Straight away love the feeling you capture. So 'madrigal' if I may be so bold. If you're ever interested in collaborating, drop me a message.

@stephenboyd5: Cheers Stephen! Glad you like it. I’ve still got your track ‘Shanty Blues’ in my head! ;)

For the classical Greeks and Romans, Thule was the furthest known land, lying somewhere in the icy ocean North of Britain and Ireland. Its existence was believed for centuries, before Atlantic exploration proved otherwise, and it slunk quietly off the map. Mysterious Thule may have been an invention, a misidentification of or early name for Iceland, Greenland, Faroe or Shetland amongst other contenders.

In the North, where the ice and water are one, 
We’re sailing to Thule.
Over Ice floes and through frosts and snows,
We will toil in the twilit midday.

Sailing to where the Pole Star shines,
Guiding us to the coldest climes,
We reach the ends of the Earth in time,
The white whales and all the snow white bears,
Heralding our arrival there.
Shadowing our voyage to Thule.

Glassy waters reflect our daughters and sons,
Moonlit on the deep.
Who could look back from that dark inky black?
Are they ghosts or our cold-addled minds?

Sailing to where the Pole Star guides
Us to a world of freezing tides,
Washing the hard coastline of Thule,
Narwhals and all the snow white bears,
Reindeer, arctic fox and hare,
Hailing the late departed to Thule.

In the port, welcome all ashore,
Stalwart heroes of voyages passed.
Through long nights we will sing the songs of the seas,
Voice lost on the deep.

Sailing to where the land and sea,
Blend into an eternity,
One world becomes another in Thule.
If I have been lost at sea,
You’ll know where to come and look for me,
Crossing the icy waters to Thule.

Thule

Robertson’s Reel/Colgrave Sound/Hurlock’s Reel

Reacclimate

Take, Take, Take

O Great Mother

There is no love of life without despair of life -- Albert Camus

inside my head a strange conviction
I am separated from everything I used to know
is there a name to put to this condition that leaves me so hollow

waiting for a break in the weather
waiting for a sea change in the back of your mind
stranger things have happened 
but you're wasting precious time

or was I just meant to be a broken thing
was it fiction to believe it would be otherwise
in the final reckoning

you woke last night to the sound of her voice
calling your name once again
she said you still have a choice 
but your chances are getting slim

inside you're bleeding
because you know it's never going to be the same again
and I know that every memory  
is like jagged glass in your hand

were you just meant to be a broken thing
was it fiction to believe it would be otherwise
in the final reckoning

you feel the weight of a thousand miles
every step that remains should be easy now

but the road goes on

there's a rain that flows away
every doubt and darkness of mind
and it comes to remind you
that every child will find the light

let us never take for granted
all the blessings of the rising day
brother if you and I are the last ones standing
we'll raise a glass to the ones we knew on the way

Broken Things

Spotify Link

Done on my 1945 Martin 0-18.  
For my wife, who loves angels.

I'll Fly Away

The Green Hills Of Earth

A tune I wrote for a dear friend, Julianne, who taught grade school band and now plays drums in a couple of bands.

Song For Julianne

First time recording with autoharp, gift from Marc. This tune is dedicated to him, we met in Israel long time ago, still friends.

Tune For Marc

From the album ”Rain.” 
Cover art by Gray Lee.

Lyrics:

Rain

Rain is right
Right as rain
Rain is right
Right as rain

Last night you went sleepwalking in the storm
I heard your muddy feet coming in the doorway
Open eyes but blind you were carrying water
And you woke me up with kisses and you went on your way
You left me here with nothing, nothing to say 
But thank you for giving me a midnight taste of

Rain is right
Right as rain
Rain is right
Right as rain

I feel like I've been sleeping through my days
You loom larger now that you've gone away
I can hear you whispering hurricanes
And you wake me up with kisses then you go on your way
You leave me here with nothing, nothing to say
But thank you for filling up the ice cube tray with

Rain is right
Right as rain
Rain is right
Right as rain

Rain

A tune written on a strumstick after watching a documentary on condors. 

Instruments:
McNally strumstick, Killarney whistle, shruti box, organ, tingsha bells

Condor

Multi-instrumental folk. All songs and tunes are originals, with many lyrics inspired by history and folklore. Played on mandola, charango, mandolin, maulincho, whistles, melodeon, accordion, balalaika, glockenspiel, venezuelan cuatro, nykelharpa and streichzither amongst others. Recorded on a Boss BR-1200 12 track.

Thule

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