From a brash and brazen man To a calm and guiding hand The stones beneath this path Are worn from pacing
Once inward looking in Now finding joy in others win Seeing their success sets his heart racing Ever loyal and true Ever loyal and true Ever loyal and true This heart embracing
He used to love the fight Providing mastery and ight Nothings changed yet different every way/ He has become more Like the lighthouse on the shore/ This new lens will lengthen every ray
I recommend to you I recommend to you I recommend to you This brilliant knight today
I had been asked to speak as the Laurel for Micah’s elevation to chivalry. I was deeply moved, as I’ve known Micah since early college, and he’s one of the few people I see regularly (though still not enough.) I was quite surprised however to learn that there was a caveat — he wanted the recommendation to be sung.
I struggled, coming up dry again and again. Finally I threw my hands up and trusted that the muses would do what they do best, which is to bring their gifts to me at the last possible moment, like bread brought fresh to a feast. (Only at least one can smell the bread cooking, which is a comfort!)
Fortunately, my trust was not in vain, and this piece came together literally hours before I was to deliver it. Bonus – he cried. Extra bonus — so did everyone else…including me.
This performance was recorded at the East Kingdom Bardic Championship in February 2023 as my final round offering, as His Majesty had requested that I include an instrument in my performance, and that maybe a love song would be good if I had one.
The story our poet tells is one of great and enduring love. He speaks of faithfulness, loyalty, and perseverance–among the best of the chivalric virtues.
I’d long wanted to perform this piece, which I translated to Middle English many years ago. It was only very recently, however, that I discovered how I would finally set it to harp. This recording is its debut performance. Probably it’s worth mentioning that I realized the setting roughly 36 hours prior to the performance and didn’t plan on performing it it, really, but the request from His Majesty made it clear that this piece was the only possible choice.
I don’t know how I managed to keep a straight face. There were only a couple of people who knew of this song’s existence, and when I started the introduction, my boon companion, who was standing in the back of the hall, suddenly made an elated football touchdown motion that threatened to undo my composure. (My expression at 00:22 is when I made eye contact with said companion for the first and only time during the performance, for self-preservation.)
Those who were in the know started quietly snickering early at the first chorus. Those who understood Middle English started to get it as it went along. That began the giggling and a little whispering. When the ever-composed Mistress Ana deGuzman, a poetess and performer who I greatly admire, suddenly put her head down on the table and transformed to a pile of shaking veil, it was all I could do to not leap up and make a touchdown gesture in delight. That alone was worth the whole adventure.
Ultimately, this closed out a great day. I dusted off my prowess, had well-received performances, and Rickrolled the East Kingdom during the finals.
The Lay of Richard Rollings of Astley
(as told in Middle English by Aneleda Falconbridge)
Forswear thy pledge, myn weneth nat everich oon yeven thilke I but mine thoughts unbinden ant thou understandan mak.
Neuer ic the ne yeve away Neuer ic the nolde na doun Neuer ic sette forth and forsake thee Neuer ic yelde wepen mak Neuer ic farewell spake Neuer ic thee disceyve and peyne
We ken our leman mony a day achen thou hart, thou fain would ne hit spake we ken wot is now befalle we wyste the sport and we wolde it play Ant shoud thou ask mine heart, are thee ne blind to ken?
Neuer ic the ne yeve away Neuer ic the nolde na doun Neuer ic sette forth and forsake thee Neuer ic yelde wepen mak Neuer ic farewell spake Neuer ic thee disceyve and peyne
This post was called “A work in progress” back in Sept. 2013, when I first thought it would be funny to do. I was trying to set it to a number of historic works, none of which were a good fit. This is the first draft.
Forswear thy pledge, myn weneth nat everich oon yeven thilke I but mine thoughts unbinden ant thou understandan mak.
Neuer ne thou yeveth forth Neuer thou nolde na doun drede Neuer ne sette forth awa y thou forsake Neuer ne thou yeven soregh mak Neuer ne spake adeiu Neuer ne thou disceyve y pyne thee
We ken our leman mony a day achen thou hart, thou fain would ne hit spake we ken wot is now befalle we wyste the sport and we wolde it play Ant shoud thou ask mine heart, are thee ne blind to ken?
Neuer ne thou yeveth forth Neuer thou nolde na doun drede Neuer ne sette forth awa y thou forsake Neuer ne thou yeven soregh mak Neuer ne spake adeiu Neuer ne thou disceyve y pyne thee
Neuer ne yeveth forth Ne yeveth forth.
Extra bonus points from Aneleda if you can figure out the inspiration for this piece. 😉
This is a cover of a legendary work in the Society for Creative Anachronism, written in the 1990s by Wyndrith Berginsdottir, modernly known as Karen LU Kahan.
I recorded it because a young girl told her dad that I am a singer who knows “all the event songs” and therefore I must have a recording of this one, which is a favorite. I indeed did not, but how could I not oblige?
If you love this song as much as I do, please consider buying a copy in support of the original artist at her Bandcamp site!
This song was written for swordfighters, particularly the duelist who challenge each other to single tournament combat with schlagers and fencing foils. It was inspired by a conversation in which the evocative words, “It’s for the love of the blade,” were uttered. I’ve been carrying that thought for weeks now, and am glad to finally give it its due. Dedicated to Duelist Devillin MacPherson.
In which I discover a terrible place and manner in which to tell the Tale of Thor Retrieving Moljnir By Dressing As Freya and Marrying Thrym, Dammit Loki.
Asgard is tha bomb, baby, c’mon get it on Livin’ like a lover with a keep of stone Ægir likes it damp, Loki is a scamp Golden-haired woman, can I be your man?
Razzle ‘n’ a dazzle ‘n’ a flash a little light Rev’in up Bragi an’ he’ll go all night Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet Innocent as Baldur you can sugar me, yeah, yeah
So c’mon, take a mead cask, shake it up Break the bubble, break it up
Thor some sugar on me Ooh, in the name of love Thor some sugar on me C’mon, fire me up Thor your sugar on me I can’t get enough!
I’m hot, sticky sweet From my head to my feet
heyra! Red light, yellow light, runnin’ through the snow Dressing as a woman in a one-man show Thrym queen, prim and preen, rhythm of love goat team, Jotunheim, loosen up
You gotta squeeze a little, tease a little, please a little more Easy looking Freya come a-knockin’ on the door Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet Oxen, salmon, sugar me!
So give me Mjölnir
Take a mead cask, shake it up Break the bubble, break it up
Thor some sugar on me Ooh, in the name of love Thor some sugar on me
C’mon fire me up Thor your sugar on me I can’t get enough
I’m hot, sticky sweet From my head to my feet
You got the hammer, it’s all a gleam Let me hold craft supreme ‘Cause I’m hot, hot, say what, sticky sweet From my head, my head to my feet
Do you take sugar? ONE LUMP OR TWOOOOOOOO???
Take a mead cask, shake it up Break the giant, break him up!
Thor some sugar on me Ooh, in the name of love Thor some sugar on me C’mon fire me up Thor your sugar on me I can’t get enough
Thor some sugar on me Oh, in the name of love Thor some sugar on me Get it, come get it Thor your sugar on me Thor some sugar on me Sugar me!
