Sons And Daughters (of Robin Hood)

Pipes of Pan

(Damh the Bard)

The idea for this song came about while I was driving across Dartmoor, and having to quickly avoid some of the local drivers. I began to wonder how long you had to live in a place before you stopped seeing the beauty that surrounded you. Before the journey stopped mattering, and the arrival was all that existed…

Can you hear the distant thunder?
Can you see the Moon in the sky?
I can see a full horizon, the Sun raising his eye.
Arms lifted to greet the dawn,
As fiery eyes of wisdom shine,
A father dead, a Son of Suns,
A tear wiped away with a smile.

(Chorus)
All of my life I have seen many offerings,
To the Gods and all the wonder that they hold.
But how many people really can, hear the pipes of Pan?
As they sound across our sacred land of old.

I can see a cloven hoof falling,
On the bare skin of the Earth.
I can see life returning, feel the triple One’s rebirth.
Golden light dapples across the woodland,
As the Piper dances and plays his tune.
Herne the Hunter, Horned One,
Spirit of Man to the Moon.

Can you hear the pipes of Pan
On the warm Summer breeze?
If you can, can you feel him deep within you
As he penetrates the land?
May blossom to the bee,
The nectar of love is on her skin.
Heat returns as passions rise
And Beltane’s dance begins, once again.

Pipes Of Pan from Herne's Apprentice

Antlered Crown and Standing Stone

(Damh the Bard)

A rousing anthem dedicated to the male principle of nature – the Pagan Horned God. Continuing the theme of previous songs such as Green and Grey, Noon of the Soltice and Pipes of Pan. This is a song to honour Cernunnos, Pan, Herne, and the Green Man.

I am the face within the leaves,
I’m the voice within the trees,
I am boy, I am man,
The face of the changing land,
And I have been your constant guide,
From your caves on the mountainside,
We have walked hand in hand.

And everywhere that I have been,
My passing turns the grey to green,
The birds sing to the dawn,
And the land has awoken,
Oh my lady lays with me,
And our love weaves a tapestry,
Eternal threads, unbroken.

(Chorus)
I am lover, I am father,
I am Horned God and King,
I’m the life in all of nature,
That is reborn every Spring.
Call of stag and cry of eagle,
I am Child of Barleycorn,
And I am the antlered crown,
And standing stone.

I am the oats the corn and grain,
A bearded man with a crooked cane,
Cut me down, I must die,
For the land to be born again.
But don’t you cry and don’t you grieve,
For soon the Wild Hunt I will lead,
On the night of Samhain.

The air is cold, the sky is grey,
Where am I this Winter’s day,
Bones of trees, fallen leaves,
The time of the Winter Queen,
But through the wind and snow and rain,
Know that a part of me remains,
Holly stands, evergreen.

Antlered Crown And Standing Stone from Antlered Crown And Standing Stone

A song inspired by the old woodcuts that show Witches dancing with a horned figure from the times of the Witch hunts and the ‘Hammer of the Witches‘, the Inquisition (nobody ever expected them, apparently), Images that can still cut to the heart of some who see them, particularly those who still believe in a Dennis Whealtey-esque occult fraternity.

It’s all rubbish of course – propaganda to feed paranoia and build superstition for a power-hungry church. A topic I tried to address with my song Green and Grey.

But the Sabbat for modern Witches and Wiccans is a real thing. So I wanted to write a song that held within it that ecstasy of the union with Nature, the wildness of Dionysus, the drums beneath the moon, the roaring fire, the chanting, dancing – If you’ve been there, you know.

But you can keep your Devil, I’ll dance with Pan!!

VERSE 1

The day is done I turn my gaze towards the setting sun,

I taste the incense on the air, I hear the sound of drums,

The chill of the evening descends.

All day long I’ve been working hard for the man,

But now’s the time to ditch this skin and be who I am,

Some people just don’t understand,

You can keep your Devil I’ll dance with Pan!

Chorus:

For I will fly free,

On the wings of ecstasy,

And I will dance free,

To the music of Faerie.

Imbolc, Beltane,

Lughnasadh and Samhain,

Equinox and Solstice,

On hilltops in forests tonight,

To the Sabbat I will ride.

VERSE 2

I will dance with the Fearie Queen beneath the silver moon,

I will taste the honey mead and chant the Witch’s Rune,

My heart with the pulse of the land.

Witness now the union of chalice and of blade,

Of life and death and life again the union is made,

By power of land and of sea,

By power of will, so mote it be!

VERSE 3

The night is done the sun will rise on a brand new day,

And I along with millions go out to earn our pay,

People see just what they want to see.

But I have danced with the Faerie Queen, shared the mead of the sun.

I have worn the Oaken Crown before the Horned One,

And I’ll know it’s time to return,

When I see those Pagan fires burn!

Sabbat from Sabbat

If You're Gonna Leave

EO - Broken Halo

Permaculture principle 12: Creatively use and respond to Change - Impermanence is the only thing on which we can truly rely. The best we can do is use it to our advantage by designing for change.
---

"Charlie is spearheading a new and exciting form of musical activism. He is becoming one of the most important voices in a global cultural movement 
that began right here in Australia." 
- Harry Angus, The Cat Empire 

Permaculture: A Rhymer’s Manual from Western Australia's Formidable Vegetable is the first of its kind. An album of ethical, ecological edu-tainment designed to spread the word of sustainability without making you want to tie-dye your shirt or go out and buy a djembe.
Permaculture is basically a way to get ourselves out of habits of self-destruction and into one of abundance and prosperity.
After recognising a desperate need for people to stop talking about sustainability and start getting off their asses, WA permaculture troubadour Charlie Mgee grabbed his ukulele and came up with 12 songs covering each of the principles of permaculture from David Holmgren’s book, Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability. 

With an all-star cast of Australian musicians including Mal Webb, Alex Burkoy (Tinpan Orange/Juila Stone), Michael Boase (Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento), Loren, Freya Hanly, prodigious 19-year old Harry Jakamarra from Broome on banjo and WA’s own 10 piece live electro-swing band Ensemble Formidable, the album is filled to the brim with tracks of truly grooveworthy proportions with styles ranging from ‘energy-descent electro-swing’ and ‘climate-change reggae’ to ‘peak-oil polka’.

In just three short months, Charlie Mgee has already busted out live shows of permaculture songs at internationally acclaimed festivals including Woodford Folk Festival (QLD), Eclipse 2012 (Cairns), Folk, Rhythm & Life and Rainbow Serpent (VIC) and has shared the stage with class-acts such as Nicky Bomba’s Butamento, Spoonbill and Fat Freddy’s Drop.

After a massive turnout to a follow-up permaculture workshop resulting from an especially cranking gig at Eclipse 2012 Festival, Charlie reflects on his ultimate goal for the project: 

“Right now, music is one of the most effective tools we have to communicate ideas on a mass scale and I think I’m really just starting to recognize the power that that can have with regards to introducing people to ideas on how to live more sustainably. I’ve had people that I wouldn’t have thought would be into sustainability in a million years come up to me going: “Man, this sounds awesome! I’m gonna check out this permaculture stuff!” It’s really reaffirming for what I’ve set out to do.”

With included info on the permaculture principles covered as well as chord charts and lyrics to learn the songs on ukulele, the album has been designed to achieve everything from permaculture teaching resource to ukulele lesson to general morning dance routine.

In a world gone hectic, now really is the time to start growing abundance everywhere, starting at the front door. While we’re at it, you might as well Lettuce Turnip the Beet!  (...that would be Rad-ish.)

Permaculture: A Rhymer's Manual

Download from Bandcamp

Change

Damh the Bard – is a modern-day Bard whose spirituality and love of folk tradition is expressed
through his music, storytelling and poetry. Drawing on the Bardic tradition, his performances are both entertaining and educational, speaking directly to the heart, and never without a good splash of humour.

With seven outstanding albums, and singing and speaking engagements all over the world, Damh has become one of the most popular contemporary pagan musicians – a musical storyteller who works within the world of myth: where the Faerie really do dance on Midsummer’s Eve, where the trees talk, and the Hollow Hills take you into the realms of Annwn, where the Goddess rides her horse, guiding you to magic, and the Horned God of old calls to you from the shadows of the Greenwood.

Along with his musical concerts, Damh has also given talks, run workshops and participated in panel discussions at conferences and camps in the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA, with his favourite topics including Druidry, Awen and the creative quest, magick, treelore, and Arthurian lore.

Damh is the current Pendragon of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and hosts their monthly podcast, DruidCast.