Non-Renaissance Songs That Would Make Great Faire Songs

[Lady Nicolette]

This might have been brought up before, I couldn't find anything with a quick search, but I think it's an interesting topic...Post some song lyrics that, even though they are more modern, would make great Faire songs nonetheless.  For instance, Empty Hats perform several songs that aren't true pieces of the age, but sound perfectly right, such as "Songs From The Wood," by Jethro Tull and "All My Life's A Circle," by Harry Chapin.  I'll start with two.  The first one here is one that is perfect, although the singer might get hung by the Queen for it's content:

The Hangman and The Papist ~ The Strawbs

The village square stands quiet
The curfew still enforced
The streets are even clear of dogs and whores
Like some evil bird-of-prey
The scaffold spreads its wings
The people build their fires and bolt their doors

The mayor is giving dinner to the officers' wives
His eldest son is learning how to fawn
The barrick block is hushed and tense
The soldiers drawing lots
Who will be the hangman in the dawn?

The lot falls on a young man
Who has served for but a year
His home is in the village close nearby
He shivers at the thought of what
He's forced to do next day
He wonders who it is who has to die?

And the full moon casts a cold light
On the gloomy prison walls
The papist walks his cell
He cannot sleep
He hears the waiting gallows creaking
Just beyond that door
He prays for he has no more tears to weep

The day begins to break
A muffled drums begins to sound
A crowd begins to gather in the square
The presence of the hangman
In his terrifying mask
Weighs heavy on the minds of all those there
The colonel reads the sentence
Which the papist knows by heart:
He has failed to show alliegence to the king
His crime is thus with God himself
And in his name he must hang
The papist, head held high
Says not a thing

The jailer binds his hands 
And puts his blindfold to his eyes
He leads him through the door before the crowd
The hangman sees his victim
And the blood drains from his face:
He sees his younger brother standing proud
The hangman tries to protest
But is ordered to proceed
His trembling hands begin to take the strain
His eyes are blind with streaming tears 
And he cries for all to hear:

Forgive me God we hang him in thy name! 
Forgive me God we hang him in thy name! 
Forgive me God we hang him in thy name! 
Oh please forgive me God we hang him in thy name!
Forgive me God we hang him in thy name!

[Lady Nicolette]

This second one is long, but it's a great moral tale and as we all know, many of the ones we listen to are longer than the prerequisite three-minute hit song of the present ear:
I've found a free MP3 download if anyone wants to hear it:http://mog.com/music/Tom_Rapp/Sunforest

Sunforest ~ Tom Rapp

In a faraway land,
Where my story opens,
There dwelt a fair young maiden.

She spied a king in chains,
His eyes were filled with pain,
His feet were cloven twain.

She said, "Oh, kind sir,
It hurts my heart to see you,
I will come to free you."

And she helped off his chains,
And he wickedly smiled upon her,
He said, "This gift I give you,
This sad gift I give you:

Your tears shall turn to jewels,
You shall rue the morning.
If my secret is not revealed,
I will come to own you."

Then he mounted up his steed,
It was a golden stallion,
Riding in the morning mist,
Like a ghostly galleon,
It's mane was all of ashes.

"Oh, my heart," said the maid,
"I am lost forever."
And then the maid began to weep,
Diamonds and rubies and opals at her feet.

And the word went out for miles,
To every castle and sty.
People came from miles around,
To make the maiden cry.

And Oh, what things were done,
It makes the heart to shudder.
But she heard above it all,
A voice that seemed to thunder:

"Your tears shall turn to jewels,
You shall rue the morning.
If my secret is not revealed,
I will come to own you.

Then there came a peasant boy,
A fair young man was he,
Said, "I will rescue thee,
Wickedness is born to magic,
But we our own must be."
And he took her to the sunforest,
Where both of them could be.

He said, "All men do make their chains,
And every link a jewel,
And when they leave this world dead,
I believe they leave as fools.

I think you are a sign from God,
That all things come from pain.
But I do not think that God did this,
Such a thing I know it could not ever be,

And though I am but a peasant boy,
And do not know of kings,
I do but know this song of joy,
It is of that I sing."

"I think I know the answer now,
I think I know," said she.

And then the chained king did appear,
His eyes all flaming skyward,
He said, "I want you now."
His beard the devil's fire,
He said:

"Your tears shall turn to jewels,
You shall rue the morning.
If my secret is not revealed,
I have come to take you."

And around his feet he gathered,
All the jewels she had made him.
But one look in her eyes betold,
That his secret had been answered,
His secret had been answered.

And the king, he shook with rage,
And the fire pulled him downward.

The only other sound they could hear,
Was the jewels turning back to tears,
The jewels turning back to tears.

And in her freedom the maid did laugh,
Her bestest laughter ever.
Her tears of laughter changed to jewels,
And they did last forever.

Deep in the sunforest,

[Welsh Wench]

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
   (On the side of a hill in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
   (Tracing a sparrow on snow-crested ground)
Without no seams nor needlework
   (Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain)
Then she'll be a true love of mine
   (Sleeps unaware of the clarion call)

Tell her to find me an acre of land
   (On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
   (Washes the ground with so many tears)
Between the salt water and the sea strand
   (A soldier cleans and polishes a gun)
Then she'll be a true love of mine

Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather
   (War bellows, blazing in scarlet battalions)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
   (Generals order their soldiers to kill)
And to gather it all in a bunch of heather
   (And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten)
Then she'll be a true love of mine

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

[Athena]

Dream of the Archer - Heart

Wayfaring warrior soul - still wild
The archer stands
Arrow measured to the goal - sing of
Strong and living man
In his mind there is a vision wandring
Through the forest town
Telling of riches only given if through
The woods the way is found

Crying ah! beautiful dancers ...wake up
From your sleep!
Ahhh gentle romancers...drink of love
So sweet!

Treasure glowing in their eyes - forest
Deepens dark their dream
Keep to the pathway he advise the woods
Are more than they might seem
Heed you now the apparition bending never
Ending sounds
Call you into her mystery - are your eyes
Not sparkling now?

Sighing ahh! take you no warning -
Make no foolish fight
Ahh, think not of morning - lie here
Through the night!

Beauty take us! they call in my arms!
They hear her say
Silken web falls - mist illusion rips away
Helpless! helpless! now they scream
Helpless on the path he stands
And awakens from his dream singing string
Beneath his hand

Gentle archer ages old - release the aim
Free the goal
Roll your arrow to my soul - release the aim
Free the goal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIJM1qUsjpY

[Athena]

Of course, there's always the most obvious choice, Led Zeppelin (who were a big influence on Heart's early sound). Their catalog has a wealth of songs that would be perfect at faire, and E Muzeki's version of Kashmir is a prime example.

[Lady Nicolette]

Loved the way that Simon & Garfunkel wove those songs together, WW!
And great choice, also, Athena..."Kashmir," is a really good one since it wasn't truly presented in it's original form in a way that already lent itself to the more acoustic feel of the era.

[Welsh Wench]

BEGGARS TO GOD

The song of Gypsy Davy rang
Delighted through the night
The wise and foolish virgin
Kept her candles burning bright
Rise up my young and foolish one
And follow if you can,
There'll be no need for candles
In the arms of such a man.
Make love to each other
Be free with each other
Be prisoners of love 'til you lie in the sod
Be friends to each other
Forgive one another
See God in each other
Be beggars to God.
The night was cold and dark and wet
As they wandered on alone.
The sky became their canopy
The earth became their throne
And as their raiment ran to rags
They thought it nothing wrong
For earth and sky are robe enough
When you sing the gypsy song.
They sang and played the gypsy song
Wherever they were sent
To some it seemed a dancing tune
To some a sad lament.
But in every heart that heard them true
A tear became a smile
And the pauper or a prince
Became the gypsy for awhile.

The song was written by Bob Franke in 1983. Who would have thought it would be the closing song for Empty Hats?

[Whistler Fred]

A Bob Dylan classic, although a few word may need to be altered:

"There must be some kind of way out of here"
Said the Joker to the Thief
"There's too much confusion
I can't get no relief
Businessmen, they dring my wine
Plowman dig my earth
None of them along the line
Know what any of it is worth."

"No reason to get excited."
The thief, he kindly spoke
"There are many here among us
Who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we've been through that
and this is not our fate.
So let us not talk falsely now.
The hour is getting late."

All along the watchtower
Princes kept the view
While all the women came and went
Barefoot servants, too
Outside in the distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
The wind began to howl.

[Lady Nicolette]

Love Dylan!  Great suggestion, Whistler Fred.  Made me think of this one from the same era, The Doors' "Spanish Caravan":

Carry me caravan take me away
Take me to portugal, take me to spain
Andalusia with fields full of grain
I have to see you again and again

Take me, spanish caravan
Yes, I know you can

Trade winds find galleons lost in the sea
I know where treasure is waiting for me
Silver and gold in the mountains of spain
I have to see you again and again

Take me, spanish caravan
Yes, I know you can

The Rolling Stones' "Lady Jane," of course is already done in that style, but would also be fun to hear someone cover at a Faire.  I actually had learned it one time on harp, need to relearn it.

My sweet lady jane
When I see you again
Your servant am i
And will humbly remain

Just heed this plea my love
On bended knees my love
I pledge myself to lady jane

My dear lady anne
Ive done what I can
I must take my leave
For promised I am
This play is run my love
Your time has come my love
Ive pledged my troth to lady jane

Oh my sweet marie
I wait at your ease
The sands have run out
For your lady and me

Wedlock is nigh my love
Her stations right my love
Life is secure with lady jane

[Athena]

Lorelei - The Pogues



You told me tales of love and glory
Same old sad songs, same old story
The sirens sing no lullaby
And no-one knows but Lorelei
By castles out of fairytales
Timbers shivered where once there sailed
The lovesick men who caught her eye
And no-one knew but Lorelei
River, river have mercy
Take me down to the sea
For if I perish on these rocks
My love no more I'll see
I've thought of you in far-off places
I've puzzled over lipstick traces
So help me God, I will not cry
And then I think of Lorelei
I travel far and wander wide
No photograph of you beside me
Ol' man River's not so shy
And he remembers Lorelei
River, river have mercy
Take me down to the sea
For if I perish on these rocks
My love no more I'll see
If I should float upon this stream
And see you in my madman's dream
I'd sink into your troubled eyes
And none would know 'cept Lorelei
River, river have mercy
Take me down to the sea
For if I perish on these rocks
My love no more I'll see
But if my ship, which sails tomorrow
Should crash against these rocks,
My sorrows I will drown before I die
It's you I'll see, not Lorelei


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfPlBBx0KIY

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

Emerson Lake and Palmer-
Closer to Believing
Pirates
Touch and Go
Lucky Man

Gordon Lightfoot-
The Ghosts of Cape Horn
Don Quixote
Minstral of the Dawn
Song for a Winters Night

Harry Chapin-
The Mayor of Candor Lied
The Rock

King Crimson-
In the Hall of the Crimson King

Jethro Tull-
Velvet Green

[Lady Nicolette]

Great choice, again, Athena!  I'll go check out the youtube link when I'm done posting.

Do you do any of your selections at Faire, Morgan?  Just curious.  Velvet Green is certainly a good choice for a bawdy song.  My favorite Gordon Lightfoot song wouldn't work for Faire (Affair on 8th Avenue), but I thought of him when thinking of possibilities in this thread (Minstrel In The Dawn is a lovely choice).  Some old Tim Buckley stuff comes to mind in the same kind of mood as well.  Am a particular fan of King Crimson through all of their incarnations (including with Greg Lake).  I once marveled at having the shortest line ever for the ladie's room at a concert when seeing them perform in Denver (not generally popular with the feminine, I guess). 

[Margrett]

I always liked Oom-Pah-Pah from the musical Oliver when I was working in the beer booths at MNRF:

There's a little ditty they're singin' in the city
Especially when they've been on the gin or the beer
If you've got the patience
your own imaginations
will tell you just exactly what you want to hear
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows
And they all suppose what they want to suppose when they hear oom pah pah

Mr. Percy Snodgrass would often have the odd glass
But never when he thought anybody could see
Secretly he'd buy it,
and drink it on the quiet
And dream he was an Earl with a girl on his knee
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows
What is the cause of his red shiny nose?
Could it be oom pah pah?

Pretty little Sally goes walking down the alley
Displays her pretty ankles to all of the men
They could see her garters,
but not for free and gratis
An inch or two and then she knows when to say when
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows
Whether its hidden or whether it shows
It's the same oom pah pah

She was from the country, but now she's up a gumtree
She let a fellow beat her, and lead her along
What's the use of cryin',
she made her bed to lie in
She's glad to bring a coin in, and join in this song
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows
She is no longer the same blushing rose
Ever since oom pah pah

Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, that's how it goes
Oom pah pah, oom pah pah, everyone knows
And they all suppose what they want to suppose
When they hear oom pah pah

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

Do you do any of your selections at Faire, Morgan?  Just curious. 

Tis a dream still bein' worked on. Have not the resources ta go "on the road" as it were. So I dabbles in local open mics an chums tidbits 'o Faire twixt folky standards. Earlier tonight I stuffed "Self Portrait" (Blackmores Night) inbetween "Ring of Fire" (Cash) and "Land Ho" (Doors). The mostly (far) older mundanes loved it.

(runs off ta find  more modern lyrics fer modern Renn music)

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

The Moody Blues
Are You Sitting Comfortably?

Take another sip my love and see what you will see,
A fleet of golden galleons, on a crystal sea.
Are you sitting comfortably?
Let merlin cast his spell.

Ride along the winds of time and see where we have been,
The glorious age of camelot, when guinevere was queen.
It all unfolds before your eyes
As merlin casts his spell.

The seven wonders of the world hell lay before your feet,
In far-off lands, on distant shores, so many friends to meet.
Are you sitting comfortably?
Let merlin cast his spell.

Its a slow aire with Thomas's flute weaving the verses together.