Songs collated from many artists from, about, or related to the Empire setting

Empire Songs

The sounds of Anvil

A collection of some of my favourite Empire tunes 

A Marcher, a Marcher! Empire LARP playlist

LARP

A song made hastily for Profound Decisions' Empire LRP festival - celebrating Taric Thornsbane's famous drink!

Woeful-looking but wonderful-tasting: the 'Bregasland Brew'! Fresh from the heart of the Marches.

LYRICS

Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
One Bregasland Brew.

Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
Here's a drink there's one for everyone,
One Bregasland Brew.

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew!

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew!

Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Two Bregasland Brews.

Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Here's a drink there's two for everyone,
Two Bregasland Brews.

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew!

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew!

Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Three Bregasland Brews.

Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Here's a drink there's three for everyone,
Three Bregasland Brews.

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew!

Give me one more drink,
One more song, one more dance and then I'm through!
While the nobles pine for the Dawnish wine,
They long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew,
Oh they long for the Bregasland Brew!

WAHEY

Bregasland Brew

A song written for William Guildenstern: the soon to be folk hero and legend of the live action roleplaying system 'Empire'.

LYRICS

I'll entreat you to a tale about a name you might recall,
Of a man named William Guildenstern, a hero to us all.
Not one detail here is wasted, not one detail's overblown,
Let my voice become your chisel as we write this down in stone.

Well he started as a blacksmith when he marched away from Dawn,
Fought the minotaurs in Skarsind and with grace he slew them all.

Then he joined up the militia, seven years he served to tell,
Of when he nabbed the bloody butcher and all of Temeschwar as well!

Then assassins came to bleed him, all attempts they tried did fail,
He's a man who's duelled trogoni and has lived to tell the tale.

He's a senator, a skirmisher, all brains as well as brawn,
And got so much damn charisma that he's even liked in Dawn!

Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
Senator and skirmisher, a league unto his own.
Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
A just and true commander, he's a hero to us all!

Fought in Skarsind, unto Holberg, unto Mournwold, unto Karsk,
Even fought a Jotun war-prince and he beat him on his arse!

Battled monsters, battled dragons, battles far beyond belief,
Defeated ogres in a hurricane in nothing but his briefs!

Guildenstern is strong as stone and no assault can pierce his hide,
Caught a falling star within his chest, and still he didn't die!

Took a troll curse to his mind so that the Marcher-folk would thrive,
Like a blackened blade it ran him through, but Guildenstern survived!

Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
Senator and skirmisher, a league unto his own.
Woah, oh ho!
I sing of William Guildenstern!
A just and true commander, he's a hero to us all! X2

William Guildenstern!

I Sing Of William Guildenstern

A song for Profound Decisions Empire festival event that celebrates one of the faction's newest generals: Amberlain P Black, the Fire of the Marches! Long may she lead!

LYRICS

I sing of a Marcher,
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
Of a Marcher who walked out from Dawn.

With a sword primed for battle,
And flames in her hair,
She’s the fire of the Marches oh ho!

I sing of a soldier,
Hi ho! Hi ho!
One courageous and dangerous and strong.

Punched the teeth out and ogre,
And bashed twenty more!
She’s the fire of the Marches oh ho!

She’ll fight for the Marches,
She sings and she dances,
With hair made of summer realm flame.
If you don’t know her now,
Well I’ll tell you her name is:

Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
Strength in my arm and the sword at my back.
Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

I sing of the general,
Hi ho! Hi ho!
I sing of the general hi ho!

Who’ll fight back the Jotun,
And free Bregasland!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

I sing of the general,
Hi ho! Hi ho!
Who gets victory clean from defeat.

She’s knocked out the Grendel,
Put slavers to sleep,
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

She’ll fight for the Marches,
She sings and she dances,
With hair made of summer realm flame.
If you don’t know her now,
Well I’ll tell you her name is:

Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
Strength in my arm and the sword at my back.
Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

She’ll free us from evil when all the while risking her neck.
She’s headstrong enough to keep Guildenstern firmly in check.
She’ll fight for the Marches,
She sings and she dances,
With hair made of summer realm flame.
If you don’t know her now,
Well I’ll tell you her name is:

Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
Strength in my arm and the sword at my back.
Amberlain! Amberlain!
Amberlain Black!
She’s the fire of the Marches, oh ho!

The Fire Of The Marches

Nobody fights like the Marchers do: fully armed and filthy.

LYRICS

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain,
Crawling out the mud with but a billhook to my name,
Apple in my pocket just in case I meet the grave,
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray.

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray!

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain,
Grinding up the Jotun and Mathilde’s traitor knaves,
Blood will feed the barley and the barley’s what we crave,
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray.

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray!
Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray!

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain,
Fighting through our enemies and fighting through the pain,
We’ve got all to lose, but we’ve also got all to gain,
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way, oh!
Drag the field sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.

Oh!
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Drag the field, sow the steel,
Take the Marcher way.
Fully armed and filthy as we march into the fray
Oh!
Step in time, bills in line,
March into the fray! X2

I’m a fighting Marcher and a Marcher I’ll remain!

Drag The Field

Commission for Marcus Vine to commemorate a legend of the Empire LRP game setting: Tomothy Crowle and his fighting Hedgehogges - long may they fight the good fight.

LYRICS

My mother was a soldier,
My father was a drunk,
He told the old landlord to pour it faster.
Well it would be my luck,
That the two of them would fuck,
Now I’m a Marcher soldier and a bastard!

Singing aye, aye, aye,
Yeah we’ll fight until we die
And our enemies are gone forever more
(Forever more!)
Stacking bodies in the mud,
For the nation that we love,
We are the fighting Hedgehogges,
The bloody pricks of war!

My mother came to see me,
In the camp one day,
She’s served twenty years yeah she’s a sergeant.
My mate said she was hot,
I said you better not!
She’ll tie you up and use you for a target!

Singing aye, aye, aye,
Yeah we’ll fight until we die
And our enemies are gone forever more
(Forever more!)
Stacking bodies in the mud,
For the nation that we love,
We are the fighting Hedgehogges,
The bloody pricks of war!

The most beautiful shaft,
That I did ever see,
I dreamt that one day I’d get my hands on it.
I finally got my way,
I grasp it every day,
It’s the only one for me and it’s my billhook!

Singing aye, aye, aye,
Yeah we’ll fight until we die
And our enemies are gone forever more
(Forever more!)
Stacking bodies in the mud,
For the nation that we love,
We are the fighting Hedgehogges,
The bloody pricks of war! X2

Hedgehogge War Song

Dig your heels in and fight hard for what you deserve.

LYRICS

I see smoke within your hearts,
And I see courage, I see fear.
Through the gate and unto battle,
For the lives that you hold dear,

This is my call - The call to arms,
This is my call - The call to arms,

Unto dust and and unto violence,
We will give them no reprieve,
Hold the line now, come together,
For the Empire we believe!

This is my call - The call to arms,
This is my call - The call to arms,

Hold the line on the field,
Hold together, never yield and,
Dig your heels in, oh yeah,
We're digging down!
We're digging down!

Nations come together to spill blood for shared belief,
When the council disregards us we will stand and grit out teeth,

This is my call - The call to arms,
This is our call - The call to arms,

They can talk of grace and virtue while we're broken on the wheel,
They cans tack the coins in Anvil as we die out in the field,

But we still go - We go to war,
This is our call - The call to arms

Hold the line on the field,
Hold together, never yield and,
Dig your heels in, oh yeah,
We're digging down!
Watch the cold enemy,
Come and break on my belief,
Dig your heels in, oh yeah,
We're digging down!
We're digging down...

You can push me til I'm broken,
You can cut me and I bleed,
You can beat me, you can break me,
But you won't take my belief!

I won't give up, I won't give in,
We're digging down, we're digging in
(x4)
We're digging down, we're digging in
(x7)
We're digging down!

Digging Down

A song for solemn farewells.

LYRICS

Sail on, sail on, gentle brother
Let a lantern light your way.
Now you don't have to fight any longer,
And your debts have all been paid.

So go on to the maze, you'll be welcomed
As the hero you became.
And your soul in my heart lives forever,
And I'll I never let you fade.

So sail away a lonely day
Until we meet, we meet again,
O sail away unto your calling,
O sail away
(x2)

I know in my bones there's an answer,
For the reason we're undone.
And I still hear your voice in a promise,
That you'll miss me when I'm gone.

But in life we still remain, to cast away the pain
And fall into the hole you left behind,
And I think "What would you say?"
With a smile upon your face,
Praying that we meet again someday.

So sail away a lonely day
Until we meet, we meet again,
O sail away unto your calling,
O sail away
(x2)

And we'll meet again someday,
When a lantern lights your way.

Sail Away

Big Ole Boy is a state of mind - it's hard growing up...

LYRICS

When I was young I was stubborn and brave,
I dreamed to be big and be strong.
The call of adventure strong in my veins,
Even if I was too young.

But my mother she sat and she told me,
This world is much bigger than you.
I said to my mother, I'm set in my ways,
And one day she will see the truth.

I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy,
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy!

So I grew up and went out on the road
To make of the world what I may.
I'll drink and I'll fight and I'll reach for the heights,
That a man of my stature can make.

But my mother would always remind me,
That life comes with burdens to bear,
But I will be strong with a will to go on,
So I turn to my mother and say:

I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy,
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy!

Now that I'm old I've a place of my own,
And my youth it seems so far away.
I still hear the things my mother would say,
Even though she's long passed away.

Now I know now of life's obligations,
And I feel the burden of proof,
As time marches on I'll try to be strong,
And right all the wrongs of my youth.

Because...
I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy,
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy
Oh yes I'll be a big ole
A big ole boy!

Journey On

Big Ole Boy

Recorded on my phone because my PC was being a dick. Very basic recordings which I hope to replace at some point soon. All lyrics and melodies are my own, but the chords, rhythm structure and rhythm for Rise Up was heavily inspired by 'Believer' by Imagine Dragons. It's not a direct filk, exactly, but I certainly can't claim it as completely original.  More songs will follow as I complete the songbook. 

From an RP perspective, there is a reasonable chance that you could have heard these performed as Tarik wanders the trods and performs in taverns to pay his way.

Wheel Keeps Turning (Prosperity)

Sing For The Mark (Pride)

Rise Up (Ambition)

Nowhere I'd Rather Be (Loyalty)

New songs debuted at Empire LRP's E1 event, 2019

Where Do You Stand (Rage)

A song about Navarri oath tradition, including one of my own oaths.

Painted

Award winning composer, sound designer and multi-instrumentalist based in Wiltshire, England - Silgor designs sound and music for use in television, film and video games.

Whilst adept at synthesiser programming and song writing in several genres, he is best known fantasy orchestral soundtracks and as a pioneer of "medieval tavern rock". His latest music offerings come include the album "Journey On" which helped to earn him the "Bard of the Year" award at the 2024 UK LARP awards following support from music and fantasy fans.