1400).
Love is the plant of peace and most precious of virtues.
For heaven hold it ne might, so heavy it seemed.
Till it had on earth yoten himself.
Was never leaf upon linden lighter thereafter,
As when it had of the fold flesh and blood taken.
Then was it portative and piercing as the point of needle.
May no armour it let, neither high walls.
For-thy is love leader of our Lord’s folk of heaven.
Hold it: contain it
Ne might: could not
Yoten: poured out
14
Linden: lime tree
Fold: earth
Portative: light to carry
Let: hinder
For-thy: this is why, for this reason
7 The Complaint of Troilus. Geoffrey Chaucer
(1343-1400).
O Palace, whilom crown of houses all,
Enluminèd with sun of allė bliss!
O ring, fro which the ruby is outfall,
O cause of woe, that cause hast been of liss!
Yet since I may no bet, fain would I kiss
Thy colde doors, durst I for this rout;
And farewell shrine, of which the saint is out!
From thence forth he rideth up and down,
And everything came him to remembrance,
As he rode by the places of the town,
In which he whilom had all his pleasance;
“Lo! yonder saw I mine own lady dance;
And in that temple, with her eyen clear,
Me caughte first my righte lady dear.
"And yonder have I heard full lustily
My deare hearte laugh; and yonder play:
Saw I her onės eke full blissfully;
And yonder onės to me gan she say,
“Now, goode sweete! Love me well, I pray;”
And yond so gladly gan she me behold,
That to the death my heart is to her hold.
“And at that corner, in the yonder house,
Heard I mine allerliefest lady dear,
So womanly, with voice melodious,
Singen so well, so goodly, and so clear,
That in my soulė yet me thinketh I hear
The blissful sound; and in that yonder place
My lady first me took unto her grace.”
Then he went to the gates, and gazed along the way by
which he had attended Cressida at her departure; then he
fancied that all the passers-by pitied him; and thus he
drove forth a day or two more, singing a song, of few
words, which he had made to lighten his heart:
“O star, of which I lost have all the light,
With heartė sore well ought I to bewail,
That ever dark in torment, night by night,
Toward my death, with wind in steer I sail;
For which, the tenthė night, if that I fail
The guiding of thy beamės bright an hour,
My ship and me Charybdis will devour.”
***
Was there none other brooch you liste let
To fiefė with your newė love, quod he,
But thilkė brooch that I, with teares wet,
You gave, as for a remembrance of me?
None other cause, alas, ne hadde ye
But for despite, and eek for that ye meant
All utterly to shewen your entent.
Through which I see that clean out of your mind
Ye have me cast, and I ne can nor may,
For all this world, within my heartė find
To unloven you a quarter of a day.
In cursed time I born was, wellaway,
That you, that do me all this woe, endure
Yet love I best of any creature!”
Whilom:
Enlumined: illumined
Alle: all
Fro: from
Outfall: dropped out
Liss: joy also release or relief (obs.) OED: 1393 Langland.
Piers Plowman. C. 2.200 Love is leach of life and liss of
all pain. [God’s love is the healer of life and relief from all
pain.]
May no bet: may do no better
Durst I for this rout: if I dared despite this company
Pleasance: happiness or delight
Eyen: eyes
Clear: bright
Caught: held
Righte: true
Lustily: vigorously
Gan she say: she began to say
Holden: bound
Allerliefest: dearest of all
In steer: astern, i.e. from behind
Fail: miss, be left without
Charybdis: ferryman on the River Styx, ferrying souls to
the other world.
Brooch: broach
List let: permitted
Fief: to grant as property
Thilke: that
Eek: even
Wellaway: alas, from Old English, an exclamation
Creature: of created beings
Comment
Piers Plowman C Text 2.149-56. Langland’s allegorical
dream vision has many passages of great beauty. Troilus
and Criseyde (5.547-81, 638-44, 1688-1701). Heartbroken,
Troilus grieves over being betrayed by Criseyde. Together
with the Canterbury Tales, this is Chaucer’s masterpiece.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
Walking in the Air
Music and Lyrics: Howard David Blake
From the score for the animated version of The
Snowman by Raymond R. Briggs (1978)
15
Animation (1982) Dir. Dianne Jackson (27 min).
Sung in the original film by Peter Auty (1969 -- ), later
by Aled Jones (1970 - ).
Writers: Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton, Frank
Farian, Reyam
Originally performed by The Melodians (1970)
We’re walking in the air,
We’re floating in the moonlit sky,
The people far below are sleeping as we fly.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down
Yeah we wept, when we remembered Zion.
I’m holding very tight,
I’m riding in the midnight blue,
I’m finding I can fly so high above with you.
Far across the world,
The villages go by like trees,
The rivers and the hills,
The forests and the streams.
Children gaze open mouth,
Taken by surprise,
Nobody down below believes their eyes.
We’re surfing in the air,
We’re swimming in the frozen sky,
We’re drifting over icy mountains floating by.
Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep,
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep.
We’re walking in the air,
We’re dancing in the midnight sky,
And everyone who sees us greets us as we fly.
Comment
Hauntingly beautiful song, written in an understated and
eloquent poetry, and scored with a beautiful melody. The
song, and the story itself is an allegory, but it is open –
the Snowman could mean various things. The power of
imagination, spiritual belief, love, a projection of need in
a lonely world – the kindness of the snowman represents
true love (not cold like a snowman at all) and it is a cold
world when the Snowman has melted.
Raymond Briggs (1934 - )
Highly regarded illustrator of a wide variety of books,
best known for his work for children, especially the
masterpieces, Fungus the Bogeyman (1977), The
Snowman (1978), When the Wind Blows (1982) and Father
Christmas (1973).
Howard Blake (1939 - )
British composer, known for film scores. His score for
The Snowman was nominated for an Oscar and the
beautiful song above is a classic. He has written a couple
of oratorios, Benedictus 1980 and Passion of Mary 2006.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
Rivers of Babylon (1978)
Performed by Boney M
(Psalm 137)
When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Required from us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
When the wicked
Carried us away in captivity
Requiring of us a song
Now how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
Let the words of our mouth
And the meditations of our heart
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight.
Let the words of our mouth
And the meditation of our hearts
Be acceptable in thy sight here tonight.
Comment
"Rivers of Babylon" is a song written and recorded by
Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican
reggae group The Melodians in 1970. It was covered by
Boney M in 1978. Pop song which does the impossible by
taking one of the Psalms (Psalm 137) and turning it into a
number 1 hit on the UK pop chart, and does so without
changing the meaning! The song also has words from Ps
19.14 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of
my heart, be acceptable in thy sight.” When they
performed the song, they performed these lines “Let the
words” as a prayer.
The original Psalm was composed in exile in Babylon
when the people of Israel were enslaved by the
Babylonian Empire called The Babylonian captivity (or
exile), conventionally 587–538 BCE. The waters might be
the Tigris or the Euphrates. The experience was a
parallel to the ancient enslavement in Egypt. It is a song
about grief in exile, sung by the shore, under the willows,
which were associated perhaps with sadness. There is a
sense in the Psalm that the captors understood the
holiness of the Hebrews and required them to sing
prayers, but they refused, because of the defilement of the
place, and the cruelty of their imprisonment. I have
16
omitted the last two verses of the Psalm which are a very
strong expression of anger and revenge.
Psalm 137.1-7 (omitting verses 8-9) King James Version
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we
wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst
thereof.
3 For there they that carried us away captive required of
us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth,
saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget
her cunning.
6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the
roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my
chief joy.
7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day
of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the
foundation thereof.
17
028 Monday Songs Class Paul A.S. Harvey 3 Kwords
5 per class 1 Folk 1 Pop 1 Literary 1 Musical 1 Sacred &
Quiz
Folk USA: The Mighty Quinn & Forever Young Bob Dylan
Pop: The Rose Bette Midler
Literary: 11 Quia Amore Langueo 4 verses 13 Adam Lay ybounden
Musical: I’m called Little Buttercup (Pinafore) & I am the Captain (Pinafore)
Sacred: Blessed is He Ps 1 K Hill & I love the Lord Ps 116 E Shomron
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
1 The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) (1968)
Lyrics and music: Bob Dylan
Performed by: Bob Dylan
Everybody’s building the big ships and boats
Some are building monuments, others jotting down notes
Everybody’s in despair, every girl and boy
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here everybody’s gonna jump for joy
Oh come all without, come all within
You’ll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn
Come all without, come all within
You’ll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn.
Oh you know I like to do just like the rest
You know I like my sugar sweet but guarding fumes and making haste
You know it ain’t my cup of meat
Everybody’s beneath the trees, feeding pigeons all under the limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here the pigeons gonna run to him
[This verse differs to the one on the CD:
I like to go just like the rest, I like my sugar sweet
But jumping queues and making haste
Just ain't my cup of meat
Everyone's beneath the trees feeding pigeons on a limb
But when Quinn the Eskimo gets here
All the pigeons gonna run to him.]
A cat’s meow and a cow’s moo to you know I, I could recite them all
Just tell me where it hurts you, honey, and I’ll tell you who to call
Nobody can get asleep, there’s someone on everybody’s toes
When Quinn the Eskimo gets here everybody’s gonna want to doze
Comment
A song recorded by Dylan in 1968 but not released for
many years. A cover version of the song was produced by
Manfred Mann and reached the no. 1 spot in the UK
charts. Dylan said that the title character refers to actor
Anthony Quinn’s role as an Eskimo in the 1960 movie
The Savage Innocents, but this does not really explain the
song, which is a kind of allegory about a savior-figure.
There is a code used in the song, which one meets in
songs of the sixties and seventies – “a cat” can
sometimes mean Catholic (especially in the Italian
pronunciation Cattolico). Tell me where it hurts you – if
it’s a faith problem I can tell you where to go, but when
Quinn gets here, then … Qui? In Latin Qui means “who?”
In the phrase The_Eskimo, when you listen to it, you can
hear the word “jes” which is Jesus, formed by the + j +
eskimo (in a British accent). Quinn is Jesus? Far-fetched
perhaps.
Perhaps there is some sexual content in the second verse,
which is masked – everybody’s got desire for something
or other, people are in despair or not, we all need to pray
– but when the true one is here, He will run the show.
Quinn could be an allegory for God (or Christ).
One should note also that the word Eskimo is not used so
much days, the word Inuit being preferred. In the 1960s
in many parts of the world the Inuit were still
disadvantaged and discriminated against, in common
with most First Nation peoples.
[From Wikip.] Dylan refers to the song in his 2004
autobiography Chronicles Volume One: "I passed the
local movie theater where The Mighty Quinn was
showing. Years earlier I had written a song called "The
Mighty Quinn" which was a hit in England. It was a
Jamaican thriller with Denzel Washington as the Mighty
Xavier Quinn a detective who solves crimes. Funny, that's
just the way I imagined him when I wrote the song The
Mighty Quinn, Denzel Washington." The point is that
the name for God is there in Denzel’s name – the ancient
name “El.” Far-fetched?
++++++++++++++++
2 Forever Young (1974)
Lyrics and sung by Bob Dylan
From the album Planet Waves.
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
And may you stay forever young.
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand up right and be strong
May your hands always be busy
18
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
Comment
Included by Dylan as a bonus track on The Best of Bob
Dylan vol. 2, only on the Japanese edition– a beautiful
poem which is a blessing. “Do for others” meaning to
help others and graciously allow others to help one. Build
a ladder to the stars, an echo of the ladders in Jacob’s
dream in Genesis 28 – let your thoughts reach towards
heaven. Stay young – be always eager & trying to achieve
more. The word righteous is an old word from the Psalms,
meaning acceptable before God. Hands busy, with work,
or with creation, also this could mean prayer as well. May
your feet be swift – this is quotation from the psalms –
swift feet means cleverness and success. The strong
foundation is a half-quote from the Psalms – God is our
strong foundation or our rock. May your song be sung –
like King David, young at heart, the great poet whose
songs are still sung, and whom Dylan brings to my mind.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
Comment
This was a song performed by Bette Midler in the
award-winning film The Rose (1979) and covered by
many artists since. It was a film about a self-destructive
female artist (Janis Joplin). The song is a country-style
anthem. The lyrics have an edge to them. It is a
strongly-phrased song against fear, appealing to the
power of human love and also perhaps to a greater love.
The rhymes are goo and the melody memorable. It was a
number one hit in 1980. There’s an anomaly in the song –
roses do not grow from seed! Or if they do, many years
must go by before they blossom. It could refer to a
different kind of rose, such as the primrose. It could also
be a hidden allegory – the old pun of “sun” and “son” –
the seed that with Christ’s love will be seen in the spring
as Mary (who is the rose).
Bette Midler (1945- )
Jewish family, raised in Honolulu, named after the actor
Bette Davis. Highly successful artist, both as a singer,
dancer, performer, film-star and TV personality. She has
done a lot for the regeneration of green spaces in New
York City, bringing derelict parks back to life.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
The Rose (1980)
Vocals: Bette Midler
Words and music: Amanda McBroom
Some say love it is a river
That drowns the tender reed,
Some say love it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed,
In the vale of restless mind
I sought in mountain and in mead,
Trusting a true love for to find.
Upon an hill then took I heed;
A voice I heard – and near I yede –
In great dolour complaining tho:
“See, dear soul, my sides bleed,
Quia amore langueo.
Some say love it is a hunger
An endless aching need,
I say love it is a flower
And you it's only seed.
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance,
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the
chance,
It's the one who won't be taken,
Who cannot seem to give,
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.
When the night has been too lonely,
And the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed
That with the sun's love
In the spring
Becomes the rose.
11 Quia Amore Langueo (Anonymous)
Upon this mount I found a tree;
Under this tree a man sitting;
From head to foot wounded was he,
His hearte-blood I saw bleeding;
A seemly man to be a king
A gracious face to look unto.
I asked him how he had paining.
He said, “Quia amore langueo.
I am true love that false was never.
My sister, man’s soul, I loved her thus;
Because I would on no wise dissever,
I left my kingdom glorious;
I purveyed her a place full precious;
She flit, I followed; I loved her so
That I suffered these paines piteous
Quia amore langueo.
My fair love and spouse bright,
19
I saved her fro beating and she hath me bet;
I clothed her in grace and heavenly light,
This bloody surcote she hath on me set.
For longing love I will not let;
Sweete strokes be these, lo!
I have loved her ever as I het,
Quia amore langueo.
Near I yede: I went nearer
Dolour: pain & sadness
Tho: then
Quia amore langueo: I am sick with love Canticles [Song
of Songs] 2:5 full verse is: Stay me up with flowers,
compass me about with apples: because I languish with
love. fulcite me floribus stipate me malis quia amore
langueo.
On no wise dissever: for no reason separate
Purveyed: carried
Flit: fled
Surcote: tunic
Het: promised
Comment
First four verses of this medieval poem (from a total of
16). The poem is like a dream allegory, a common device
in the middle ages. The true lover is Christ and his
spouse is man’s soul, structured as a courtly love
romance.
++++++++++++++++
13 Adam Lay y-bounden (Anonymous)
Adam lay y-bounden
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long;
And all was for an apple
An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden written
In theire book.
Ne had the apple taken been,
The apple taken been,
Ne hadde never our Lady
A been Heavenes Queen.
Blessed be the time
That apple taken was!
Therefore we may singen
Deo Gratias!
Comment
This is a medieval verse which is on the theme of “felix
culpa,” which explains that the Fall, regrettable as it may
have been, was in fact a hidden blessing because it led in
the end to the Virgin Mary and to salvation by Jesus
Christ – it was a happy error because it was part of God’s
plan for humanity. Adam is in bonds because he must
rest in limbo until he is rescued by Christ. The length of
time from Genesis to the resurrection was a favorite topic
of the middle ages. It is found on a unique manuscript
which also preserves the beautiful verse, “I sing of a
maiden,” (Monday Songs lesson 23). Boris Ord's setting
is probably the best-known version as a result of its
traditional performance following the First Lesson at the
annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the chapel
of King's College,Cambridge, where Ord was organist
between 1929-57.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
1 I’m called Little Buttercup (1878)
From Pinafore (sung by Mrs Cripps, Little Buttercup)
I’m called Little Buttercup – dear Little Buttercup,
Though I could never tell why,
But still I’m called Buttercup – poor little Buttercup,
Sweet Little Buttercup I!
I’ve snuff and tobaccy, and excellent jacky,
I’ve scissors, and watches, and knives;
I’ve ribbons and laces to set off the faces
Of pretty young sweethearts and wives.
I’ve treacle and toffee, I’ve tea and I’ve coffee,
Soft tommy and succulent chops;
I’ve chickens and conies, and pretty polonies,
And excellent peppermint drops.
Then buy of your Buttercup – dear Little Buttercup;
Sailors should never be shy;
So, buy of your Buttercup – poor Little Buttercup;
Come, of your Buttercup buy!
2 I am the Captain of the Pinafore (1878)
From Pinafore (sung by Captain Corcoran )
CAPT.
I am the Captain of the Pinafore
ALL.
And a right good captain, too!
CAPT.
You’re very, very good,
And be it understood,
I command a right good crew.
ALL.
We’re very, very good,
And be it understood,
He commands a right good crew.
CAPT.
Though related to a peer,
I can hand, reef, and steer,
And ship a selvagee;
I am never known to quail
At the fury of a gale,
And I’m never, never sick at sea!
ALL.
20
What, never?
CAPT.
No, never!
ALL.
What, never?
CAPT.
Hardly ever!
ALL.
He’s hardly ever sick at sea!
Then give three cheers, and one cheer more,
For the hardy Captain of the Pinafore!
CAPT.
I do my best to satisfy you all –
ALL.
And with you we’re quite content.
CAPT.
You’re exceedingly polite,
And I think it only right
To return the compliment.
ALL.
We’re exceedingly polite,
And he thinks it’s only right
To return the compliment.
CAPT.
Bad language or abuse,
I never, never use,
Whatever the emergency;
Though “Bother it” I may
Occasionally say,
I never use a big, big D –
ALL.
What, never?
CAPT.
No, never!
ALL.
What, never?
CAPT.
Well, hardly ever!
ALL.
Hardly ever swears a big, big D –
Then give three cheers, and one cheer more,
For the well-bred Captain of the Pinafore!
Comment
From HMS Pinafore (1878), Savoy Opera, music by
Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. Little
Buttercup is a woman selling foodstuffs on the ships
when they are in port. The joke is the disparity between
the little flower and presumably her rather large size.
Buttercup was a name commonly given to dairy cows.
Snuff: tobacco powder
Jacky: gin
Tommy: brown bread given to the sailors
Chops: cuts of meat
Conies: rabbits
Polonies: sausages
Hand, reef and steer: technical terms relating to running
the ship
Selvagee: a strong piece of rope or twine to secure a sail
The big D: damn! which is a gentle oath (sailors
supposed to be foul-mouthed, officers not)
HMS Pinafore
Highly successful comic opera with 571 performances. It
pokes fun at the British Navy, which was at the height of
its prestige, both in the British Empire and the world.
The point was that the current First Lord of the
Admiralty (a government appointee in charge of the
Navy) knew very little about the sea. The plot is comic.
The daughter of the ship’s captain, sought in marriage
by Sir Joseph the Lord of the Admiralty, is in love with a
common sailor. This highlights the rigid class
demarcations that existed on the ships. After revelations
of identities, a happy ending is achieved.
The opera is so well-known that we forget that the title
itself is ludicrous, and fail to appreciate the gentle
silliness that appealed to the Victorians. A pinafore is a
kind of apron worn by women. HMS (Her Majesty’s
Ship) was a title that preceded names like Ark Royal, or
Dreadnought, or Victory. It was very popular in the USA,
and there were dozens of illegal productions – so many in
fact that it led to the establishment of copyright laws.
The next opera was called Pirates of Penzance, to show
their disgust at the way that their work had been
exploited “by pirates.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
Blessed is he who will follow the Lord
Words: Psalm One
Music and Sung by: Kim Hill
Blessed is he who will follow the Lord,
He will not stand in the path of the sinner,
He will not sit in the seat of the scoffer,
For the law of the Lord is his delight.
In His law he meditates day and night,
He will be like a tree planted by water,
He will yield his fruit in its season,
His leaves won’t die,
In whatever he does, he will prosper.
For the lost, they are like chaff that wind drives away
They are not safe; at any time their life could perish.
The Lord holds the plans, and the paths of all who follow
Him,
The righteous will stand secure and last forever.
Comment
Splendid version of Psalm One, keeping the poetry and
giving a bright and clear message. Great voice and
melody – this is really what the Psalms should sound like.
This version is found on YouTube.
Kim Hill (1963 - )
Christian singer and song-writer active from 1990. Won
21
many awards. Single mother. Evangelical gospel church
(USA).
Other songs:
There’s a place for us (place of refuge in God’s grace)
When I remember (worship song for Christ)
+++++++++++++++++
I Love the Lord Ps 116.1, 2, 5-7
Sung and written by Elisheva Shomron (1975)
“Your Favorite Psalms Sung in English and Hebrew”
Hallelujah Israel Music (2001)
I love the Lord
Because he hears my voice
And my supplication
I love the Lord
Because he hears my voice
And my supplication
Because he has inclined his ear to me
I will call upon him
As long as I live
As long as I live
Because he has inclined his ear to me
I will call upon him,
As long as I live, I live!
Gracious is the Lord and righteous
Yes, our God is compassionate
The Lord preserves the sinful
I was brought low and he saved me
Gracious is the Lord and righteous
Yes, Our God is compassionate
The Lord preserves the sinful
Return to your rest O my soul
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you!
Return to your rest O my soul
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you
With you, with you!
Amen.
Comment
Bright & clear version of some verses of Psalm 116,
expressing the meaning very beautifully. Elisheva
Shomron has recorded and composed many songs, most
notably “Kadosh.”
22
Paul A.S. Harvey 3.5 Kwords
Folk: Only Our Rivers Run Free & Song of Wandering Aengus
Pop: Smoke on the Water Deep Purple
Literary: Lover’s Confession Orleans & Corpus Christi Carol
Musical: Sunrise Sunset & Sabbath Prayer Fiddle on Roof
Sacred: Praise my soul the king of heaven H. F. Lyte
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Only Our Rivers Run Free (1965)
Lyrics and music: Mickey McConnell
Performed by Christy Moore
When apples still grow in November,
When Blossoms still bloom from each tree,
When leaves are still green in December,
It’s then that our land will be free.
I wander her hills and valleys,
And still through my sorrow I see,
A land that has never known freedom,
And only her rivers run free.
I drink to the death of her manhood,
Those men who’d rather have died,
Than to live in the cold chains of bondage,
To bring back the rights we’re denied.
Oh where are you now when we need you,
What burns where the flame used to be,
Are ye gone like the snows of last winter,
And will only our rivers run free?
How sweet is life but we’re crying,
How mellow the wine but we’re dry.
How fragrant the rose but it’s dying,
How gentle the breeze but it sighs.
What good is in youth when you’re aging,
What joy is in eyes that can see
That there’s sorrow in sunshine and flowers,
If only our rivers run free.
Comment
This is a powerful freedom song, which follows a pattern
of many similar songs popular from the 18th century
onwards, when many peoples sought independence and
freedom from colonial powers. Although the freedom
theme is an attractive one, the song depends also on
strong nationalistic feelings – which are good in giving
the people strength of purpose but bad in that bloodshed
and war often follows.
For the Irish in the twentieth century, the nationalist
theme was sacrosanct, and it is an emotional song. No
wonder, since the people had been oppressed by the
British for so long. An important healing gesture was
made in 2012 when the Queen visited Dublin, and prayed
together with the Irish President for Irish who had died in
war. She was the first British monarch to visit Ireland
since Irish independence.
I drink to the death of her manhood: drink a toast in
memory and in honor of those who died for freedom. In
some versions this word is sung as “depth”, but
McConnell states that the version above is correct (on
The Mudcat Café website).
The song follows an ironic folkloric structure. When the
impossible happens, then freedom will be won. Most of
the phrases that follow have an emotional pull – where
are you now? Where is the flame of passion? The song is
a good example of a text that works very well when it is
sung, but it is less persuasive on paper.
Christy Moore (1945 )
Founding member of the Irish folk group Planxty.
Well-known for social commentary and protest songs.
Highly honored in Ireland.
++++++++++++++++++
The Song of Wandering Aengus (1899)
Words: W. B. Yeats (1865–1939)
From the anthology: The Wind Among the Reeds.
Performed by: Larry Siegel on YouTube
I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And some one called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
Comment
23
A poetic response to ancient Irish legend, an example of
Yeats’ strength during his Celtic period at the end of the
nineteenth century. Beautifully phrased and smoothly
rhymed, Yeats displays his musical skill. In this early
period, he was the equal of Tennyson, but he abandoned
this style to write harsher more conversational lyrics after
1900. The poem is like a dream, and the details are
symbolic, though the symbolism is not obvious. He will
pluck apples of the moon and of the sun? What are these?
Passion and wisdom? Many of the mystical poems of this
period yearn for a reconciliation of opposed forces, such
as body and spirit. The girl could be a muse or an ideal
figure reconciling conflicts. It is a lovely poem, and it is
close to old Japanese folklore.
Aengus: Important figure in Irish mythology, a hero
figure perhaps originally a deity, a god of love, he was the
ancestor of the hero Cuchullain. Here he searches for the
beautiful maiden seen in his dreams.
Sung version on YouTube from the CD Songs from the
3rd Octave by Larry Siegel [this sounds like an Irish air].
Interesting to compare this version with the one sung by
Mike Scott with The Waterboys, which is a recitation
against rock music, also on YouTube, from the CD An
Appointment with Mr Yeats.
But with the Rolling truck Stones thing just outside
Making our music there
With a few red lights and a few old beds
We make a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know, I know we’ll never forget
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky,
smoke on the water.
Comment
Perhaps one the most influential heavy-rock songs,
influencing thousands of heavy metal bands up to the
present day. The powerful hypnotic beat, and the hook
phrase “smoke on the water, fire in the sky,” make this
very recognizable.
The song was written about a real incident, when the
band was visiting Montreux in Switzerland in December
1971. Somebody shot a flare gun inside a gambling casino,
and it burned to the ground. Claude was the director of
the jazz festival, who saved some people from the fire.
Mobile means a mobile recording unit. Frank Zappa and
the Mothers of Invention was the band performing there.
“The place to sweat” refers to recording under the arc
lights.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
The song is famous for its central theme. Listening to
this repeated pulsing beat, one realizes it is a primordial
sound – like a heartbeat, or a large drum. Something so
simple and basic can be so powerful.
Smoke on the Water (1972)
Lyrics by group members: Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan,
Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Ian Paice
Performed by Deep Purple
From the Machine Head Album
Is there any deep meaning? Not in the song itself, but
perhaps the hook is poetic. Smoke on the water, fire in
the sky?
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn’t have much time
Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
smoke on the water.
They burned down the gamblin’ house,
It died with an awful sound
And Funky Claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground
When it all was over
We had to find another place
But Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race
smoke on the water.
We ended up at the Grand Hotel
It was empty cold and bare
It could be an image from war, the bombing of a city by
the sea. As I think on this I recall Japan’s terrible
suffering in 1945, the cities mercilessly firebombed, and
two atomic bombs as well. Personally, I feel sorry for that
terrible cruel suffering. I watched this on YouTube
performed in Budokan 1975, and felt there was sympathy
for Japan.
Or it could recall ancient English wars fought on the
oceans between wooden ships of war, when there would
have been smoke on the water, and fire burning
plentifully enough – wars, wars, and wars – stupid flare
guns starting conflagrations!
Might there be something else? Fire in the sky by night,
and cloud by day, the nation of Israel crossing the red
sea? Fire in the sky recalls Moses on Sinai, Deuteronomy
4.11-12: “Mount Sinai was surrounded by deep dark
clouds, and fire went up to the sky. You came to the foot
of the mountain and the Lord spoke to you from the fire.”
See also Judges 13.20.
There is a line in the song about “red lights” – does this
hint about sexual favors purchased for money? –it used to
be something that pop groups and performers visiting
24
foreign countries were prone to do. This kind of thing
does not happen very much nowadays, and of course it
should not happen at all.
17 Corpus Christi Carol (Anonymous)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
Lully lullay, lully lullay.
The falcon hath borne my make away.
16 A Lover’s Confession.
He bore him up, he bore him down;
He bore him into an orchard brown.
Charles d’Orléans
My ghostly father, I me confess,
First to God and then to you,
That at a window – wot ye how?
I stole a kiss of great sweetness,
Which done was out avisedness;
But it is done, not undone, now.
My ghostly father, I me confess,
First to God and then to you.
But I restore it shall doubtless
Again, if so be that I mow;
And that to God I make avow,
And else I ask forgivèness.
My ghostly father I me confess,
First to God and then to you,
That at a window – wot ye how?
I stole a kiss of great sweetness.
Comment
An attractive lyric that might be sung by a troubadour. A
play on words relating to the “stolen kiss.” The joke is
that restoring the stolen kiss will mean giving back the
kiss, which is repeating the sin!
Stolen kiss: receive a kiss which one should not have
done, i.e. illicit
Ghostly father: spiritual father, priest
Out avisedness: unadvisedly, without considering
properly
Restore: give it back or make amends for wrongdoing
Mow: may or might
Charles d’Orléans (?1394-1465)
French nobleman captured during the Battle of
Agincourt 1415 by Richard Waller and held in
imprisonment in England for 24 years. He was never
offered for ransom as was usual because he was
considered too important, being in line for the French
throne, and the natural head of a faction which opposed
the English, who were at war with France (The Hundred
Years War 1337-1453). His captivity was light and he was
able to write poetry. He became good friends with his
captors. He composed ballads in French and some of
them were translated by contemporaries into English. He
was eventually freed and returned to France in 1440. His
son became Louis XII of France (1462-1515).
++++++++++++++++++
In that orchard there was an hall,
That was hanged with purple and pall.
And in that hall there was a bed;
It was hanged with gold so red.
And in that bed there lieth a knight,
His woundes bleeding day and night.
By that bedes side there kneeleth a may,
And she weepeth both night and day.
And by that bedes side there standeth a stone,
Corpus Christi written thereon.
Comment
A lyric in the form of a vignette from a medieval romance,
which is an allegory for the crucifixion – the weeping
maiden is Mary, and the wounded knight is Christ. The
stone is a tombstone, or a sign.
Make: mate, partner or spouse, in the song this might be
a dove
Pall: rich cloth of purple or black
May: maiden (from OE) compare 1362 Langland, Piers
Plowman A. xii. 111 “Marie moder and may.”
Bedes: old genitive, i.e. side of the bed, bedside
Corpus Christi: the body of Christ, also the term used for
the bread in the Holy Eucharist, also the name of
an important Church feast day.
There is a beautiful musical version of this by Benjamin
Britten: sung on YouTube by Hayley Westenra Winter
Magic 2009, Jeff Buckley Grace 1994, and The Choirboys
Album 2005.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
Sunrise Sunset
Sung by Chaim Topol & Norma Crane (1971)
From The Fiddler on the Roof (1964)
(Tevye)
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
(Golde)
I don’t remember growing older,
When did they?
25
(Tevye)
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he grow to be so tall?
(Golde)
Wasn’t it yesterday,
When they were small?
(Men)
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly flow the days,
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers,
Blossoming even as we gaze.
(Women)
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.
(Tevye)
What words of wisdom can I give them?
How can I help to ease their way?
(Golde)
Now they must learn from one another,
Day by day.
(Perchik)
They look so natural together.
(Hodel)
Just like two newly weds should be.
(Perchik & Hodel)
Is there a canopy in store for me?
(All)
Sunrise, sunset.
Sunrise, sunset.
Swiftly fly the years.
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.
over by local Russians). At the end of the musical the
family is forced out of the village and depart for a new
life abroad.
The song is a universal statement about human existence,
and the phrase “sunrise sunset, swiftly fly the years,”
sounds like an adaptation from the Bible, from the Jewish
Wisdom tradition (as found in the Psalms and
Ecclesiastes).
Compare Job 14.1-2: "Man born of woman is of few days
and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and
withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.”
++++++++++++++++++
Sabbath Prayer
Sung by Chaim Topol, and the family in the film
From the musical The Fiddler on the Roof (1964)
May the Lord protect and defend you.
May He always shield you from shame.
May you come to be
In Israel a shining name.
May you be like Ruth and like Esther.
May you be deserving of praise.
Strengthen them, O Lord,
And keep them from the strangers’ ways.
May God bless you and grant you long lives.
(May the Lord fulfill our Sabbath prayer for you.)
May God make you good mothers and wives.
(May he send you husbands who will care for you.)
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock,
May the Lord protect and defend you.
May the Lord preserve you from pain.
Favor them, O Lord, with happiness and peace.
O hear our Sabbath prayer, Amen.
lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set
in Tsarist Russia in 1905. The title of the musical was
taken from a painting by Marc Chagall, but the original
story was based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye
the Milkman) and other tales in Yiddish by Sholem
Aleichem published in 1894. In the original cast Zero
Mostel took the lead role, and in the 1971 film, Chaim
Topol. It was a highly successful musical.
Comment
Family prayer in the musical Fiddler on the Roof. A
blessing prayer for the daughters. The words are adapted
from traditional prayers, especially the first phrase, which
is rephrased from the Psalms: “May the name of the God
of Jacob protect you. May he send you help from the
sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.” Ps 20.1-2.
Comment
The story is an epitome of the history of Jews in East
Europe at the end of the nineteenth century up to 1945 –
struggling to maintain their identity and traditions, under
pressure from changes in society and politics, and
increased intolerance from the majority community of
Russians. Paradoxically, increased education and
politicization brought out the worst in society – because
ethnic rivalry and hatred was deep-rooted in the poorest
classes. Russia (like Germany and Poland later) was very
anti-semitic, and there were pogroms (purges) against
the Jews quite frequently, with destruction of their
property and expulsion from their land (which was taken
Ruth: heroine of the Book of Ruth, a gentile married to a
Jew in a foreign land (Moab), and who died, and Ruth
stays loyal to her mother-in-law (Naomi), even to the
extent of leaving her own land and going to Judah to be
with her. She is married to Boaz, and becomes the
great-grandmother of David, King of Israel – making an
important point that the greatest Jewish King had a
mixed ethnic background.
Esther: The Book of Esther, a late book of the Old
Testament considered by some to be non-canonical, but
of great importance. At the time of Xerxes, King of Persia
26
(485-465 BCE), the court favorite Haman became hostile
to the Jews. Esther, daughter of the loyal Mordecai, a
Jewish servant of the King, pleaded for her people. She
was successful, and Haman’s wickedness was revealed.
This was the origin of the Feast of Purim, which
celebrates the victory over Haman, who cast lots to
determine the fate of the Jews (pur means “lot”).
Devonshire, England. He wrote two books of religious
poetry and hymns: Poems Chiefly Religious, 1833 & 1845.
The Spirit of the Psalms, 1834. He also wrote the great
evening hymn “Abide with Me.” Henry Goss composed
mainly church music, organist at St Paul’s from 1838, and
Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music.
[these notes from Cyber Hymnal]
Stranger’s ways: the ways of other faiths
Tribute: meaning prayer and praise
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven: referring to the
soul
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven
Words: Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) Spirit of the
Psalms, 1834.
Melody Lauda Anima, Henry Goss (1800-1880)
Taken from: “Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost
being praise his Holy Name.” Psalm 103.1.
1 Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
2 Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.
3 Father-like He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows.
4 Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.
Comment
One of the great hymns of the nineteenth century. A
paraphrase of Psalm 103 that does justice to the original;
also the tune Lauda Anima a great melody. This hymn
was sung at the wedding of the future Queen Elizabeth
II of Britain, in Westminster Abbey, London, 1947. Henry
Lyte attended Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland,
distinguishing himself in English poetry. In 1815, he was
ordained, and served a number of parishes in Ireland and
western England. However, for most of his career, he was
pastor at All Saints Church in Lower Brixham,
If there is time, let us listen to a verse from a beautiful
Byzantine Chant from The Liturgy of the Catechumens,
which is based on the same psalm 103 1-22. From “The
Glory of Byzantium Lycourgos Angelopoulos and Divna
and Melodi Choir.” Jade CD 2006.
Благослови, душе моя, Господа, и
вся внутренняя моя имя святое Его.
1
2 Благослови,
душе моя, Господа, и
не забывай всех воздаяний Его,
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all
that is within me, bless his holy
name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and
forget not all his benefits:
1
27
Folk British: The Blind Harper. Andy Irvine
Pop: Heal the World (1991) M. Jackson
Literary: 20 “The Knight and the Lady 22 “Timor Mortis Conturbat Me
Musical: What ought we to do? Pirates G&S
Sacred: Scripture Songs Psalm 1 & Love Never Fails Sherri Youngward
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
The Blind Harper (1976)
Traditional British
Sung by Andy Irvine playing on bouzouki
Performing with Donal Lunny and Paul Brady.
Have you heard of the blind harper,
Now he lived in Lochmaben town,
He would go to fair England,
To steal King Henry’s wanton Brown.
First he’s gone unto his wife,
With all the speed that he could show,
This work he says it’ll never go well,
Without the help of our good grey mare.
She says you take the good grey mare,
She’ll run o’er hills both low and high,
Sit you on the grey mare’s back,
And leave the foal at home with me.
So he is up to England gone,
He went as fast as go could he,
When he came to Carlisle gates,
Who should be there but King Henry.
[Come in, come in you blind harper,
And of your music let me hear,
But up and said the blind harper,
I’d rather have a stable for my mare.]
The king looked over his left shoulder,
And he said unto his serving groom,
Go take the poor blind harper’s mare,
And put her beside me wanton brown.
The harper harped and then he sang,
And he’s charmed them all so fast asleep,
Straightway he took off his shoes,
Quietly down the stairs he did creep.
Soon he came to the stable door,
With a tread so light as light could be,
When he opened and then went in,
He found thirty steeds and three.
He took the halter from his horse,
And from his purpose he did not fail,
He slipped it over the wanton’s nose,
He’s tied it to the grey mare’s tail.
And he’s loosed them out at the castle gates,
The mare didn’t fail to find her way,
She was at Lochmaben town,
Three long hours before the day.
And the very next morning in broad daylight,
When they had ended all their cheer,
Behold the wanton brown was gone,
Likewise the poor blind harper’s mare.
It’s “O and Alas,” said the blind harper,
It’s “Ever and alas!” that I came here,
In Scotland I’ve lost me a good grey foal,
In England they stole me old grey mare.
And it’s hold your talking you blind harper,
And the din of your music let us hear.
Well paid shall your colt foal be.
You will have a far better mare.
So the harper harped and then he sang,
Sweet was the music he let them hear,
He was paid for a foal that he never had lost,
And three times over for the good grey mare.
Comment
“The Lochmaben Harper” or “The Blind Harper” is a
traditional British Folk ballad and is one of the ballads
collected by Francis Child in The English and Scottish
Popular Ballads (1882–1898).
This is performed excellently by Andy Irvine on YouTube,
with a bouzouki, a traditional Greek lute. The
performance appears to be a clip from Irish television.
There are various versions of this. The blind harper
outwits King Henry, so it is Celtic ingenuity against the
English. Irvine sings this in folk style, and I have noted
down the words above. It is a good folk-poem.
In other versions of the song, the harper sets out to win a
bet. He charms the court to sleep, and ties his own horse
together with the brown horse belonging to King Henry,
and the grey mare leads the horse away and the harper
pretends to know nothing about it, and he is even
compensated for the loss of his own grey mare.
Lochmaben: in Scotland, where the Bruces (opponents of
the English) had a castle
Carlisle: town south of the border
Wanton brown: lively brown horse, a steed
Foal: the mare had a foal, which would perish if the mare
was absent too long
Din: loud sound but without negative sense here
Andy Irvine (1942 - )
Irish folk musician. Founder member of the group
Planxty. Highly-skilled performer. Also composer.
28
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
Heal the World (1991)
Lyrics by Michael Jackson
Performed by Michael Jackson
From the Album Dangerous
Spoken by a child:
“Think about the generations, and then say we wanna
make it a better place for our children and our children’s
children, so that they ... they, they ... they know it’s a
better world for them. And think if they can make it a
better place...”
There’s a place in your heart,
And I know that it is love,
And this place could be much,
Brighter than tomorrow.
And if you really try
You’ll find there’s no need to cry
In this place you’ll feel
There’s no hurt or sorrow.
There are ways to get there
If you care enough for the living.
Make a little space,
Make a better place,
Heal the world.
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
Make a better place
For you and for me.
If you want to know why
There’s a love that cannot lie
Love is strong
It only cares for joyful giving
If we try we shall see
In this bliss we cannot feel, fear or dread
We stop existing and start living.
Then it feels that always
Love’s enough for us growing.
Make a better world,
Make a better world,
Heal the world.
For you and for me
There are people dying
If you care enough for the living
For you and for me.
And the dream we were conceived in
Will reveal a joyful face,
And the world we once believed in
Will shine again in grace.
Then why do we keep strangling life
Wound this earth, crucify its soul,
Though it’s plain to see
This world is heavenly,
Be God’s glow.
We could fly so high
Let our spirits never die
In my heart
I feel you are all my brothers.
Create a world with no fear
Together we’ll cry happy tears
See the nations
Turn their swords into plowshares.
We could really get there
If you cared enough for the living
Make a little space,
To make a better place
Heal the world.
Make it a better place,
For you and for me,
And the entire human race,
There are people dying,
If you care enough for the living,
For you and for me,
Heal the world.
(Oh, my friends)
For you and for me
There are people dying,
If you care enough for the living,
For you and for me.
Heal the world.
Comment
A beautiful pop-anthem which is really a long prayer.
Michael Jackson said that this was the song that he was
most proud to have written, and it formed the
centre-piece to his charitable activities. The song is
classed as gospel, and the spirit of the song is indeed
Christ’s message. He begins the song with a child giving
their opinion – the point is the innocence of the message
and the healing, which is summoned by the selfless love.
It is also a healing song for grief. May the heart be filled
with love, and may the world heal from suffering. It is a
song for people who feel that there is “no tomorrow” so
29
Jackson states that the place in the heart must be brighter
“than tomorrow”; the sound of the phrase recalls the
word “tomb” – the heart must be the place of
resurrection, of love shining there again. The song calls
for joyful giving – to help suffering children in the world.
Something as simple as giving to Unicef or Save the
Children. Jackson himself gave millions of dollars to
charity, and suffered all the untrue nonsense of his last
decade in order to make a point about something – brave
and good man!
The dream we were conceived in: conceived in the love of
God
Joyful face: happiness achieved through giving love
Shine in grace: the world transformed by love
Nations turn swords to ploughshares: see below
“He will judge between the nations and will settle
disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords
into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will
they train for war anymore.” Is 2.4
Portress: female porter, doorkeeper in a nunnery
Porteress
Strangeness: unusual, unfamiliar, also unfriendly
coldness
Comment
Medieval allegorical lyric which reads like a modern
poem. Knight and Lady are allegorical figures for desire
and holiness. The portress is called “strangeness.” The
Lady and the Portress are different figures. The Lady is
of course a title for Mary, who guards chastity. Perhaps
the knight must persuade “strangeness” that his
intentions are good, before he will be allowed into the
castle. Desire is a prisoner of strangeness – but kindness
and pity will perhaps be the way. Or strangeness
(coldness) at the gate prevents the knight of desire from
troubling Mary?
William Cornish may have been the English composer of
church music, several works extant including one Salve
Regina.
++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
22 “Timor Mortis Conturbat Me,”
by William Dunbar (?1460-1520)
20 “The Knight and the Lady,”
by William Cornish d. 1524.
The knight knocked at the castle gate;
The lady marveled who was thereat.
To call the porter he would not blin;
The lady said he should not come in.
The portress was a lady bright;
Strangeness that lady hight.
She asked him what was his name;
He said, Desire, your man, Madame.
She said, Desire, what do you here?
He said, Madame, as your prisoner.
He was counseled to brief a bill,
And show my lady his ownè will.
Kindness, said she, would it bear,
And Pity, said she, would be there.
Thus how they did we cannot say;
We left them there and went our way.
Blin: cease OE. Lindisfarne Gospel c 950 Mt. 14.32
“Geblann þæt wind.” The wind ceased.
Brief a bill: draw up a petition
I that in hale was and gladness,
Am troubled now with great sickness,
And feebled with infirmity:
Timor mortis conturbat me.
Our pleasance here is all vain glory,
This false world is but transitory,
The flesh is bruckle, the Fiend is sly:
The state of man does change and vary,
Now sound, now sick, now blithe, now sorry,
Now dancing merry, now like to die:
No state in earth here stands secure,
As with the wind waves the wicker,
Waves this world’s vanity:
On to the dead goes all estates,
Princes, prelates and potentates,
Both rich and poor of all degree:
He takes the knights into field,
Unarmèd under helm and shield,
Victor he is at all mellie:
30
He takes the champion in the stour
The captain closèd in the tower
The lady in bower full of beauty:
He spares no lord for his puissance,
No clerk for his intelligence,
His awful stroke may no man flee:
Hale: health
Timor mortis conturbat me: the fear of death disturbs me.
The point of this phrase is that it follows the statement
“sinning daily, and not repenting.” It is found in a
number of medieval lyrics as a refrain.
Bruckle: dialect, variant of brickle, fragile
Wicker: willow
Wave: alternate, move unsteadily, waver
Melly: mêlée, mellay, knightly encounter, fight
Unarmed: although Death is unarmed he still conquers
Stour: armed combat
Comment
A few verses from a long poem by the Scottish poet
William Dunbar, omitting the well-known verses at the
end of the poem. The theme is traditional, and derives
from the Old Testament. No one is exempt from his
visitation. Dunbar was a Franciscan attached to the
Scottish court. Regarded as one of the greatest Scots
poets before Robert Burns.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
“What Ought We to Do” (1879)
From The Pirates of Penzance Act 1
Edith:
What ought we to do,
Gentle sisters, say?
Propriety, we know,
Says we ought to stay;
While sympathy exclaims,
“Free them from your tether
Play at other games
Leave them here together.”
Kate:
Her case may, any day,
Be yours, my dear, or mine.
Let her make her hay
While the sun doth shine.
Let us compromise
(Our hearts are not of leather):
Let us shut our eyes,
And talk about the weather.
Girls:
Yes, yes, let's talk about the weather.
Chattering Chorus:
How beautifully blue the sky,
The glass is rising very high,
Continue fine I hope it may,
And yet it rained but yesterday.
Tomorrow it may pour again
(I hear the country wants some rain),
Yet people say, I know not why,
That we shall have a warm July.
Enter Mabel and Frederic:
During Mabel's solo the Girls continue to chatter
pianissimo, but listening eagerly all the time.
Solo Mabel:
Did ever maiden wake
From dream of homely duty,
To find her daylight break
With such exceeding beauty?
Did ever maiden close
Her eyes on waking sadness,
To dream of such exceeding gladness?
Fred:
Ah, yes! Ah, yes! This is exceeding gladness!
Girls:
How beautifully blue the sky, etc.
Solo Frederic:
Did ever pirate roll
His soul in guilty dreaming,
And wake to find that soul
With peace and virtue beaming?
Mabel:
Did ever maiden wake,
From dream of homely duty
To find her daylight break
With such exceeding beauty!
Frederic:
Did ever pirate loathed,
Forsake his hideous mission
To find himself betrothed
To lady of position!
Girls:
How beautifully blue the sky, etc.
Comment
From The Pirates of Penzance (1879), Savoy Opera,
music by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert.
Penzance is in Cornwall. Mabel and Frederic are in the
process of falling in love, and the girls debate what to do.
Many G&S songs are intended to be affectionate and silly
parodies of Italian opera – especially Rossini and early
Verdi. Further details about this opera see Monday Songs
31
5. The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan H&H Music 3CDs 2010
1.18
Propriety: correct social behavior
Make hay while the sun shines: enjoy oneself while one
can, referring to the lovers being together
Glass is rising: the barometer rising, i.e. the mercury in
the tube, meaning high pressure and sunny skies
Position: high social status
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
1. Psalm One Ps 1:1-3 KJV
Words: David (The Psalms)
Music: Sherri Youngward 4.50 分
Blessed is the man
That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor standeth in the way of sinners,
Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Comment
“I was eighteen years old when I first opened a Bible and
Psalm One was the first Scripture I ever memorized. Over
the years, on sleepless nights or during long drives I
recall these lines to find comfort and personal sermons.
The blessing of having this Psalm memorized is what
inspired me to record this project for you. This was the
first song we tackled in the studio. You shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water.” Note by Sherri
Youngward.
This is a beautifully sung version of the psalm with a
guitar, which captures the spirit of it perfectly. The
psalms begin with the word blessed (Ashrei in Hebrew)
which means happy because one is in God’s favor, and
the English word suggests Heaven. Law means the
teaching of the old books of the Bible, the Torah, which
were read by the Rabbi as a divine, secret and poetic
teaching. Delight was found in puzzling out the deep
meanings in the holy text. The verse says, in your
goodness you will be like a holy tree by the channels of
irrigation. Water was very precious in Palestine, and it is
a recurrent image in the Bible signifying the loving mercy
and kindness of God to creation. But it has other
meanings, and it also signifies the holy word – divine
teaching will make the tree flourish. The tree image
recalls the Garden of Eden. By righteousness (goodness
before God) there is a restoration of the tree of life for the
true believer, because God is merciful. Tree of life =
eternal life. Notice how the KJV prints the word LORD in
capital letters. This is the very holy tetragrammaton, the
name of God, too holy to be spoken out loud, and
translated in the old Bibles as Jehovah.
2. Love Never Fails
1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NASB
Words: Saint Paul
Music: Sherri Youngward 3.35 分
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
But do not have love,
I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy,
And know all mysteries and all knowledge;
And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
But do not have love, I am nothing.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor,
And if I surrender my body to be burned,
But do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;
Love does not brag and is not arrogant,
Does not act unbecomingly;
It does not seek its own, is not provoked,
Does not take into account a wrong suffered,
Does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
But rejoices with the truth;
Bears all things, believes all things,
Hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails; Love never fails;
Love never fails; Love never fails.
Comment
Saint Paul’s great hymn to love, included in his letter to
the Corinthians. He is criticizing the noisy and empty
rituals of the Greek faiths in Corinth, and also being
critical towards his own background. If one does not
show love to the poor and the weak, to lepers and
outcasts, then what sort of faith is it? Or, if you do
something apparently kind, but do so without the
intention to be loving, what goodness is that? Mysteries
are the secrets of the holy text, known and protected by
the priests. Faith to move mountains is an indirect quote
from Jesus’s teaching, itself probably deriving from the
Rabbis. There is a secret in the text, which is that the
word “Love” (agape or 愛) signifies Jesus himself or
Jesus with God (this is Paul’s great message), and also
found in Saint John’s gospel. Handing over the body –
this was Jesus on Calvary, but it was also Paul, whose
mission in Jerusalem (to bring the outsiders into the Holy
Temple) resulted in being arrested, so effectively he
handed himself over to them. In the last line there is
something missing – we need to say “for the sake of God”
or “as given by God.” She has omitted the last lines of
this hymn, and this is the best bit, and I recommend you
search them out. It is Saint Paul the Greek poet, puzzling
words for God.
32
Folk: Counting the Goats and Evening Prayer D. Thomas
Pop: May it be Enya
Literary: Remembrance Wyatt
Musical: Born Free & Lion King Circle of Life
Sacred: Turn! Turn! Turn! The Byrds
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Cyfri’r Geifr Counting the Goats
Traditional
Sung and performed on the harp: Sian James
Oes gafr eto?
Oes heb ei godro?
Ar y creigiau geirwon
Mae’r hen afr yn crwydro.
Gafr wen, wen, wen.
Ie fin wen, finwen, finwen.
Foel gynffonwen, foel gynffonwen,
Ystlys wen a chynffon.
Wen, wen, wen.
Gafr ddu, ddu, ddu.
Ie finddu, finddu, finddu.
Foel gynffonddu, foel gynffonddu,
Ystlys ddu a chynffon.
Ddu, ddu, ddu.
Gafr goch, goch, goch.
Ie fin goch, fin goch, fin goch.
Foel gynffongoch, foel gynffongoch,
Ystlys goch a chynffon.
Goch, goch, goch.
Gafr las, las, las.
Ie fin las, fin las, fin las.
Foel gynffonlas, foel gynffonlas,
Ystlys las a chynffon.
Las, las, las.
Translation:
Is there another goat?
That’s not been milked?
On the craggy rocks
The old goat is wandering.
A white, white, white goat,
Yes a white lip, white lip, white lip,
A white tail, white tail
A white flank and tail,
White, white, white.
A black, black, black goat,
Yes a black lip, black lip, black lip,
A black tail, black tail.
A black flank and tail,
Black, black, black.
A red, red, red goat,
Yes a red lip, red lip, red lip,
A red tail, red tail.
A red flank and tail,
Red, red, red.
A blue, blue, blue goat,
Yes a blue lip, blue lip, blue lip,
A blue tail, blue tail.
A blue flank and tail,
Blue, blue, blue.
Comment
Note by Sian James: “There are at least seventeen
published versions of this song. It belongs to a category
of light-hearted competitive singing, so popular in Wales.
The aim is to remember the colours of the goats in the
correct sequence and to sing tongue-twisting words
increasingly quickly. This song is still sung after a few
pints of beer in Wales today!”
The song begins at a slow pace but the speed is increased
with each new verse. The first four lines are repeated
before each new goat is counted. Sian James sings this
with real virtuosity, a good example of how a song can be
transformed by a good performance – it is interesting to
compare with other versions on YouTube.
We will listen to this in Welsh because it is a beautiful
language, and it sounds so good, the ancient British of
the Celts (similar to Cornish). A similar language was
spoken by the Celts when the Anglo-Saxons invaded long
ago (bringing the Old English language with them). It is
in fact therefore the original language of Britain – before
the Anglo-Saxons arrived. Sung also by Meredydd Evans
on YouTube.
From “Pur” by Sian James. Bos records 2000 CD.
+++++++++++++++
Evening Prayer (1954)
Words by Dylan Thomas
Sung and performed on the harp: Sian James
Every morning, when I wake,
Dear Lord, a little prayer I make,
O please to keep Thy loving eye
On all poor creatures born to die.
And every evening at sun-down
I ask a blessing on the town,
For whether we last the night or no
I’m sure it’s always touch-and-go.
We are not wholly bad or good
33
Who live our lives under Milk Wood,
And Thou, I know, will be the first
To see our best side, not our worst.
O let us see another day!
Bless us this holy night, I pray,
And to the sun we all will bow
And say, goodbye – but just for now!
Comment
This is the evening prayer given by Rev Eli Jenkins in
Dylan Thomas’ radio play Under Milk Wood 1954.
Dylan Thomas (1914 -1953)
Celebrated Welsh poet who wrote entirely in English in
an original lyrical idiom. The first generation to win
success as a performance poet of their own work using
the media of gramophone, radio and TV. His superb
voice quality and reading ability made his work most
effective in performance.
From “Pur” by Sian James. Bos records 2000 CD.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
May It Be (2001)
Lyrics by Roma Ryan & Enya
Music by Enya
Sung by Enya
May it be an evening star,
Shines down upon you.
May it be when darkness falls,
Your heart will be true.
You walk a lonely road.
Oh! How far you are from home.
Mornie utúlië (darkness has come),
Believe and you will find your way.
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen),
A promise lives within you now.
May it be the shadows fall,
Will fly away.
May it be you journey on,
To light the day.
When the night is overcome,
You may rise to find the sun.
Mornie utúlië (darkness has come).
Believe and you will find your way.
Mornie alantië (darkness has fallen).
with a clear allegorical meaning. The phrase “may it be”
is a prayer-phrase – a request that something happen.
The evening star is symbolic of faith – stars in the Lord of
Rings were associated with the elves, who are the most
spiritual of the peoples. Arwen, the elf-maiden, is called
evening star. The evening star is Venus, also called
Hesperus. A star shining upon us is also suggestive of an
angel protecting us, or even Mary the Holy Mother, who
is called the star of the sea, and who has three stars on
her robes in the old icons. The evening star also recalls
the star that led to the birth of Jesus Christ. All of these
are relevant.
The song is addressed to Frodo, the hero of the saga, who
has the most difficult task. But it is also addressed to all
of us. When times are difficult, we must be true to what is
good. There is a hint about this in the elvish phrases
(taken from the language invented by Tolkien) mornie –
which sounds like mourning, a time of great difficulty for
everyone, and if we believe in what is good, such as God’s
love and the love of others, we will get through. The song
also seems to be a call to faith – to go forward and “light
the day” and a “promise lives within us.” This could be a
hint about the promise of salvation, or of a great task –
referring to Frodo’s task, who has to throw away the great
evil of the ring so that all may be saved, he is in fact an
unlikely Christ.
Enya
Enya Brennan or (Irish) Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, singer and
song writer (1961 ). Sang with the Irish folk group
Clannad, and then went solo. Hugely successful artist,
the no. 2 selling Irish artist after the band U2. Her music
preserves a strong sense of Irish identity, using the Irish
language and with Irish content. Her clear soprano is
perfect for Irish folk ballads. A New Age artist. The
unique sound is made in the studio with synthesizer and
computers. Roma Ryan, who has written the lyrics for
most of Enya’s songs, has won awards for her songs.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
28 “Remembrance” by Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503 – 1542)
They flee from me that sometime did me seek
With naked foot, stalking in my chamber.
I have seen them gentle, tame, and meek,
That now are wild, and do not remember
That sometime they put themselves in danger
To take bread at my hand; and now they range,
Busily seeking with a continual change.
Comment
This song was featured in Peter Jackson’s film of The
Lord of the Rings and got wide coverage. It is a song
Thanked be fortune it hath been otherwise
Twenty times better; but once, in special,
In thin array, after a pleasant guise,
When her loose gown from her shoulders did fall,
34
And she me caught in her arms long and small,
Therewithall sweetly did me kiss
And softly said, “Dear heart, how like you this?”
It was no dream. I lay broad waking.
But all is turned thorough my gentleness
Into a strange fashion of forsaking;
And I have leave to go of her goodness,
And she also, to use newfangleness.
But since that I so kindly am served
I would fain know what she hath deserved.
Comment
Thomas Wyatt laments his rejection by one of the court
women, said to be Anne Boleyn. He uses metaphors from
hunting. Formerly the king’s deer would seek him, now
she flees from him. He was once seduced by her, and he
fell in love, but she has now turned away from him. The
poem reverses the usual stereotypes – here the woman is
the powerful one, and the man is the victim.
Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542)
A diplomat in the court of Henry VIII. Visit to Italy in
1527 probably stimulated him to translate and imitate the
poems of Petrarch. He was said to have been linked with
Anne Boleyn (whom the king had married after divorcing
Catherine of Aragon) but was not executed for this, as
were Anne’s other lovers in 1536. (But such things seem
highly unlikely, given the risks involved at that time.) His
career recovered, and he was ambassador to Spain in
1537-9. When Thomas Cromwell, his patron, was
executed in 1540 he lost favor again, writing “The pillar is
perished whereunto I leant.” Authorship of some of his
poems is disputed.
Stalk: to walk quietly and softly
In danger: under obligation to me, in my debt, at risk
In special: especially.
Pleasant guise: in a pleasing way.
Small: slender.
Heart: perhaps a play on “hart.”
Broad waking: wide awake.
Thorough: through.
Leave to go of her goodness: her gracious permission to
give up, i.e. have to give her up (ironic)
Newfangleness: fondness for novelty, i.e. turning to
someone new
Kindly: in a kind way (ironic)
What she hath deserved: what shall be her reward for this
Website: Representative Poetry Online has some good
notes on this poem and was helpful.
<http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display/>
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Born Free (1966)
Lyrics by Don Black
Music by John Barry
Sung by Matt Monro
Theme used in the film “Born Free.”
Born free, as free as the wind blows
As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart.
Live free, and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star.
Stay free, where no walls divide you,
You're free as a roaring tide,
So there's no need to hide.
Born free, and life is worth living.
But only worth living,
Cause you're born free.
Comment
This was the Oscar-winning popular theme song from
the film “Born Free.” Born Free is a 1966 British film
starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy
(1910-1980) and George Adamson (1906-1989), a real-life
couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub,
and released her into the wilds of Kenya. The screenplay
was based upon Joy Adamson's 1960 non-fictional book
Born Free. The film was directed by James Hill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hill_(British_
director)and produced by Sam Jaffe and Paul Radin.
Born Free, and its musical score by John Barry, won
numerous awards. The film made a big impact in terms
of animal activism, with both the actors being changed
by the experience of making the film, and creating the
Born Free Foundation.
The story is about raising Elsa and then the painful
parting from her when she is released successfully into
the wild. She was the first lioness to be raised and then
released, and the first to have her own litter. She was
“born free” and then taken into benevolent captivity
when her mother was shot by Adamson. The song refers
to that, but it is a larger statement about living in a
society which cherishes the values of individual liberty.
The song celebrates in particular the British way of life,
in which people are free to say and believe and publish
what they like, and vote for whom they like. In 1966 this
was not possible for most of the world’s populations. The
song wears its ideological dress lightly, so that it is a
good song any way – you can glimpse the point of view in
the phrase “no walls” (the Berlin wall), “no need to hide”
(dissidents had to keep quiet).
There’s also a statement about freedom for people with
gay sexuality, who certainly had to “hide” in the 1960s
because of severe social oppression (and which still
continues in some countries in Africa and Asia). Also,
there’s a protest about racial oppression – everyone is
born free, it is a human right – but freedom in some
nations was still restricted on the basis of ethnic identity
or race. Also freedom for belief. In China at this time, and
in the Soviet Union, Christians were persecuted, and
there is still, even today, no true freedom in many Asian
countries.
Is it a coincidence that the first letters of the last verse
spell out BBC? For many people in the last 60 years, the
35
generally fair, accurate and low-level propaganda of the
BBC made it the best news service in the world.
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round.
The song is a powerful and beautiful statement but there
is something missing – is life really only worth living
because one is free? Freedom on its own is not actually a
good value – it is the freedom of the lion, which is not
very nice for the zebra. It has to be tempered by love.
Perhaps I would rewrite the last verse to be:
It's the Circle of Life,
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life.
Born free, and life is worth living
By love to find love in giving
Cause you’re born free.
Don Black (1938 – )
British lyricist. Raised in London. Russian Jewish roots.
Collaborated extensively with John Barry. Wrote lyrics for
the Bond films. He was the manager of Matt Monro the
singer. He was worked widely in musical theatre and film,
also writing lyrics for hit songs. Collaborated with
Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Christopher Hampton on the
musical of Sunset Boulevard, which won many awards.
Collaborated with A. R. Rahman on the musical Bombay
Dreams (2002).
John Barry (1933 –2011)
British conductor and composer of film music, admired
for his work on the Bond films for many years. He wrote
the scores to award-winning films Dances with Wolves,
Midnight Cowboy and Out of Africa, also lyrics to songs
and other collaborations. His best work, as in Born Free
and Out of Africa, is lushly romantic & evocative.
+++++++++++++++
Circle of Life (1994)
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Tim Rice
Performed by Carmen Twillie
From the Lion King Disney animation (1994)
Opening chant is sung in Zulu by Lebo M.
Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba
[Here comes a lion, Father]
Sithi uhm ingonyama
[Oh yes, it's a lion]
Nants ingonyama bagithi baba
Sithi uhhmm ingonyama
Ingonyama
Siyo Nqoba
[We're going to conquer]
Ingonyama
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala.
[A lion and a leopard come to this open place]
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life.
Comment
The opening song of the animated film The Lion King,
sung to the opening sequence of the film, a brilliantly
done animation. The song makes a broad sweeping
statement about birth into existence, perhaps consistent
with a Hindu or Buddhist point of view.
Tim Rice (1944 – )
Award-winning British lyricist and television personality,
knighted in 1994. Well-known for his early work with
Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, for
Disney with Alan Menken on Aladdin, Beauty and the
Beast and King David, with Elton John on Lion King and
Aida, and worked with Ennio Morricone. His work is
characterized by an ironic edge and wit, and often
inventive use of language – at a higher level to most
popular lyrics, but also making a big universal statement
as well.
Elton John (1947 – )
Award winning British popstar, songwriter, composer and
pianist. Collaborated with Bernie Taupin in producing
more than 30 albums since 1967. Sold millions of records
and CDs throughout the world, his hit single from 1997
“Candle in the wind” sold more than 30 million. Original
name Reginald Dwight. From an early age something of
a musical prodigy. Characterized by creative
inventiveness in musical composition, also generosity of
temperament in his many charitable ventures. He has
collaborated with a wide range of stars both in the US
and UK, and is universally loved. He has done a lot to
improve social awareness for gay and lesbian couples,
removing stigma and oppression. Knighted in 1998.
“Goodbye Yellow brick road” (1973) is one of his best
known songs, from perhaps his best-loved album.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
36
Sacred
Turn! Turn! Turn!
Words and music by Pete Seeger 1959
Performed by the Byrds 1965
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.
A time to build up, a time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn.
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones
together.
A time of love, a time of hate.
A time of war, a time of peace.
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from
embracing.
A time to gain, a time to lose.
A time to rend, a time to sew.
A time for love, a time for hate.
A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late.
Comment
Adapted from Ecclesiastes 3.1 by Pete Seeger in 1959, and
recorded by him in 1962. It became a number 1 hit in the
USA charts when covered by the folk pop-group The
Byrds. It is one of the most beautiful and profound poetic
statements in the Old Testament, and although for some
people the words become trivialized by such an
adaptation, in fact the treatment is excellent. It has
become a modern open-ended poem and a plea for peace.
Seeger’s words at the end – which are different in tone to
the elevated poetry – are a good statement – it is time for
peace, now, I swear it! It is not too late to make peace in
the world! I swear to peace; meaning, in a hidden way, I
swear to obey God. In 1960 World War seemed very close,
and there were still small wars and hostility in many
regions.
The message of the passage is one of spiritual acceptance
of the will of God according to one’s life, to conform
oneself to God’s purpose and providence, relating to the
choices in one’s life, the trials and the joys. One must
understand that if there is difficulty then there will be
consolation. It refers to the span of human life – it is our
time to be born in and to die in.
The words “turn, turn, turn” may have various meanings
– 1 the seasons turn and life changes, or 2 turn towards
God, or 3 turn yourself around and walk towards a better
life, or 4 one’s turn for happiness comes along, or 5 take
one’s turn in duty, or 6 turn some situation into a better
one.
If we read the words closely, however, there is a problem
for nowadays. Verse 3 “a time to kill” – does this refer to
warfare? It may do, but can we accept this as scripture?
To defend one’s home, or to prevent terrible catastrophe?
If we want to sing this as a prayer this phrase is too harsh.
Gather stones – for building.
Clear stones – preparing ground for cultivation.
Rend garments – a sign of grief.
Mending garments – healing.
The Hebrew word for “time” in this famous passage is
pronounced “et”.
The Byrds (1964-1973)
American pop group very popular in the sixties. Best
known members are the front man Roger McGuin and
David Crosby. Songs include “I’ll feel a whole lot better,”
“Eight Miles High,” “So you want to be a Rock ‘n’ Roll
star,” “Ballad of Easy Rider,” “Chestnut Mare.”
Ecclesiastes 3.1 KJV Old Testament Poetic Passage
1 To everything there is a season, and a time to every
purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant,
and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down,
and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn,
and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones
together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from
embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a
time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a
time of peace.
37
Folk: Highland Cathedral
Pop: Daydreamer & Best for Last Adele from 19
Literary: To His Lute T. Wyatt
Musical: A Policeman’s Lot & With Cat-like Tread Pirates G&S
Sacred: Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer & Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Highland Cathedral (1982)
Melody (bagpipes): Ulrich Roever & Michael Korb
Lyrics: Terry Mechan & Ben Kelly
& Timothy Dudley-Smith
Version 1 (Terry Mechan 1998)
There is a land far from this distant shore
Where heather grows and Highland eagles soar
There is a land that will live ever more
Deep in my heart, my Bonnie Scotland.
Though I serve so far away,
I still see your streams, cities and dreams
I can’t wait until the day
When I’ll come home once more.
And so Lord keep me from the harm of war
Through all its dangers and the battle’s roar
Keep me safe until I’m home once more
Home to my own in Bonnie Scotland.
Version 2 (Ben Kelly)
Land of our fathers, we will always be
Faithful and loyal to our own country
In times of danger, we will set you free,
Lead you to glory and to victory.
Hail, Caledonia, to our ancient prayer
In this Highland Cathedral, let our standards, bear
Joining, together, with one dream to share
God bless the people of this land so fair.
Comment
Melody composed by two Germans who loved Scottish
bagpipes and Scotland. It won acclaim in Scotland so
that, with these lyrics, it has become an unofficial
Scottish anthem, and is sung at Rugby matches. Here are
two popular versions. The Kelly version seems to be
better known. The song is strongly patriotic and it also
indicates how important these feelings still are to Scots
today. The lyrics are composed for people who are
serving overseas, presumably in the Scots regiments, and
people of Scottish descent in countries like Australia or
New Zealand. The lyrics are doubtless also popular with
the other regiments that play the bagpipes, such as the
Royal Gurkha Rifles. It is often played purely as a
bagpipe melody, and although new, it sounds classic.
These versions were found on the internet.
There is also “Highland Cathedral”
Magnificat which is excellent:
(a poetic version of Mary’s praisesong from Luke 1.49)
By Timothy Dudley-Smith
Tell out my soul the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of his word;
In God my savior shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out my soul the greatness of His Name!
Make known His might the deeds His arm has done;
His mercy sure from age to age the same
His holy Name the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out my soul the greatness of His might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out my soul the glories of His word!
Firm is His promise and His mercy sure.
Tell out my soul the greatness of the Lord
To children’s children and for ever more!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
Gone is the past, let us start anew
Let this hope of peace, always remain
Spirit of Scotia, be strong and true
Then your children will smile again.
Rise, Caledonia, let your voices ring
In this Highland Cathedral of our God and King,
Whom, joy and liberty, to all, will bring
Come, let your heart, with love and courage, sing.
Lonely the exile, o’er distant seas,
The home of their birth, gone from their eyes.
Bring back their souls o’er the ocean breeze
To the land where their fathers lie.
Daydreamer (2008)
Lyrics written by: Adele Adkins
Sung by Adele
Daydreamer
Sittin’ on the seat
Soaking up the sun
He is a real lover
Makin’ up the past
A Jaw-dropper
Looks good
When he walks
38
He is the subject of their talk
He would be hard to chase
But good to catch
And he could change the world
With his hands
Behind his back, oh
You can find him sittin’
On your doorstep
Waiting for the surprise
It will feel like
He’s been there for hours
And you can tell
That he’ll be there for life
Daydreamer
With eyes that make you melt
He lends his coat for shelter
Plus he’s there for you
When he shouldn’t be
But he stays all the same
Waits for you
And then sees you through
There’s no way
I could describe him
What I’ll say is
Just what I’m hoping for
But I will find him
Sittin’ on my doorstep
Waiting for the surprise
And he will feel
Like he’s been
There for hours
And I can tell
He’ll be there for life
And I can tell
He’ll be there for life.
Comment
Poetic ballad about a tramp who is also somehow
someone special, like a saint or a guardian angel. This is
poetic pop song. Adele sings with good tone and quietly
makes a big statement.
Making up the past: inventing the past?
Making up for: compensating for?
Jaw-dropper: jaw drops in astonishment, i.e. handsome,
good-looking
Change the world with his hands: hint that this is a secret
song about someone holy?
On your door: hinting that he is guarding, to be “on the
door” means to watch the door, like a bouncer
Plus: + mark, meaning “as well” (a hint that this is Jesus?)
Sees you through: makes sure that everything goes OK
for you
What I’m hoping for: she is looking for this kind of guy,
also hoping for something
Adele (1988 -
)
Young star in the UK, active from 2008, great voice and
the confidence to use it to sing the meaning strong and
deep. The style is reminiscent of the great singers – a
blend of American soul and jazz with British pop,
bettering the Americans at a style in which they used to
be the best. The voice quality is as good as opera. She
sings this song with a SE English accent with lovely
London vowels and elided “l”s. She is one of a
generation of British women soul-singers who have been
very successful in the US, these include Joss Stone, Amy
Winehouse, Duffy. Her albums are 19 and 21 (titled for
the age at which she recorded them).
She has won awards for her 21 album.
Songs include:
Hometown Glory
Rolling in the Deep
Someone like You
Set Fire to the Rain
I have cut three lines from the beginning of the song. I
don’t find them offensive myself, but they might cause
offense to some people. Poetry is poetry. This kind of
explicit lyric is included to grab the attention of the
“market” for the song – young men (and young women),
teenagers to early twenties. As the song develops,
however, it is clear that the content is on a different level.
It is an allegory about spiritual yearning, and the line
“just what I’m hoping” is about some kind of spiritual
salvation, perhaps singing about Christ.
+++++++++++++++++
Best for Last (2008)
Lyrics written by: Adele Adkins
Sung by Adele
From the Album 19
Wait, do you see my heart on my sleeve?
It’s been there for days on end
And it’s been waiting for you
To open up yours too baby,
Come on now
I’m trying to tell you just how
I’d like to hear the words
Roll out of your mouth finally
Say that it’s always been me
That’s made you feel a way you’ve never felt before,
And I’m all you need and that you never want more,
Then you’d say all of the right things without a clue,
But you’d save the best for last like I’m the one for you.
You should know that you’re just a temporary fix
This isn’t rooted with you
It don’t mean that much to me
You’re just a filler in the space
That happened to be free
How dare you think you’d get away
With trying to play me.
39
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Why is it every time I think I’ve
Tried my hardest it turns out it ain’t enough?
You’re still not mentioning love
What am I supposed to do?
To make you want me properly
I’m taking these chances and getting nowhere
And though I’m trying my hardest
You go back to her
And I think that I know things may never change
I’m still hoping one day I might hear you say
I make you feel a way you’ve never felt before
And I’m all you need and that you’d never want more
Then you’d say all of the right things without a clue
But you’d save the best for last like I’m the one for you.
You should know that you’re just a temporary fix
This isn’t rooted with you
It don’t mean that much to me
You’re just a filler in the space
That happened to be free
How dare you think you’d get away
With trying to play me.
But, despite the truth that I know
I find it hard to let go
And give up on you
Seems I love the things you do
Like the meaner you treat me
More eager I am
To persist with this heartbreak,
Of running around
And I will do until I find myself with you.
And make you feel a way you’ve never felt before
And be all you need so that you’ll never want more
And you’ll say all of the right things without a clue
And you’ll be the one for me and me the one for you.
Comment
Poetic love ballad, with different points of view woven
into the song – one is the woman who loves, and the
beloved replies, selfish and uncaring (in italics). Sounds
like a singer in the best American Jazz tradition, like an
Ella Fitzgerald from Tottenham. She phrases the song
very meaningfully, with assurance. It appears to be very
natural and unscripted poetry, and succeeds in being
moving as a result. This is her great talent.
Heart on my sleeve: my feelings for you are easy to
understand
Without a clue: without help
Rooted with you: our relationship is not deep
Filler in the space: something filling up time
To play me: to exploit me, or make me do things I don’t
want to do
Give up on you: to give up trying to make you love me
Literary
29 “To His Lute” by Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503 – 1542)
My lute, awake! Perform the last
Labor that thou and I shall waste,
And end that I have now begun;
For when this song is said and past,
My lute, be still, for I have done.
As to be heard where ear is none,
As lead to grave in marble stone,
My song may pierce her heart as soon.
Should we then sing, or sigh, or moan?
No, no, my lute, for I have done.
The rocks do not so cruelly
Repulse the waves continually,
As she my suit and affectiòn;
So that I am past remedy,
Whereby my lute and I have done.
Proud of the spoil that thou hast got
Of simple hearts thorough Love’s shot,
By whom, unkind, thou hast them won;
Think not he hath his bow forgot,
Although my lute and I have done.
Vengeance shall fall on thy disdain,
That makest but game on earnest pain:
Trow not alone under the sun
Unquit to cause thy lover’s plain,
Although my lute and I have done.
Perchance thee lie withered and old
The winter nights that are so cold,
Plaining in vain unto the moon:
Thy wishes then dare not be told:
Care then who list, for I have done.
And then may chance thee to repent
The time that thou has lost and spent
To cause thy lovers sigh and swoon:
Then shalt thou know beauty but lent,
And wish and want as I have done.
Now cease, my lute! This is the last
Labor that thou and I shall waste,
And ended is that we begun;
Now is this song both sung and past.
My lute, be still, for I have done.
Comment
Petrarchan style song in which he addresses his lute with
a song about the coldness of the beloved. Perhaps this
40
was a poem that was actually sung to the accompaniment
of the lute.
Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542)
For information about Wyatt see above Monday Songs 31.
Last labor: he will play a final lute song to his beloved and
then stop
I have done: I have finished
As lead to grave (which is made of marble): singing to
her is the same as …
Past remedy: without recourse of action
Spoil: plunder, he is addressing Cupid
Lover’s shot: arrow or bolt loosed by Eros or Cupid
On earnest pain: out of earnest (real) suffering
Trow: believe
Unquit: unpunished
Perchance: perhaps
Plain: complain, lament
Serg. A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.
Police. Ah, when constabulary duty’s to be done, to be
done, A policeman’s lot is not a happy one, happy one.
Comment
music by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. This
is the justly renowned finale of the opera, the comic
Policeman’s chorus, with the echo.
Further details about this opera see Monday Songs 5. The
Best of Gilbert & Sullivan H&H Music 3CDs 2010 1.23
Serg. Sergeant, an officer of the law
Felon: villain
Coster: costermonger, fruit seller, costard apple, monger
seller, someone who sells from a barrow
Jumping on his mother: not sure what this means,
perhaps “mother” is slang for wheelbarrow?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++
Musical
“With Cat-Like Tread” (1879)
“When a Felon’s not engaged in his employment” (1879)
Also known as “A Policeman’s Lot is not a Happy One.”
Serg. When a felon’s not engaged in his employment
Police. His employment,
Serg. Or maturing his felonious little plans
Police. Little plans,
Serg. His capacity for innocent enjoyment
Police. ’Cent enjoyment
Serg. Is just as great as any honest man’s
Police. Honest man’s.
Serg. Our feelings we with difficulty smother
Police. ’Culty smother
Serg. When constabulary duty’s to be done
Police. To be done.
Serg. Ah, take one consideration with another
Police. With another,
Serg. A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.
Police. Ah, when constabulary duty’s to be done, to be
done, A policeman’s lot is not a happy one, happy one.
Serg. When the enterprising burglar’s not a-burgling
Police. Not a-burgling.
Serg. When the cut-throat isn’t occupied in crime
Police. ’Pied in crime,
Serg. He loves to hear the little brook a-gurgling
Police. Brook a-gurgling,
Serg. And listen to the merry village chime
Police. Village chime.
Serg. When the coster’s finished jumping on his mother
Police. On his mother,
Serg. He loves to lie a-basking in the sun
Police. In the sun.
Serg. Ah, take one consideration with another
Police. With another,
Chorus: Pirates (very loud)
With cat-like tread,
Upon our prey we steal;
In silence dread,
Our cautious way we feel.
No sound at all,
We never speak a word,
A fly’s foot-fall
Would be distinctly heard.
Police. (pianissimo) Tarantara, tarantara!
Pirates. So stealthily the pirate creeps,
While all the household soundly sleeps.
Come, friends, who plough the sea,
Truce to navigation;
Take another station;
Let’s vary piracee
With a little burglaree!
Police. (pianissimo) Tarantara, tarantara!
Sam. (distributing implements to members of the gang)
Here’s your crowbar and your centrebit,
Your life-preserver you may want to hit!
Your silent matches, your dark lantern seize,
Take your file and your skeletonic keys.
Pirates. (fortissimo) With cat-like tread, etc.
Police. (pianissimo) Tarantara! tarantara!
Comment
music by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert.
Comic finale to the opera, this is a spoof on Italian
operas, in particular Rossini and Donizetti, perhaps
Verdi.
Truce to navigation: say truce to navigation meaning give
41
up the fight with navigation and try something else
instead.
Take another station: do something else.
Life-preserver: stick or bludgeon loaded with lead,
truncheon
Tarantara! Sound of a trumpet
Further details about this opera see Monday Songs 5. The
Best of Gilbert & Sullivan H&H Music 3CDs 2010 1.24
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
“Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer” (1745)
Words: William Williams (1717-91)
Music: Cwm Rhondda (1907) (Rhondda Valley) John
Hughes (1873-1932)
Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs and praises, songs and praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
Welshman in England in past ages
++++++++++++++++
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind (1872)
Words: John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-92)
Music: Repton Charles H. H. Parry (1848-1918) (1888)
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow Thee.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!
Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.
Comment
One of the most universally loved English hymns, voted
one of the top ten favorite hymns in the UK. This is the
melody preferred in the UK, but there is also another
“Rest” by Frederick Maker, which is sometimes sung.
Comment
One of the most popular hymns in the UK. Perhaps the
most popular hymn in Wales. Hymns Ancient and
Modern No. 214. The song is structured as the passage
of the Israelites through the desert to the promised land,
a metaphor for the life of the faithful. John Hughes wrote
this tune to commemorate a music festival held in nearby
Capel Rhondda, Hopkinstown 1907. It was first
performed in Welsh as Rhonnda, then he changed the
name to Cwm Rhondda, and used Peter Williams’
translation. The Welsh origins of this holy hymn (almost
a psalm) are very important to the Welsh.
John Greenleaf Whittier
Influential American Quaker poet, advocate of the
abolition of slavery. Less well-known now, but highly
regarded in the nineteenth century. Some good lyrics,
best known for the long narrative poem, Snow-Bound: A
Winter Idyl, 1866. He fought for the abolition of slavery in
the USA for thirty years, writing poems and pamphlets,
and founding associations for this purpose. The famous
hymn above was adapted from a longer poem, called The
Brewing of Soma. As a Quaker he held strong ideas
about universalism which can be found in this hymn:
Bread of heaven: the manna which fed the Israelites
Fire and cloudy pillar: reference to the signs which led
the Israelite host Exod. 13.17
Barren land: perhaps a reference to the experience of a
O Brother Man, fold to thy heart thy brother:
Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there;
To worship rightly is to love each other,
Each smile a hymn, each kindly word a prayer.
42
For information about Charles Parry, see Monday Songs
20.
Syrian Sea: sea of Galilee, various names for this large
lake, called Syrian because in the north
In simple trust: Jesus called the apostles who were
fishermen
43
Paul A.S. Harvey
3.2 Kwords
Folk: English Lily the Pink Roger McGough
Pop: Look How Far You’ve Come & We Are Family, Keri Noble & Sister Sledge
Literary: Loving in Truth & Who will in fairest book Sidney Sonnets
Musical: Impossible Dream Man of La Mancha
Sacred: Rest in the Lord & Draw Near All Ye People & Is there no balm in Gilead
And the boys all called her names,
But she changed with medicinal compound
Now he joins in all the games.
Chorus
Lily the pink she turned to drink
She filled up with paraffin inside
And despite her medicinal compound
Sadly piccalilli died.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
Lily the Pink (1968)
Lyrics by Roger McGough
Performed by the Scaffold
(Chorus)
We'll drink a drink a drink
To Lily the pink the pink the pink
The savior of our human race
For she invented, medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case.
Mr Frears had sticky out ears
And it made him awful shy
And so they gave him medicinal compound
And now he's learning how to fly.
Brother Tony was notably bony
He would never eat his meals,
Now they move him round on wheels.
We’ll drink a drink a drink
To lily the pink the pink the pink
The savior of the human race,
For she invented medicinal compound
Most efficacious in every case
Old Ebenezer thought he was Julius Caesar
And so they put him in a home,
Where they gave him medicinal compound
And now he's Emperor of Rome.
Johnny Hammer, had a terrible st st st st stammer
He could hardly sssay a word,
Now’s he’s seen, but never heard.
Up to heaven her soul ascended
All the church bells they did ring,
She took with her medicinal compound,
Hark the herald angels sing.
Chorus
Comment
"Lily the Pink" is a modification of the older comic folk
song "The Ballad of Lydia Pinkham." A similar version
was the unofficial regimental song of the Royal Tank
Corps, at the end of World War II. The original songs
had bawdy lyrics. The song refers to an actual medicine
patented by Lydia Estes Pinkham (1819–1883), a
medicinal compound which had high alcohol content,
very popular in the USA in the years of prohibition. In the
version by The Scaffold, there are various in-jokes
referring to people the band knew, such as Stephen
Frears, a film director.
The Scaffold
The Scaffold were a comedy, poetry and music trio from
Liverpool, England, consisting of Mike McGear (real
name Peter Michael McCartney, the brother of Paul
McCartney), Roger McGough and John Gorman. Active
from 1966 – 1974, they were Liverpool inspired, and
worked with the Beatles, and later were joined by Adrian
Henri and Brian Patten (with McGough forming the
Liverpool Poets). They did a lot of work for TV in the
1970s, wrote a number of catchy tunes, including “Thank
U Very Much” and “Liverpool Lou.”
Seen but not heard: a Victorian phrase used to praise
children who should be “seen but not heard”
Piccalilli: used here as a comic name for Lily the pink,
but actually a chutney of chopped vegetables and hot
spices
Lily the pink: perhaps slang for gin? Pink gin from
London?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Chorus
Pop
Aunty Milly ran willy nilly
When her legs they did recede,
So they looked on medicinal compound
Now they call her millipede.
Jennifer Eccles, had terrible freckles
How far you’ve come (2005)
Lyrics and music: Keri Noble and Jeff Arundel
It was just one of those days,
Nothing’s going right
44
And it might all fall apart
She feels like she’s just too tired
To fight anymore
Just how much can one girl take
And before she breaks.
It was not too long ago
Every dream was coming true
But that was all before
She can’t figure out what to do
But she knows
And no matter just how much this takes
She won’t break.
Close your eyes, take a breath
Don’t let yourself forget
You are strong
Look how far you’ve come
Pick yourself off the floor
You know you still got more
You are strong
Look at how far you’ve come.
This is just another test
She’d been through much harder ones before
And she’d passed
She knew she could get through one more
And now she knows
No matter just how much this takes
She won’t break.
Well, you are strong
Look how far you’ve come.
Comment
This is a power-song for women – to sing when things are
tough. Though she is singing in the third person she is
presumably singing about herself. The song is good for
the bright anthem-like melody and the empowering
phrases in the song.
Keri Noble (1977- )
Born Fort Worth, Texas USA, raised in Detroit. Father a
Baptist minister. Album Fearless (2005).
+++
Everyone can see we’re together
As we walk on by
And we fly just like birds of a feather
I won’t tell no lie
All of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record,
We’re giving love in a family dose.
(Chorus x2)
Living life is fun and we’ve just begun
To get our share of the world's delights.
High hopes we have for the future,
And our goal’s in sight.
No, we don’t get depressed.
Here’s what we call our golden rule,
Have faith in you and the things you do!
You won’t go wrong!
This is our family Jewel!
(Chorus)
Comment
This was a dance hit-song in 1979, and released again and
again, it remains popular. It became an anthem for the
women’s movement. All sisters are one family together, a
power-song for women and a faith-statement. Have faith!
Have faith in yourself! Believe in yourself – this is the
family jewel. If we believe in ourselves we will win
through. It’s also about being loving. “Giving love in a
family dose,” so this a hidden message for Holy Sisters as
well, caring for other people, the underprivileged, the
needy and the poor. Perhaps the phrase Family Jewel
might also be a coded phrase for God
Four sisters in a group, born and raised in Philadelphia,
most successful between 1973-1993. Kim Sledge (born
1957), Debbie Sledge (1954), Joni Sledge (1956), and
Kathy Sledge (1959). Best known for their work with Chic
in the late ’70s, Sister Sledge reached the height of their
popularity during the disco era but had been recording
since the early ’70s and were still active in the late ’90s.
The group was formed in Philadelphia in 1972, when the
sisters’ ages ranged from 12 to 16, and they recorded their
first single, "Time Will Tell." Number one hit in the UK
with “Frankie” in 1985.
We are Family (1979)
From the album of the same name.
Written by: Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers
Sung by Sister Sledge
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
Chorus:
We are family!
I got all my sisters with me.
We are family!
Get up everybody, sing!
Sir Philip Sidney, ed. Katherine Duncan-Jones.
OUP, 1989.
(Sing it to me, yeah! I can hear it now.)
44 “Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show”
45
Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show,
That she (dear she) might take some pleasure of my pain;
Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know;
Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain.
I sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe,
Studying inventions fine, her wits to entertain;
Oft turning others’ leaves, to see if thence would flow
Some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sunburnt brain.
But words came halting forth, wanting invention’s stay;
Invention, nature’s child, fled step-dame study’s blows;
And others’ feet still seemed but strangers in my way.
Thus great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes,
Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite,
“Fool,” said my muse to me; “look in thy heart, and write.”
Comment
From Astrophil and Stella Sonnet 1. This is the first
sonnet in the sequence, and it sets the tone for the
collection, being witty and accomplished, and using
difficult Italian-style rhymes in a natural and fluent way:
abababab cdcdee. This is Sidney’s hallmark – witty
phrase and conceit and also naturally achieved rhymes.
Philip Sidney (1554 – 1586)
Born in Penshurst, Kent, eldest child of Henry Sidney
and Lady Mary, sister of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.
Philip II, who had married Mary Tudor, was his
godfather. Studied at Christchurch College, Oxford,
notable for his scholarly ability. Toured Europe at a time
of religious trouble (St Bartolomew’s Day Massacre), was
sympathetic to the Protestant cause but not
narrow-minded. Made many distinguished friends.
Returned to England and began to write poetry and a
romance to amuse his sister and her friends. During the
war with Spain, he fought in the Netherlands where he
died of his wounds aged 32. For his own generation and
posterity it was a tragic loss. He was the model of an
Elizabethan scholar and soldier-knight, accomplished in
all the arts literary and martial. He was not however
highly favored by Elizabeth, perhaps because of his
independent spirit and willingness to criticize her. He is
celebrated for his prose romance Arcadia, the sonnet
sequence Astrophil and Stella and the elegant pamphlet
An Apology for Poetry.
fain: (archaic), gladly, eager, willingly, a pun on feign: to
represent fictitiously.
she: the poet’s beloved: Stella.
inventions: amusing fictional tales or discourses
wits: mental faculties, senses, mind.
sunburnt: burnt by the heat of passion.
halting: faltering, moving with difficulty.
stay: support
step-dame: step-mother; a father’s wife not one’s own
mother, not real mother.
feet: 1. tracks, ways; 2. metrical units.
great with child: pregnant.
throes: birth pains
truant: neglectful of duty, absent from school
muse: goddess giving inspiration.
heart: i.e. his true feelings
++++++++++++++
Sir Philip Sidney, ed. Katherine Duncan-Jones. OUP,
1989.
“Who will in fairest book of nature know”
Who will in fairest book of nature know
How virtue may best lodged in beauty be,
Let him but learn of love to read in thee,
Stella, those fair lines which true goodness show.
There shall he find all vices’ overthrow,
Not by rude force, but sweetest sovereignty
Of reason, from whose light those night-birds fly,
That inward sun in thine eyes shineth so.
And, not content to be perfection’s heir
Thyself, dost strive all minds that way to move,
Who mark in thee what is in thee most fair.
So while thy beauty draws the heart to love,
As fast thy virtue bends that love to good:
But “Ah,” Desire still cries, “Give me some food!”
Comment
From Astrophil and Stella Sonnet 71. A witty sonnet
asserting that Stella’s beauty encourages the lover to
become more virtuous (a platonic ladder), but this is
undercut by opposite tendency announced in the last
line.
Night-birds: i.e. vices, owl
Mark in thee what is in thee most fair: note what is most
beautiful, i.e. virtue of heaven
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
Impossible Dream (The Quest)
Lyrics by Joe Darion
Sung by Peter O’Toole, with Sophia Loren
From Man of La Mancha (1965)
From the film dir. by Arthur Hiller (1972)
Aldonza:
Why do you do these things?
Don Quixote:
What things?
Aldonza:
These ridiculous... the things you do!
Don Quixote:
I hope to add some measure of grace to the world.
Aldonza:
The world's a dung heap and we are maggots that crawl
on it!
Don Quixote:
My Lady knows better in her heart.
Aldonza:
What's in my heart will get me halfway to hell.
46
And you, Señor Don Quixote – your head is going to end
up a stranger to your neck!
Don Quixote:
Whether I win or lose does not matter.
Aldonza:
What does?
Don Quixote:
Only that I follow the quest.
Aldonza:
(spits) That for your Quest!
(turns, marches away; stops, turns bock and asks,
awkwardly)
What does that mean... quest?
and gauche, but also in fact a truly noble and even
saint-like hero. The deep message is that if one wants to
be decent in any way, one does in fact have to be a bit like
Quixote (as in fact the great figures are, like Gandhi or
Saint Francis) since his values are the truest ones, and
they don’t belong to the ordinary world.
My Lady: this is a courtly term of respect for a noble
woman, but also a term for the Virgin Mary
Quest: this was the task given to knight in the courtly
romances, which he had to fulfill in order to win the favor
of the Lady he served.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don Quixote:
It is the mission of each true knight...
His duty... nay, his privilege!
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go;
To right the unrightable wrong.
To love, pure and chaste, from afar,
To try, when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!
This is my Quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far,
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march into hell
For a heavenly cause!
And I know, if I'll only be true
To this glorious Quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this,
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach the unreachable stars!
Comment
A Musical by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh,
lyrics by Joe Darion. Based on The Adventures of Don
Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes. Original Broadway
production opened in 1965. Man of La Mancha was the
hit of the 1965 Broadway season, and remains popular.
The music was unusual because the orchestra had no
violins–just brass, woodwinds, percussion, and flamenco
guitars. This is the best known song from the musical,
and it highlights a deeper allegory – the dream-haunted
knight is a fool fighting windmills, but at the same time
he is also a Christ-figure in disguise, holding to
other-worldly values, and seeing Dulcinea as she really is,
not at the world considers her (though he may be
misguided).
It is a great song, because although the world may be a
dunghill, Quixote’s vision is inspiring. Peter O’Toole acts
this perfectly in the film, allowing Quixote to seem
unbearably wrapped-up in his own delusions, awkward
Sacred
“O Rest in the Lord” & “Draw Near All Ye People.”
Arias from Elijah, oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn.
Sung in English by Janet Baker & Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau on Sacred Arias EMI.
Aria: O Rest in the Lord
An Angel:
Oh rest in the Lord,
Wait patiently for Him,
And He shall give thee thy heart's desires.
Commit thy way unto Him, and trust in Him,
and fret not thyself because of evil-doers.
+++
Aria: Draw near, all ye people
Elijah:
Draw near, all ye people, come to me!
Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, this day let it be
known that Thou art God, and that I am Thy servant!
Lord God of Abraham! Oh shew to all this people that I
have done these things according to Thy word. Oh hear
me, Lord, and answer me! Lord God of Abraham, Isaac
and Israel, oh hear me and answer me, and shew this
people that Thou art Lord God. And let their hearts again
be turned!
Comment
Oratorio written in 1846 by Felix Mendelssohn for the
Birmingham Festival. It depicts events in the life of
Elijah from 1 & 2 Kings, Old Testament. Originally
written in German, he had the text translated and
performed first in English. The style is reminiscent of
Bach and Handel, whom he admired, but with Romantic
lyricism.
Rest in the Lord is a beautiful prayer song. It is adapted
from Psalm 37.7-11: “Rest in the LORD, and wait
patiently for him … Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.
Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall
47
be cut off, but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall
inherit the earth.”
“Draw near” is a beautiful statement from the heart of the
Jewish faith, giving musical shape to the prophet’s cry for
his people.
Elijah, who lived c 870 BCE, is a very important prophet
for the Jerusalem faiths. Elijah raised the dead (the first
instance of this in scripture) and also challenged rival
gods and defeated them on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18).
The aria above is the word of an angel giving comfort to
the prophet when he fled from Jezebel.
Both Janet Baker and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau are
superb in this. There are good versions on YouTube by
Willard White and Renee Fleming, and others.
++++++++++++++++++
“There is a Balm in Gilead”
Traditional African-American Spiritual
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.
Some times I feel discouraged,
And think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.
If you can’t preach like Peter,
If you can’t pray like Paul,
Just tell the love of Jesus,
And say He died for all.
Comment
The phrase “balm in Gilead” is found in the Old
Testament, but the lyrics of this spiritual refer to the New
Testament. The song is written in response to the
question phrased in Jeremiah 8.22 “Is there no balm in
Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the
health of the daughter of my people recovered?” The
point is that Jesus is the healer, and this is the secret
meaning of the phrase “the balm of Gilead.”
African-American communities in America were denied
education in the years of slavery, but they were allowed to
worship in church, so a good knowledge of the Bible was
achieved. From this the great tradition of Spiritual songs
developed – songs of faith and hope and courage.
In the book of Jeremiah, several verses speak about
Gilead which also indicate that the song was perhaps a
protest song. In chapter 22.13: The Lord says (referring to
the palace of the king of Judea): “Woe unto him that
buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers
by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without
wages, and giveth him not for his work.” In other words,
woe to the enslavers. In the same book of Jeremiah,
chapter 46.11, “Go up to Gilead and get balm, O Virgin
Daughter of Egypt, but you multiply remedies in vain;
here is no healing for you.” No healing in that time, but
healing through Jesus is the message.
There are many versions of this spiritual, some good
sung versions on YouTube.
48
Paul A.S. Harvey
3.2 Kwords
Folk Irish: She Moved Through the Fair
Pop: The Girl from Ipanema Gilberto/Getz
Literary: Prometheus by Dyer & With how sad steps by Sidney
Musical: I cannot tell & So Go to Him Patience G&S
Sacred: O Splendor of God’s Glory & Eternal Source Handel
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
The Girl from Ipanema (1962)
Music by Antônio Carlos Jobim
Lyrics in Portuguese Vinicius de Moraes
Lyrics in English Norman Gimbel
Sung by Astrud Gilberto
Performed by João Gilberto and Stan Getz
From the album Getz/Gilberto (1964)
Folk Irish
She Moved Through the Fair
Traditional Irish Folksong
Sung by Meav Ni Mhaolchatha (Meav)
With Celtic Woman on the CD Celtic Woman 2004
My young love said to me my mother won’t mind
And my father won’t slight you for your lack of kine,
As she stepped away from me this she did say
It will not be long love till our wedding day.
And she stepped away from me and she moved through the Fair
And fondly I watched her go here and go there,
She went her way homeward with one star awake,
As the swan in the evening moves over the lake.
Last night she came to me, she came softly in.
So softly she moved, her feet made no din.
And she laid her hand on me, and this she did say,
It will not be long love till our wedding day.
Comment
A traditional song collected in Donegal by the poet
Padraic Colum and published in Irish Country Songs in
1909. It is actually a poignant song, and the version above
by Celtic Woman omits the third verse, giving it a
different meaning. Here it is:
The people were saying, no two e’er were wed,
But one had a sorrow that never was said.
And I smiled as she passed, with her goods and her gear,
And that was the last that I saw of my dear.
So that in the original it is a ghost that visits him in the
night. It is certainly a poetic song, and the line about the
swan is very beautiful. Here is the final verse in the
original:
Last night she came to me, my dead love came in.
So softly she came that her feet made no din.
As she laid her hand on me, and this she did say:
It will not be long, love, ’til our wedding day.
Kine: cattle, this is “kind” in some versions
Gear: clothes, and what she had with her, in modern
usage gear has the sense of equipment
Din: noise
Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes – ah
When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gently
That when she passes, each one she passes goes – ah
(Ooh) But he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes he would give his heart gladly,
But each day, when she walks to the sea,
She looks straight ahead, not at he.
Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, he smiles – but she doesn't see
She just doesn’t see
No, she doesn’t see
She just doesn’t see.
Comment
Ipanema is a town on the Brazil coast, south of Rio de
Janeiro. The song was originally composed for a musical
comedy, with the title “The Girl who Passes by.” Moraes
worked on the lyrics and Jobim on the melody in his
house in Ipanema. When it was decided to do an English
version later, Astrud Gilberto, wife of João, who was
recording with Getz, sang the song, though she was not
professionally trained, yet she proved perfect for the song.
The song was inspired by a young beauty spotted in the
local bars of that town – and the sentiments are fairly
universal, especially in the Latin countries. Moraes, who
wrote the original lyrics, has discussed this, saying that
the song was about “a golden teenage girl, a mixture of
flower and mermaid, full of light and grace, the sight of
whom is also sad, in that she carries with her, on her
route to the sea, the feeling of youth that fades, of the
beauty that is not ours alone – it is a gift of life in its
beautiful and melancholic constant ebb and flow"
[quoted on Wikip.]
The beauty of the song is in the phrasing by Astrud, who
phrases the lines like jazz with a quiet melancholy that is
just perfect, and also the saxophone by Getz, effectively
singing a duet with her. With the lines repeated at the
end some point or other is being made – what is it? Is the
49
sadness of the song that the Girl from Ipanema is in fact
blind? Or is it that she has no interest in the men who are
interested in her? Or is there something else being said?
She doesn’t “see” – there’s something she doesn’t
understand, or she has no interest in prayer? (See in the
biblical sense of understanding God). The way it is sung
seems to open up these questions without giving any
answers, which is why it remains so intriguing.
Stan Getz (1927 -1991)
American Jazz saxophone player. Ukrainian Jewish
background. Gifted both intellectually and musically, he
played with the Teagarden band in 1943, and from the
1950s was a soloist. He teamed up the Joao and Astrud
Gilberto to produce the album with the track “Girl from
Ipanema,” which won a Grammy, and also became one
of the best known Latin jazz numbers. His relationship
with Astrud led to the break-up of the collaboration.
João Gilberto & Astrud Gilberto
João (1931 – ) Brazilian jazz guitarist and singer,
established the Bossa Nova genre in Brazil. Gifted with
poetry and originality, his early years were hard. His
collaboration with Jobim led to recordings and from 1959
the Bossa Nova style won a great following. An artist and
a perfectionist, during a recording session of the song
"Rosa Morena" he insisted on 28 takes to get the
pronunciation of the 'O' in "Rosa" just right.
The difference is, the satyr’s lips, my heart.
He for a while, I evermore have smart.
Comment
This is a sonnet by Philip Sidney’s friend Edward Dyer
(1543-1607) and is included in Sidney’s Certain Sonnets.
The fable of the satyr who kissed fire is told by Plutarch.
The poet compares himself to the satyr who kissed a
flame. He saw a beautiful woman (like an angel) and fell
in love.
Prometheus: a demigod (son of the Titan Iapetus), who
made man out of clay, and stole fire from Olympus, and
taught men to use it and various arts.
Satyr: A woodland god or demon, in form partly human
and partly bestial, supposed to be the companions of
Bacchus. In Greek art of the pre-Roman period the
satyr was represented with the ears and tail of a horse.
Roman sculptors assimilated it to the faun of native
mythology, giving it the ears, tail, and legs of a goat,
and budding horns [from OED].
As it like: as if it had been
As pleaseth love: as love (Cupid) determines
Unwonted: unaccustomed
wood: mad.
++++++++++++++++
Astrud (1940 – ) Brazilian singer, married Joao in 1959
and emigrated to the USA, divorced him in the mid 1960s
during a relationship with Getz. She had not trained
professionally but turned out to be highly gifted, singing
this song to international acclaim. She went on to record
with her own band and write songs, and has been
honored with a lifetime achievement award by Jazz Latin
USA. Advocate of animal rights.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
1989.
"Prometheus, when first from heaven high"
By Edward Dyer
Prometheus, when first from heaven high
He brought down fire, till then on earth not seen,
Fond of delight, a satyr standing by,
Gave it a kiss, as it like sweet had been.
Feeling forthwith the other burning power,
Wood with the smart, with shouts and shrieking still,
He sought his ease in river, field and bower,
But for the time his grief went with him still.
So silly I, with that unwonted sight,
In human shape, an angel from above,
Feeding mine eyes, th’impression there did light,
That since I run and rest as pleaseth love.
1989.
"With how sad steps, O moon, thou climb'st the skies"
With how sad steps, O moon, thou climb'st the skies;
How silently, and with how wan a face.
What, may it be that even in heavenly place
That busy archer his sharp arrows tries?
Sure, if that long-with-love acquainted eyes
Can judge of love, thou feel'st a lover's case;
I read it in thy looks; thy languished grace
To me, that feel the like, thy state descries.
Then even of fellowship, O moon, tell me,
Is constant love deemed there but want of wit?
Are beauties there as proud as here they be?
Do they above love to be loved, and yet
Those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess?
Do they call virtue there ungratefulness?
Comment
Sonnet 31 from Astrophil and Stella. The poet views the
moon and imagines that the moon, like himself, is also
suffering from being unrequited in love. He asks
questions about life in the moon’s sphere. Virtue i.e.
goodness, and ungratefulness, i.e. Stella appears to be
ungrateful for the love he has for her.
Philip Sidney (1554 – 1586)
For information on Sidney see Monday Songs 33.
wan: pale.
50
archer: Cupid.
long-with-love acquainted eyes: experienced eyes.
thou feel'st a lover's case: you understand what it means
descries: reveals.
even of fellowship: out of companionship
deemed: thought.
they above: the women there.
with there ungratefulness: i.e. ungratefulness there a
virtue? Is the lady's ingratitude considered virtue in
heaven (as here)? an ironic question
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
1 “I Cannot Tell what This Love May be” (1881)
From Patience Act 1 (sung by Patience)
Patience:
I cannot tell what this love may be
That cometh to all but not to me.
It cannot be kind, as they’d imply,
Or why do these ladies sigh?
It cannot be joy and rapture deep,
Or why do these gentle ladies weep?
It cannot be blissful as ’tis said,
Or why are their eyes so wondrous red?
Though everywhere true love I see
A-coming to all, but not to me,
I cannot tell what this love may be!
For I am blithe and I am gay,
While they sit sighing night and day.
Think of the gulf ’twixt them and me,
‘Fal la la la!’ – and ‘Misery’!
Chorus: Yes, she is blithe, etc.
Patience:
If love is a thorn, they show no wit
Who foolishly hug and foster it.
If love is a weed, how simple they
Who gather it, day by day!
If love is a nettle that makes you smart,
Then why do you wear it next your heart?
And if it be none of these, say I,
Ah, why do you sit and sob and sigh?
Though everywhere true love I see
A-coming to all, but not to me,
I cannot tell what this love may be!
Think of the gulf ’twixt them and me,
‘Fal la la la!’ – and ‘Misery’!
From Patience Act 2 (Duet – Bunthorne and Jane)
Jane: So go to him and say to him, with compliment ironical –
Bunth: Sing Hey to you –
Good-day to you –
And that’s what I shall say!
Jane: Your style is much too sanctified – your cut is too
canonical –
Bunth: Sing Bah to you –
Ha! ha! to you –
Jane: I was the beau ideal of the morbid young æsthetical –
To doubt my inspiration was regarded as heretical –
Until you cut me out with your placidity emetical.
Bunth: Sing Booh to you –
Pooh, pooh to you –
Sing Booh to you –
Both: Sing Hey to you – good-day to you –
Sing Bah to you – ha! ha! to you –
Sing Booh to you – pooh, pooh to you –
And that’s what you should/ I shall say!
Bunth: I’ll tell him that unless he will consent to be more jocular
–
Jane: Sing Booh to you –
And that’s what you should say!
Bunth: To cut his curly hair, and stick an eyeglass in his ocular
–
Jane: Sing Bah to you –
Ha! ha! to you–
Bunth: To stuff his conversation full of quibble and of quiddity,
To dine on chops and roly-poly pudding with avidity –
He’d better clear away with all convenient rapidity.
Jane: Sing Hey to you –
Good-day to you –
Bunth: Sing Booh to you –
Both: Sing Hey to you – good-day to you –
Sing Bah to you – ha! ha! to you–
Sing Booh to you –pooh, pooh to you–
And that’s what you should/I shall say!
(Exeunt Jane and Bunthorne together.)
Comment
Two sequences from Patience (1881), Savoy Opera, music
by Arthur Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. This was a
popular opera, with many of the numbers receiving an
encore on the opening night, in particular “I hear the soft
note” and “Prithee Pretty Maiden.” The Best of Gilbert
& Sullivan CD 1.25 & 26
Chorus: For she is blithe, etc.
2 “So Go to Him and Say to Him”
Patience
This was their sixth collaboration. The opera satirizes the
51
aestheticism of the 1870s. Two poets of opposite
tendencies, Reginald the fleshly poet, and Archibald, the
idyllic poet, are in love with a village milkmaid called
Patience. Reginald is a sham and Archibald, whom
Patience knew formerly and loved, is her true partner. In
order to be utterly unselfish, Patience resolves to marry
the one she does not want, i.e. Reginald, but then
changes her mind when Archibald is transformed from
being an aesthetic poet to an ordinary man.
Rapture: blissful joy
Wondrous red: red with weeping
Blithe: happy
Canonical: like a minister of the church
Beau ideal: the perfect ideal
Morbid: gloomy
Aesthetical: person who values beauty in art and life
Emetical: purgative, literally making one vomit
Jocular: pleasant and jolly
Ocular: eye, relating to the eye, ocular organ
Quibble: pedantic question
Quiddity: puzzle
Roly-poly pudding: down to earth ordinary fare
Avidity: eagerness
Clear away: depart
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
O Splendor of God’s Glory
Text: Saint Ambrose of Milan (340-397)
Text: John 8:12
Translated: Robert Bridges
1 O splendor of God’s glory bright,
O thou that bringest light from light,
O Light of Light, light’s living spring,
O Day, all days illumining.
2 O thou true Sun of heavenly love,
Pour down thy radiance from above:
The Spirit’s sanctifying beam
Upon our earthly senses stream.
3 With prayer the Father we implore,
O Father, glorious evermore,
We plead with thee for grace and power
To conquer in temptation’s hour.
4 To guide whate’er we nobly do,
With love all envy to subdue,
And give us grace our wrongs to bear,
To make ill-fortune turn to fair.
5 All laud to God the Father be;
All praise, eternal Son, to thee;
All glory to the Spirit raise
In equal and unending praise.
Comment
There are various versions of this ancient hymn. I have
chosen this one for the clarity of the phrasing and the
primal symbolism of light. There is a reference here to
the Gospel text John 8.12. See also Monday Songs 12 for
another of his hymns.
Saint Ambrose
He was the son and third child of Ambrosius, Prefect of
the Gauls, born in 340 CE. On the death of his father in
353, his mother moved to Rome with her three children.
Ambrose went through the usual course of education,
attaining proficiency in Greek. Became an official in the
north, living at Milan. He was chosen Bishop when only a
catechumen (learning to become a Christian) in 374,
perhaps on account of his holiness and learning. He
defended the church against the Arian heresy. In 387
Ambrose received by baptism the great scholar saint
Augustine into the Church. He introduced from the East
the practice of antiphonal chanting, and began the task,
which St. Gregory completed, of systematizing the music
of the Church. Many early hymns are ascribed to him,
including the great “Te Deum”.
+++++++++++++++
G. F. Handel, “Eternal Source” from Ode for the
Birthday of Queen Anne (1714)
Text: Ambrose Philips
Performed by Kathleen Battle soprano and Wynton
Marsalis Trumpet, Orchestra of St. Luke’s
John Nelson conductor. “Baroque Duet” Sony CD 1992.
Eternal source of Light divine
With double warmth
Thy beams display
And with distinguished glory shine,
To add a lustre to this day.
Comment
In 1714 Handel opened his Ode for the Birthday of Queen
Anne with a solo movement for voice and trumpet
heralding the Queen’s role in the Peace of Utrecht (1713),
which had finally brought an end to the lengthy Spanish
War of Succession. The text by the poet and dramatist
Ambrose Philips compares Queen Anne to the sun. The
voice and trumpet compete with each other in a virtuoso
manner, creating the “double warmth” hinted in the
words of the text. Following this verse we have:
Let all the winged race with joy
Their wonted homage sweetly pay,
Whilst towering in the azure sky
They celebrate this happy day:
The day that gave great Anna birth
Who fixed a lasting peace on earth.
Both Marsalis and Battle are splendid in this
performance, and other recordings on this CD.
Lustre: brightness
Winged race: angels
52
Wonted: accustomed
& 22 & 24.
Kathleen Battle (1948 – )
Leading world soprano, some of her recordings are
unsurpassed, such as this one. Performed in opera at the
New York Met and with most of the world’s leading
singers, now favors giving concerts on her own.
Originally from Ohio, sung Gospel in church, classically
trained. Her coloratura and embellishment is of the very
best. She has a very wide repertoire, ranging from pop, to
spirituals to jazz to classical and sacred. She has won
many awards and sung before two Popes.
Wynton Marsalis (1961 – )
One of America’s leading trumpeters, both classical and
jazz. From a distinguished jazz family. On this CD he
even surpasses Battle in the brilliance of the sound. He
made history by being the first musician to win Grammys
in both classical and jazz music. He has done great work
in the field of musical education on radio and TV. Like
Battle, his achievement has not been without controversy,
but that is the sign that he is great.
53
Folk: The Rising of the Lark Welsh Folk Mercer
Pop: I’d like to teach the world to sing New Seekers
Literary: Voices at the Window Sidney
Musical: The Way We Were Streisand
Sacred: I know that my Redeemer Liveth Handel
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
The Rising of the Lark
Codiad yr Hedydd
Traditional Welsh
Sung by Shannon Mercer (2009)
Clyw! Clyw! for eu ol glod,
O! fwyn ed yw'r defn yn nau n dod,
O wyn fa lan i lawr.
Ai man ddefn yn nau can,
An ei rif lu ryw dyr fa lan,
Ddi hangodd gyd a r wawr?
Mud yw'r aw el ar y waun,
A brig y grug, yn esmyth gryn.
Gwran do mae yr ab er gain,
Ac yn y brwyn ym guddia'i hun.
Mor ne fol serch ol yd ydw'r sain,
Sy'n dod i swyn o dyn.
2. Cwyd, cwyd ehedydd, cwyd,
O le i le ar aden lwyd.
Yn uwch, yn uwch o hyd:
Can, can dy nodau cu,
A dos yn nes at lawen lu
Adawodd boen y byd.
Canu mae, a'r byd a glyw
Ei alaw lon o uchel le:
Cyfyd hiraeth dynolryw,
Ar ol ei lais i froydd ne':
Yn nes at Ddydd, yn nes at Dduw
I fyny fel efe!
Melody by Elizabeth Grant (1745-1814)
Rise, rise, thou merry lark,
Whose upward flight I love to mark,
At early dawn of day.
Leave, leave, thy mossy lair,
With light wing cleave the yielding air,
And carol forth thy lay!
Sweet, oh sweet the honied note
That swells within thy warbling throat!
'Tis a stream of melody
That steals the raptured soul away,
Delightful harbinger of day
My blessing go with thee!
2. Night's ling'ring shades are fled,
And Phoebus, from his ocean bed
Through aether wings his flight.
Oh! let my music sweet
His presence with glad welcome greet
In ditties of delight!
Higher yet, still higher fly
Still soaring upward to the sky;
As when, in Eden's fairest grove
Unto the new created pair
You first did tune, to music rare,
A merry song of love!
Another translation, also good, this from
Shannon Mercer, Wales The Land of Song CD:
1. Hark, Hark, at the morning tide
The lark’s pure song ring far and wide
To greet celestial choirs.
Up to the radiant skies,
Where faint and far those notes arise
The enraptured soul aspires.
All enchanted ‘neath the spell
In dreams and meads and mountains dwell
Winds and waters silent stay
In cloudless air, in caverns deep,
Their restless music charmed to sleep
By song so wondrous fair.
2. Rise, rise, O singing sprite,
Till you are one with heavenly light,
And faded from our eyes.
But thrilling loud and clear
Still enchanted notes we hear
A peon of paradise.
Sing until thy soaring song
Mounts up to join the angel throng;
Fain our souls would follow thee,
Where sin and sorrow fade away
In glory of immortal day
To reach Eternity.
Comment
The song is sung in Welsh by Shannon Mercer, and here
are two excellent English translations, which are good
poems in their own right. The Lark has inspired other
works of beauty in English, including “To a Skylark” by
P. B. Shelley, and “The Lark Ascending,” by George
Meredith, which in turn inspired the famous work by
Ralph Vaughan Williams. We will consider these later in
this series. Shannon Mercer and Skye Consort. Wales –
the Land of Song Analekta CD 2009 (Canada).
Honied note: like honey
Harbinger: one who goes before and announces arrival
Phoebus: the sun
Aether: ether, air, clear sky
Peon: praise song
Shannon Mercer
Soprano from Canada, rising star. Welsh background and
54
a gift for singing led her to compete in the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod and she won the silver
cup aged 15. Performing in a wide range of material
since about 2005. Pure tone, versatility, and skill make her
a world-class performer.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
I’d like to teach the world to sing (in perfect harmony)
(1971)
Vocals: Eve Graham (1943 - )
Words and music: B.Backer, B.Davis, R.Cook,
R.Greenway
Performed by The New Seekers
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees,
And snow-white turtle doves.
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony,
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company.
I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand,
And hear them echo through the hills,
For peace throughout the land,
(That's the song I hear)
(Let the world sing today)
In perfect harmony.
In perfect harmony.
I’d like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves.
Chorus line: that’s the song I hear!
Comment
This song originated as a commercial jingle for Coca
Cola and was rewritten as a pop song. In the commercial,
a multicultural group holding bottles of coke written in
different languages stand around, singing “I’d like to buy
the world a coke.” It was blatantly commercial, but the
spirit behind the advert was a generous one. Although
Coca Cola was a symbol of American materialism, it was
also symbol of affluence as well, and at the time of the
song there was still great poverty in the world. Some
people simply could not afford to buy a Coca Cola.
Buying someone a coke could be an act of friendship,
even an act of peace. After all, who would refuse an
ice-cold coke, especially if you were hungry and thirsty,?
It was this generous spirit that made it such a powerful
commercial. Another thing about Coca Cola was that it is
one of the few drinks in the world that was acceptable
everywhere, crossing all the boundaries of culture, unlike
beer or wine or even tea and coffee, which are prohibited
in some places for religious reasons.
The rewritten song itself sums up the best of the 1960s. It
is a peace song, a song which declares the wish to
nurture and heal. It is a mothering spirit, wishing to build
a home and comfort the world, as if it were one’s own
child. The spirit of the song accords perfectly with the
Franciscan peace movement, very idealistic and strongly
focused on love. The Coca-Cola Company waived
royalties to the song and instead donated $80,000 in
payments to UNICEF.
The New Seekers
A British band formed in 1969, from the Australian band,
The Seekers. Another of their hit songs was “Beg, steal or
borrow” also “Never Ending Song of Love.” In the
charts mainly from 1969-1974.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
1989.
Voices at the Window
Who is it that this dark night
Underneath my window plaineth?
It is one who from thy sight
Being, ah, exiled, disdaineth
Every other vulgar light.
Why, alas, and are you he?
Be not yet those fancies changèd?
Dear, when you find change in me,
Though from me you be estrangèd,
Let my change to ruin be.
Well, in absence this will die.
Leave to see and leave to wonder.
Absence sure will help, if I
Can learn how myself to sunder
From what in my heart doth lie.
But time will these thoughts remove.
Time doth work what no man knoweth.
Time doth as the subject prove.
With time still the affection groweth
In the faithful turtle dove.
What if you new beauties see,
Will not they stir new affection?
I will think they pictures be,
Image-like, of saint’s perfection,
55
Poorly counterfeiting thee.
But your reason’s purest light
Bids you leave such minds to nourish.
Dear, do reason no such spite;
Never doth thy beauty flourish
More than in my reason’s sight.
But the wrongs love bears will make
Love at length leave undertaking.
No, the more fools it do shake,
In a gound of so firm making
Deeper still they drive the stake.
Peace, I think that some give ear;
Come no more, lest I get anger.
Bliss, I will my bliss forbear,
Fearing, sweet, you to endanger;
But my soul shall harbor there.
Well, begone, begone, I say,
Lest that Argus’ eyes perceive you.
Oh, unjust fortune’s sway,
Which can make me thus to leave you,
And from louts to run away.
Comment
This is the eleventh song in Astrophil and Stella. There is
a setting by Thomas Morley, The First Book of Airs, 1600.
It is a delightful song, similar to the songs in Shakespeare.
Two voices in dialogue – Stella telling him to leave off his
love, and Astrophil declaring that his love will remain
always strong. Astrophil is forced to run off when loutish
men appear. The song occurs at the end of the sonnet
sequence and suggests that the love had to end because
of various outside pressures.
Plain: complain
Vulgar: common
Counterfeit: imitate, making a false image
Argus: servant of Hera, guardian of the sacred heifer Io,
with a hundred eyes. Hence, a very vigilant person, a
watcher or guardian.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
The Way We Were (1973)
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman
Sung by Barbra Streisand.
From the film The Way We Were (1973)
And if we had the chance to do it all again,
Tell me, would we? Could we?
Memories may be beautiful, and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget,
So it's the laughter we will remember
Whenever we remember the way we were.
Comment
Classic song, sung perfectly by Streisand. It was the
theme song of the 1973 film starring Streisand and
Robert Redford, and won the Academy Award and the
Golden Globe award. It was number in the American
charts. The song is well written, striking a perfect
nostalgic and also poetic note. The message in the song
is quite universal – the passage of our lives always has
things that are painful to remember, regrets and
sadnesses. What we choose to remember should be, of
course, the laughter and the joy!
There is a deeper level. The song invites us to consider
what memories really are. Were we really so happy then,
or does the passage of time make it all seem different?
Do we change the past as we live in the present? Can one
relive the past again? In one’s dreams one can certainly
meet the past again, and the passage of living itself does
indeed change the way we feel about the past, as we grow
and learn more. Also, as we grow older, we forget a lot,
and this is both a good thing and a bad thing, a burden
and a gift.
Barbra Streisand (1942 – )
Multi-talented American personality, winner of many
awards, sold millions of records, successful both as a
singer and an actor. Born in Brooklyn, New York,
Austrian-Jewish background. Performing since her teens,
won fame for Funny Girl on Broadway. She started work
on TV and recorded dozens of records attaining an
iconic cultural status in America.
Her films of Funny Girl and Hello Dolly won awards and
are classics of their kind. She also produced films,
notably Yentl (1983) which she also scripted (changing
the original story) – this was a labor of love. This film is
highly regarded and is an empowering film for women in
traditional Jewish or Muslim societies. She has raised a
huge amount of money for a variety of charities, and is a
champion of gay rights.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
Memories light the corners of my mind,
Misty water color memories of the way we were.
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind,
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were.
I know that my Redeemer liveth.
From Handel Messiah (1741)
Libretto adapted by Charles Jennens (1700-1773)
Handel Messiah Kings College Choir EMI CD (1973).
Can it be that it was all so simple then,
Or has time rewritten every line?
No. 45 soprano air
I know that my Redeemer liveth,
56
and that he shall stand at the latter day
upon the earth, and tho’ worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God.
Job 19.25-26
For now is Christ risen from the dead,
the first-fruits of them that sleep. KJV
1 Corinthians 15.20
[Modern translation: But in fact,
Christ has been raised from the dead.
He is the first of a great harvest
of all who have died. NLT]
Comment
One of the most beautiful airs from Handel’s Messiah.
The text is from the Book of Job, and it is known
principally in English Churches by virtue of this famous
aria. The text is very important as a secret teaching about
the Messiah, and it is also a strong statement of faith in
God as the Redeemer. The concept of redemption, vital
to the Christian faith, is found in the Old Testament in
this quotation and also in the story of Ruth, where land is
redeemed (bought back). The concept is that humanity
has a contract with God, which is broken by sin, but
which can be bought back by appropriate payment of
prayer and penance. For Christians, this payment is given
in a new way by Christ, making heaven available for all
people on earth (i.e. not just for the chosen people). The
quotation is also a secret prophesy of the resurrection of
the body. Jews, Christians and Muslims believed that at
the final Judgment, all humanity would be restored to
their physical selves prior to final judgment. Nowadays
many churches understand this kind of thing as a parable
more than as an actual reality, but it is still a tenet of faith
for Muslims and Jews.
It is wise to remember how controversial the
interpretation of the Bible is, as this note from the New
American Bible reminds us, discussing these verses.
“The meaning of this passage is obscure because the
original text has been poorly preserved and the ancient
versions do not agree among themselves. Job asserts
three times that he shall see a future vindicator (Hebrew
Goel), but he leaves the time and manner of this
vindication undefined. The Vulgate translation has Job
indicating a belief in resurrection after death, but the
Hebrew and the other ancient versions are less specific.”
For Christians, the lines from Job declare confidence in
the resurrection of Christ – that he died on the cross but
returned to life again, and lives now – a strong faith
statement which gives hope. This is highlighted by
Jennens in the quote that follows from Saint Paul, who
interprets the resurrection of Christ as being the first
resurrection of the body to eternal life. In other words,
the miracle of resurrection has been given to tell the Jews
that history has been brought to a new point, and that
Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. First-fruits are the
first fruits of the season, which were traditionally offered
in sacrifice to God (including the first-born, such as
first-born lambs), and the word “sleep” is the
euphemistic phrase favored by Saint Paul and still used in
the Orthodox churches. The idea is that Christ is the first,
and according to God’s mercy all may be resurrected in
body (and spirit) to achieve eternal life with God. Jews
and Muslims do not accept Christ’s special role in this,
but the central notion is accepted by all three faiths –
essentially that the righteous by God’s mercy will be
accepted to heaven.
& 24 (I give here a more detailed discussion of the text I
introduce in 24).
57
Folk: John Anderson My Jo & Auld Lang Syne Burns
Pop: You are the Sunshine of My Life Wonder
Literary: Come Sleep & Leave Me O Love Sonnets Sidney
Musical: I dreamt I dwelt in Marble Halls & If You Go In Iolanthe G&S
Sacred: Be Thou My Vision & Queen of the Holy Rosary
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Folk
John Anderson My Jo (1790)
Text: Robert Burns
Sung by Eddi Reader
From Eddi Reader Sings the Songs of Robert Burns
Victor CD 2003
John Anderson, my jo,
John Anderson, my jo
When we were first acquent,
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snaw,
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson, my jo!
John Anderson my jo,
We clamb the hill thegither,
And monie a cantie day, John,
We’ve had wi’ ane anither;
Now we maun totter down, John,
And hand in hand we’ll go,
And sleep thegither at the foot,
John Anderson my jo!
Comment
A song of friendship, sung to a lively tune by Eddi
Reader who conveys the spirit of these songs so well.
Eddi Reader’s note: “This is Robert’s celebration of
fidelity and affection through the years. I want to be able
to sing this to someone and mean it, when I am around
eighty-nine years of age!”
Jo: joy, dear
Acquent: acquainted, knew each other
Bonie: bonny i.e. beautiful
Brent: polished i.e. shining, steep, smooth
Beld: bald
Snaw: snow
Pow: head
Thegither: together
Cantie: great
Ane anither: one another i.e. together
Maun: must
Totter: stumble in a decrepit way
++++++++++++++
Auld Lang Syne (1788)
Text: Robert Burns
Arranged by Eddi Reader
Sung by Eddi Reader.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ auld lang syne?
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu’d the gowans fine;
We’ve wandered mony a weary foot
Since auld lang syne.
We twa hae paddled i’ the burn,
Frae mornin’ sun till dine;
But seas between us broad hae roared
Since auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
Comment
A song of friendship, so well-known that it needs little
introduction except to say that most people do not know
what the words really are. Traditionally this is sung in
Scotland and around the world at the very beginning of
the New Year. Here it is sung by Eddi Reader who
conveys the spirit of these songs very well.
Eddi Reader’s note: “What a wonderful thing that man
did, to write a song that makes everyone sing together
and hold each other at the dawning of a new year, in all
languages, and he never got to see it. God bless his soul!”
Auld Lang Syne: time gone by, for old times’ sake
Cup of kindness: cup of friendship, drink together
Twa: two
Hae: have
Braes: hillsides, slopes
Gowan: daisies
Mony: many
Burn: stream
58
Frae: from
Dine: supper time
Fere: friend, companion
Gie: give
Here is an interesting note from Wikip: “Auld Lang Syne”
is traditionally sung at the conclusion of New Year
gatherings in Scotland and around the world, especially
in English-speaking countries. It is common practice that
everyone joins hands with the person next to them to
form a great circle around the dance floor. At the
beginning of the last verse, everyone crosses their arms
across their breast, so that the right hand reaches out to
the neighbor on the left and vice versa. When the tune
ends, everyone rushes to the middle, while still holding
hands. When the circle is re-established, everyone turns
under the arms to end up facing outwards with hands still
joined. In countries other than Scotland the hands are
often crossed from the beginning of the song at variance
with Scottish custom. The Scottish practice was
demonstrated by the Queen at the Millennium Dome
celebrations for the year 2000. The English press berated
her for not “properly” crossing her arms, unaware that
she was correctly following the Scottish tradition!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pop
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (1973)
Lyrics by Stevie Wonder.
Sung by Stevie Wonder.
From the album Talking Book (1972)
You are the sunshine of my life,
That’s why I’ll always be around.
You are the apple of my eye,
Forever you’ll stay in my heart.
I feel like this is the beginning,
Though I’ve loved you for a million years.
And if I thought our love was ending,
I’d find myself drowning in my own tears.
You are the sunshine of my life,
That’s why I’ll always stay around.
You must have known that I was lonely,
Because you came to my rescue.
And I know that this must be heaven,
How could so much love be inside of you?
You are the sunshine of my life, yeah,
That’s why I’ll always stay around.
[Sung in the background]
Love has joined us,
Love has joined us,
Let’s think sweet love.
Comment
A love song with universal appeal. This was his third
number one hit song. It won a Grammy for best male
vocal. The song is unusual in that the first four lines are
sung by Jim Gilstrap and Gloria Barley. Stevie Wonder’s
confident delivery give the songs a warm and happy
sound, and many of the “hooks” in his songs are positive
and upbeat, so they make you feel better.
Is there an allegory in the background here? There is a
hint that it’s about God’s love for humanity in verse 2.
One way of reading this is to understand that the subject
position “I” changes in the middle of a verse, as it does
in the Psalms sometimes. So that in verse 2 the first two
lines could be God and the second 2 lines would be
humanity. Perhaps this is why we have two voices singing
at the beginning – two lines one voice, two lines replying
– it’s a dialogue.
Apple of my eye: the thing I love best, most important
thing, a quote from the psalms
Drowning in my own tears: song has an exaggerated
diction, likewise the phrase “loved you for a million
years”
Stevie Wonder (1950- )
Very successful career, being not only one of the greatest
African-American performers, but also the greatest blind
American singer (following from Ray Charles). Recorded
more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and won twenty-two
Grammy Awards, the most ever won by a male solo artist.
Dozens of honors both from his own country and abroad.
He was a child prodigy. Blind from birth and raised in
inner-city Detroit, a skilled musician by age eight.
Renamed Little Stevie Wonder by Berry Gordy, Jr., the
president of Motown Records. Wonder made his
recording debut at age 12.
He had many hit songs in the sixties: “Uptight
(Everything’s Alright)” and many others. He was
influenced by Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” in
which he confronted social issues. There was a steady
stream of classic hit songs, among them “Superstition,”
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Higher Ground,”
“Living for the City,” “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.”
His career continued to develop.
Wonder’s songs are renowned for being difficult to sing.
Highly developed sense of harmony and uses many
extended chords in an individual style.
His greatest achievement has been his inspirational work
both for blind performers and African Americans,
showing what hard work and dedication and also sheer
goodness of personality can do.
59
Splendidis longum valedico nugis
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literary
1989.
Comment
A traditional farewell to the poetry of love and romance,
first published in 1591. This would be usually be placed at
the end of a poetic anthology, such as Astrophil and
Stella, but Sidney did not publish that in his lifetime.
From Certain Sonnets.
“Come Sleep, O Sleep”
Come sleep, O sleep, the certain knot of peace,
The baiting place of wit, the balm of woe,
The poor man’s wealth, the prisoner’s release,
The indifferent judge between the high and low;
With shield of proof shield me from out the press
Of those fierce darts despair at me doth throw:
O make in me those civil wars to cease;
I will good tribute pay, if thou do so.
Take thou of me sweet pillows, sweetest bed,
A chamber deaf to noise, and blind to light;
A rosy garland, and a weary head;
And if these things, as being thine by right,
Move not thy heavy grace, thou shalt in me,
Livelier than elsewhere, Stella’s image see.
Comment
From Astrophil and Stella 39. An attractive sonnet calling
upon sleep to give rest, and a witty word of praise for
Stella at the end.
baiting place: resting place on a journey.
release: freedom
indifferent: impartial.
proof: proven strength.
press: crowd.
a rosy garland: a garland of happiness for the head
Take thou... a weary head: offer of gifts to Morpheus, god
of sleep, poetic convention, a specific source may be
Chaucer’s Book of the Duchess, lines 240-269.
+++++++++++++++
1989.
"Leave me, O Love, which reachest but to dust"
Leave me, O Love, which reachest but to dust;
And thou, my mind, aspire to higher things;
Grow rich in that which never taketh rust;
Whatever fades but fading pleasure brings.
Draw in thy beams and humble all thy might
To that sweet yoke where lasting freedoms be;
Which breaks the clouds and opens forth the light,
That both doth shine and give us sight to see.
O take fast hold; let that light be thy guide
In this small course which birth draws out to death,
And think how evil becometh him to slide,
Who seeketh heaven, and comes of heavenly breath.
Then farewell, world; thy uttermost I see:
Eternal Love, maintain thy life in me.
Reaches to dust: earthly love as opposed to heavenly love
Which never taketh rust: refers to Mt 6.19 “Lay not up for
yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt.”
Sweet yoke: refers to Mt 11.30 Christ’s words “my yoke is
easy, and my burden light.”
Splendidis: a motto “I bid a long farewell to splendid
trifles”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Musical
I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls (1843)
Also called “The Gipsy Girl’s Dream”
Aria from The Bohemian Girl (1843)
Opera by Michael William Balfe, lyrics by Alfred Bunn.
Sung by Meav Ni Mhaolchatha (Meav)
Performed by Celtic Woman (2004).
I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls
With vassals and serfs at my side.
And of all who assembled within those walls
That I was the hope and the pride.
I had riches too great to count, could boast
Of a high ancestral name.
But I also dreamt, which pleased me most
That you loved me still the same,
That you loved me, you loved me still the same,
That you loved me, you loved me still the same.
I dreamt that suitors sought my hand.
That knights upon bended knee,
And with words no maiden heart could withstand,
They pledged their faith to me.
And I dreamt that one of that noble host
Came forth my hand to claim.
But I also dreamt, which charmed me most,
That you loved me still the same,
That you loved me, you loved me still the same,
That you loved me, you loved me still the same.
Comment
This opera was popular mid-century but it is rarely
performed now. This aria is sung in the opera by the
character Arline, who is in love with Thaddeus, a Polish
nobleman and political exile. There is a version of this
song by Enya in her CD Shepherd Moons 1988. The song
is also referred to by James Joyce in Dubliners.
Vassals: followers of a feudal Lord
60
Serfs: slaves in Eastern Europe
+++++++++++++++++
If You Go In (1882)
From Iolanthe Act 2 (sung by Trio:
Lord Chancellor, Earl Mountararat and Earl Tolloller)
Mount: If you go in
You’re sure to win –
Yours will be the charming maidie:
Be your law
The ancient saw,
“Faint heart never won fair lady!”
All: Never, never, never,
Every journey has an end –
When at the worst affairs will mend –
Dark the dawn when day is nigh –
Hustle your horse and don’t say die!
cannot marry, but who is sought in marriage by all the
Lords. Strephon, a half-fairy, son of Iolanthe (a fairy) is
in love with her. There is opposition to them being
together, leading to the fairies casting a spell on the
House of Lords, which means that legislation is passed
requiring members of the House to be chosen by
intelligence, not by birth. Everything is resolved in the
end by some subtle legal arrangements between the
Lords and the fairy world.
Saw: saying
Hustle: hasten, cited as an American proverb but in OED
Shies: turns away
Maravedi: old Spanish coin
Beard the lion in his lair: to cut off the lion’s beard i.e. to
oppose boldly where the opponent is strong
Blood is thick: family relations are most trustworthy
In for a penny: if you are going to try to do something
then commit yourself fully to it
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sacred
Toll: He who shies
At such a prize
Is not worth a maravedi,
Be so kind
To bear in mind –
While the sun shines make your hay –
Where a will is, there’s a way –
Beard the lion in his lair –
None but the brave deserve the fair!
Lord Chance: I’ll take heart
And make a start –
Though I fear the prospect’s shady –
Much I’d spend
To gain my end –
Nothing venture, nothing win –
Blood is thick, but water’s thin –
In for a penny, in for a pound –
It’s Love that makes the world go round!
Comment
From Iolanthe (1882), Savoy Opera, music by Arthur
Sullivan and lyrics by W. S. Gilbert. Light-hearted
exchange with some amusing rhymes, and a witty run of
clichés.
Iolanthe
A silly plot which pokes fun at the House of Lords. The
Lord Chancellor has a beautiful ward Phyllis whom he
Be Thou My Vision
Words: Attributed to Dallan Forgaill, 8th Century,
translated from ancient Irish to English by Mary E. Byrne
(1880-1931) in Eriú, Journal of the School of Irish
Learning, 1905, and versified by Eleanor H. Hull
(1860-1935), 1912.
Melody: Slane (trad. Irish).
Sung by the Irish Tenors on Sacred: A Spiritual Journey
CD 2005
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
Be thou my best thought in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
Be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
Be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
Be thou my whole armor, be thou my true might;
Be thou my soul’s shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise:
Be thou mine inheritance now and always;
Be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, thou heaven’s bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.
Comment
61
Ancient Irish Christian hymn, excellently translated into
English, making a perfect praise-song, like a modern
psalm. These verses are composed of heroic couplets
(rhyming iambic couplets) and the verse has dignity and
power. The rhymes are very natural and fit the sense
perfectly. The interesting thing is that it comes from
newly Christianized Ireland (which was Celtic), but the
spirit is very close to King David – in fact, David would
have no problem singing these words at all! No. 343
Hymns Ancient and Modern. No. 87 in the Scottish
Psalter (different version).
Note on Music from Cyberhymnal website: Slane (name
of the melody) of Irish folk origin. Slane Hill is about ten
miles from Tara in County Meath. It was on Slane Hill
around 433 AD that St. Patrick defied a royal edict by
lighting candles on Easter Eve. High King Logaire of
Tara had decreed that no one could light a fire before
Logaire began the pagan spring festival by lighting a fire
on Tara Hill. Logaire was so impressed by Patrick’s
devotion that, despite his defiance (or perhaps because of
it), he let him continue his missionary work.
Irish Tenors
Three tenors, John McDermott, Finbar Wright and
Anthony Kearns, have produced a number of recordings,
often with spiritual content.
+++++++++++++++++
O Queen of the Holy Rosary
Words by Emily Shapcote (1828-1909)
Sung by Daughters of Mary
Mary of Graces St Joseph’s Chapel CD 1997.
1 O Queen of the Holy Rosary,
O bless us as we pray,
And offer thee our roses
In garlands day by day,
While from our Father’s garden,
With loving hearts and bold,
We gather to thine honor
Buds white and red and gold.
2 O Queen of the Holy Rosary,
Each mystery blends with thine
The sacred life of Jesus
In every step divine.
Thy soul was His fair garden,
Thy virgin breast His throne,
Thy thoughts His faithful mirror,
Reflecting Him alone.
3 Sweet Lady of the Rosary,
White roses let us bring,
And lay them round thy footstool,
Before our Infant King.
For, resting in thy bosom,
God’s Son was fain to be
The child of thy obedience
And spotless purity.
Comment
Popular Marian hymn, well-loved in Ireland, but all but
unknown in the Protestant Churches in England. Mary is
given a wide range of honorific titles to express the
devotion of the faithful. The Rosary is the most
important Catholic prayer which is offered through Mary
to God, so she is given this title.
For many centuries, lowly peasants in Southern Europe
and South America, who could not read, learnt the
Rosary and prayed devotedly to Mary – she was the
gateway to God’s love and mercy for them, and remains a
central part of their Christian faith (and for much of the
world in fact). For this reason at the very least (for the
sake of fellowship and fraternal love) all Christians
should be favorable to her. This is an important issue if
you think of faith in world-terms, rather than ethnic or
national – to build a greater sense of world community.
Greater love between churches and faiths is the message.
Note from cyber hymnal: Author Emily Shapcote
(1828-1909), neé Steward, married curate Edward
Shapcote in 1856. Became Roman Catholic in 1866. She
co-authored Hymns for Infant Children 1852 and wrote
Eucharistic Hours 1886.
Daughters of Mary
Order of Catholic Sisters founded in America in 1984 to
preserve traditional Catholicism. They have produced
many high quality CDs.
62
I hope you enjoyed this course – God bless and may all go well!
Monday Songs 4 is available.
I am now working on Monday Songs 5.
Stean Anthony (Paul AS Harvey)
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 FAVOUR:
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

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