great Celtic song love the storytelling and the vocals

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

Scarborough Faire is an amazing song. Such a wonderful melody and lyric that tells of all of the impossible tasks a human woman would need to achieve to be with a man from Elfland.

But I began to wonder…

These wonderful folk songs have been left us by anonymous writers from years ago and have been sung ever since. But is there another story behind Scarborough Faire? What about that songwriter from years ago? What inspired them to write such a song?

So I thought I would tell that story. Hope you like it!

Iron from Stone
Verse 1
As I rode out one morning,
Just as the day was dawning,
I gave my usual greeting to the Sun.
To seek my inspiration
I knew my destination
A standing stone down where the river runs.
Seeing no one else in sight
I sat down to write
But I was not alone
The Sun a little colder
A hand upon my shoulder
A shadow fell across the ancient stone.

Verse 2
He asked what I was writing
It sounded so inviting
I said I just tell stories with song.
The melody compelling
Said he had a tale worth telling
And promised that it wouldn’t take too long
He never would forget
How his true love he met
At a county faire
Of land by the sea
A Cambric shirt with no seams
And of a life that they would never share.

Verse 3
He thought they’d be together
To live their lives forever
But realised that he would soon be gone
Behind doors that were closing
From the will we were imposing
On the land we depend upon.
Their story will be sung
For many years to come
But we reap what we have sown
Two broken hearts
Two worlds torn apart
From the day we made iron from stone.

Iron From Stone from Sabbat

Coddiwomple

Reuben Ranzo

The main part of this Scottish ballad is the same as “The Little Musgrave”. 
In this story, the false knight gives his lover a bird, and instructs her to feed it, and play with it. She does neither, so the bird flies off to spill the beans. A box of chocolates would have been safer.
From the album 'Doors at Eight' Live

The Bonny Birdy (Trad arr Gigspanner)

Chichester based four piece folk band, playing a mixture of original and re-imagined classics.

Members: Alana King - Vocals and low whistle 
Mark Saunders - Vocals and Guitar 
Lee Love - Bass Guitar 
Julian Longden - Vocals, Cittern and Mandolin

Reuben Ranzo

Loxley Folk

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Brent Manas

Serge Corres Music

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