Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

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oleorezinator
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Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by oleorezinator »

Including the supernatural, things
that go bump in the night etc.
Anything of this sort from Ireland
and Scotland on yootoob?
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Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love.
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by colomon »

Vincent Broderick's jig "Haunted House": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca_xcZg3lsg
Sol's Tunes (new tune 2/2020)
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by An Draighean »

Well, there's always the tunes about witches; The Hag at (in) the Churn, Pull it Out and Stick it In Again, etc.
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by AaronFW »

An Draighean wrote:Well, there's always the tunes about witches; The Hag at (in) the Churn, Pull it Out and Stick it In Again, etc.
Can you help me understand enough Irish-witch-lore so that I can understand what those songs and witches have in common? :-?
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colomon
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Tell us something.: Whistle player, aspiring C#/D accordion and flute player, and aspiring tunesmith. Particularly interested in the music of South Sligo and Newfoundland. Inspired by the music of Peter Horan, Fred Finn, Rufus Guinchard, Emile Benoit, and Liz Carroll.

I've got some compositions up at http://www.harmonyware.com/tunes/SolsTunes.html
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by colomon »

Re "Pull Out the Knife and Stick It Again", sort of explanation here: https://thesession.org/tunes/398#comment150835
I remember hearing a version of the story with the witch saying the title phrase in a croaky/shrieky witch voice, but I have no idea whatsoever where I heard that. It just stuck with me.

PS This evening I was working on a set of "Jig of the Dead" / "Haunted House" / "Pull Out the Knife"...
Sol's Tunes (new tune 2/2020)
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by Conical bore »

Fairport Convention did their version of Tam Lin (the song, not the tune) with lyrics revolving around Haloween. I always thought of this as a classic song for the holiday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy3ihk205ew
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by brianholton »

HALLOWE’EN
Violet Jacob

The tattie-liftin’s nearly through,
They’re ploughin’ whaur the barley grew,
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍And aifter dark, roond ilka stack,
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍Ye’ll see the horsemen stand an’ crack
O Lachlan, but I mind o’ you!

I mind foo often we hae seen
Ten thoosand stars keek doon atween
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍The nakit branches, an’ below
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍Baith fairm an’ bothie hae their show,
Alowe wi’ lichts o’ Hallowe’en.

There’s bairns wi’ guizards at their tail
Clourin’ the doors wi’ runts o’ kail,
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍And fine ye’ll hear the skreichs an’ skirls
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍O’ lassies wi’ their droukit curls
Bobbin’ for aipples i’ the pail.

The bothie fire is loupin’ het,
A new heid horseman’s kist is set
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍Richt o’ the lum; whaur by the blaze
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍The auld ane stude that kept yer claes—
I canna thole to see it yet!

But gin the auld fowks’ tales are richt
An’ ghaists come hame on Hallow nicht,
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍O freend o’ freends! what wad I gie
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍To feel ye rax yer hand to me
Atween the dark an’ caun’le licht?

Awa in France, across the wave,
The wee lichts burn on ilka grave,
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍An’ you an’ me their lowe hae seen—
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍Ye’ll mebbe hae yer Hallowe’en
Yont, whaur ye’re lyin’ wi’ the lave.

There’s drink an’ daffin’, sang an’ dance
And ploys and kisses get their chance,
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍But Lachlan, man, the place I see
‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍Is whaur the auld kist used to be
And the lichts o’ Hallowe’en in France!
‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍
‍‍ ‍‍
“Hallowe’en”, by Violet Jacob (1863–1946), was first published in Country Life in 1920. Jacob's son, Harry, was killed at the Somme in 1916.

Sheena Wellington and Karine Polwart singing this, in Jim Reid‘s setting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FisdvJm ... Wc-NxRtaG4
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by An Draighean »

AaronFW wrote:
An Draighean wrote:Well, there's always the tunes about witches; The Hag at (in) the Churn, Pull it Out and Stick it In Again, etc.
Can you help me understand enough Irish-witch-lore so that I can understand what those songs and witches have in common? :-?
Caveat: I have lived in Ireland for a number of years in the past, but I'm not native, nor do I speak Irish, so my view below is from an outsider.

The Irish word "Cailleach" can be translated into English as old woman, hag, or witch (and maybe others?) depending on the context. Thus the tune, The Hag (witch) in the Churn was supposed to be proof against a malevolent spirit or witch, who might sour your cream before it could be churned into butter. Supposedly, they cannot bear to hear that tune, and would leave the house if it were played.

Before the advent of foreign tv and the internet, etc., many rural Irish maintained a rich belief in a semi-spiritual world that coexisted with their own, and was populated with a large variety of beings; some malevolent and some benevolent, but often unpredictable and capricious in their dealings with humans.
Deartháir don phaidir an port.
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by Mr.Gumby »

I'll do a bookish recommendation:

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Tunes and songs around the theme of the supernatural (although not particularly Halloween-ish themed), from the folklore collection. Book and 2 CDs ISBN 978-0-9565628-3-8

See here
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by oleorezinator »

Thanks to you all.
Information is not knowledge.
Knowledge is not wisdom.
Wisdom is not truth.
Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love.
Love is not music. Music is the best.
- Frank Zappa
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by AaronFW »

An Draighean wrote: Caveat: I have lived in Ireland for a number of years in the past, but I'm not native, nor do I speak Irish, so my view below is from an outsider.

The Irish word "Cailleach" can be translated into English as old woman, hag, or witch (and maybe others?) depending on the context. Thus the tune, The Hag (witch) in the Churn was supposed to be proof against a malevolent spirit or witch, who might sour your cream before it could be churned into butter. Supposedly, they cannot bear to hear that tune, and would leave the house if it were played.

Before the advent of foreign tv and the internet, etc., many rural Irish maintained a rich belief in a semi-spiritual world that coexisted with their own, and was populated with a large variety of beings; some malevolent and some benevolent, but often unpredictable and capricious in their dealings with humans.
Thanks for the explanation and also Mr. Gumby for the bookish recommendation.

I was curious as a few years ago I took a graduate class on "Religion and Worldview" with a particular focus on Witchcraft around the world; though a lot of my research was in reference to Sub-saharan Africa. ... Other than that, I just have a general interest in Folklore, most recently reading a book of Folktales from the Isle of Man. I think Mr. Gumby's bookish recommendation may be next on my list.
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by Mr.Gumby »

I don't think witches figure much although you may do a search for 'Biddy Early' but she was more of a 'wise woman' and herbalist than a witch (despite the trial for witchcraft). Ghosts and Fairy-lore appear more prevalent.

Last year I told someone I had cut up a fallen elder bush for firewood. He immediately shot back the question if I had asked the witch permission to burn the wood. So there's some witch-lore going (Elder has a soft pith core that can give off a sudden intense flame when dry. When burning the wood in an open fire, this can cause problems. Hence the stories about the witch living in the elder bushes exacting her revenge for burning the wood).
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by AaronFW »

Mr.Gumby wrote:I don't think witches figure much although you may do a search for 'Biddy Early' but she was more of a 'wise woman' and herbalist than a witch (despite the trial for witchcraft). Ghosts and Fairy-lore appear more prevalent.
Do you have a good book referral for fairy-lore? I like all lores. :)

Regarding the distinction between witches and wise women; (I don’t want to say all cultures do this) but most the time when there are people who can use their power to harm people, there are others who have the same powers, but use them for good. It is just that the people who do harm are the ones you have to watch out for and are more notable and get into more cautionary stories.

I think there was also a famous Manx wise woman who was charged with witchcraft as well... I don’t remember the exact circumstances for why she was thought to be malicious. It didn’t end well.
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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by Mr.Gumby »

Do you have a good book referral for fairy-lore?
The 'Otherworld' book above is full of stories,songs and tunes.

But there's an awful lot of that stuff.

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Re: Music related to All Hallow's Eve.

Post by busterbill »

An Draighean wrote:Well, there's always the tunes about witches; The Hag at (in) the Churn, Pull it Out and Stick it In Again, etc.
I always thought of Hag as a woman of a certain age. i.e. myself these days. But I guess the dictionary does confirm witch and imply ugly. Hmmm.

The Wailing Banshee or the Lilting Banshee could come in handy. Though I'm responding too late to be much help this year.

We hags do take our time.
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