Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)

Subject: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Einsetumadur
Date: 08 Jun 16 - 08:31 AM

Hello,


in 1972 Royston Wood sang one of his songs during a sort of 'seasonal medley'. It is documented in one audience tape which circulates in the internet.
The song, which Ashley Hutchings announces as 'Royston's Song', is about the beginning of spring and seems to delve deep into archaic imagery. Unfortunately I find it very hard to understand the words.
It roughly begins with: 'Gather together, you wan and weary, and come and admire what you shall find'....

Does anybody know the lyrics? If it helps, I could try to upload the sound file or post my flawed attempts at deciphering the words.


Regards,
Einsetumadur

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Einsetumadur
Date: 25 Jun 16 - 08:39 AM

I think I'll share my impression of the first half of verse 1. Does that maybe ring a bell with someone?

'Gather together, you wan and weary,
and come and admire what you shall find;
the cold grey king, he's danced to the
sacrifice ring,
he's capering close behind(...)'

Regards,
Einsetumadur

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: cnd
Date: 25 Jun 16 - 12:32 PM

Thanks for the start, Einsetumadur, but I can't find which video you're talking about. Could you give a link?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Einsetumadur
Date: 10 Jul 16 - 11:35 AM

It didn't exist yet on Youtube. I uploaded it here: https://youtu.be/zUtubRrLOyU

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREEN MAN (Royston Wood)
From: Speedwell
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:05 PM

Hi Einsetumadur

Thanx for posting this I'm a big fan of Young Tradition and its members and had not heard this particular song.

Having listened to the YouTube video several times this is the best I can do. The timing of the song suggests to me that it is a song sung to a Morris Dance but I can't be sure. This however would explain some of the lyrics about the Fool.

Best wishes.


Green Man

Gather you, gather you one and weary
And come and admire what you shall find
And the cold grey King he stands to the sacrifice
Spring is capering closer behind

And so it's follow the fool he stands and he jingles
Dancing the Green Man - for he is King
And it's bury your shame but the time it is dying
When Winter is dead then follows the Spring

And you who lie in the dark of the morning
It's you'll be first to see the Sun
And the fool will get up and shake his branches
The Green Man's game has just begun

And so we'll dance in a ring you children of Albion
Bound to the wind on every hand
And if scattered your old King is under the harrow
Then you will rise and take the land

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Speedwell
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:10 PM

My apostrophes seem to have come through as something very weird - sorry about that. Praps some IT person can explain.
Yes you are right it probably is "wan and weary" .
Best

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 01:36 PM

Wan and weary
and
Dance to the rain

The apostrophes have something to do with using the alt/numerical codes instead of the keyboard, but I don't really know.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 01:40 PM

And And it's scatter your old kings under the harrow
The new will rise and take the land

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREEN MAN (Royston Wood)
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 01:47 PM

This is what I hear:

Gather together you wan and weary
And come and admire what you shall find
The cold grey King he stands to the sacrifice
Spring is capering closer behind

So it's follow the fool he stands and he jingles
Dance to the Green Man for he is King
And it's bury your shame with the times it is dying*
When Winter is dead then follows the Spring

And you who lie in the dark of the morning
It's you'll be first to see the Sun
And the fool will get up and shake his branches
The Green Ma game has just begun

And so we'll dance to the rain you children of Albion
Bow to the wind on every hand
And it's scatter your old King under the harrow
The new will rise and take the land


* Pretty sure this line is wrong

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Einsetumadur
Date: 15 Aug 16 - 12:11 PM

thank you very much for listening and writing down the words! I like the presence of the Fool in the poem.

based on that, I tried once more to listen closely, and found these possibilities, not knowing if they are clumsy English or if they could be right as some sorts of idiom:

"So it's for the fool, he stands and he jingles"

"And it's bury your shame with the times of the dying"

"And the fool, he gets up and shakes his branches"

"And so it's dance to the rain you children of Albion"

"And it's scatter your old Kings under the harrow"


cheers
Max

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: Snuffy
Date: 15 Aug 16 - 12:55 PM

The tune is used for the Bucknell morris dance Queen's Delight

And it is also used by John Connolly and Bill Meek for Towersey Fair.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Green Man (Royston Wood)
From: severed-head
Date: 16 Aug 16 - 09:26 AM

Last line of the third verse sounds to me
"The Green Man game is going to be run"

Garry