Lyr Req: Very early songs

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 06:51 PM

It wasn't published until long after he was dead and there's no evidence he ever heard it, let alone wrote it. (There have been threads on this before).

Is Wulfnoth only interested in songs in English, or from Britain? There are lots from elsewhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Gurney
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 05:14 PM

The early song that everyone knows is Greensleeves, reputed to be written by King Henry VIII, who died in 1547.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Paul Burke
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 01:13 PM

Hi wulfnoth: what sort of song do you want? Religious (lots of those, and mostly tedious), drinking (Bring Us In Good Ale - see DT- is 15th century), love songs, bawdy songs...? Mediaeval English Lyrics by R T Davies seems readily available (no tunes though).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 09:05 AM

... And a checklist of songs from the 13th-15th centuries that will at least give you titles to search:

http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/medieval/m.e.lyrics.html

Also, I don't know the date of origin of the following, but here are some medieval and renaissance song titles from a page that includes texts to all of them, plus music where known. Source:

http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/mltexts.htm

Fowles in the Frith
Alisoun
My Lief Is Faren in Londe
Western Wind
I Have a Yong Suster
The Cuckoo Song
Adam Lay Ybounden
I Sing of a Maiden
The Corpus Christi Carol
The Agincourt Carol
Bryd one Brere
Man Mai Longe Liues Wene
Lenten ys Come
When the Nyhtegale Singes
Blow, Northern Wind
Mery It Is
Man in the Moon
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
Nowell Sing We
Nowell: Out of Your Sleep
Alleluia. Now well may we mirthës make
Good Day, My Lord Sire Christmas
Of A Rose Sing We
Ave Domina
Alma Redemptoris Mater
As I Lay Upon a Night
What Tidings Bringest Thou?
Sing We To This Merry Company
Sing we Yule
Man, Assay
I Pray You All
God Speed the Plow!
Women [warning: bawdy]
More Selected Medieval Lyrics

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:59 AM

A long set of links to 16th century ballads:

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ballads/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:29 AM

Earliest collection I think is Wright's 'Political Songs of England' from the Reign of John to Edward II, in Latin and English.
Still available at a reasonable price.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:16 AM

P.S. I do realize this one is too early for what you want. Still, such things are so hard to come by, I thought it was worth posting it. Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 08:13 AM

Alas the Dobson and Harrison book is rare, asking price running $300-400 and up. Perhaps a major library has it, but I have found no etext on the web.

I don't know if the following pretty song will help you. It is reproduced from the Dobson and Harrison book via another book. The melody is given with the text at:

http://www.folkinfo.org/songs/displaysong.php?songid=811

MIRIE IT IS

Mirie it is, while sumer ilast,
With fugheles song.
Oc nu necheth wides blast,
And weder strong.
Ey! Ey! what this night is long!
And ich, with well michel wrong,
Soregh and murne and fast.

(Modern English Translation:
It is pleasant, while summer lasts, with the birds' song. But now, the storming wind comes on, and severe weather. Alas! how long this night is, and I, because of very great wrong, grieve, and mourn and fast.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 05:25 AM

For the earlier part of that period, get hold of Dobson and Harrison's book "Mediaeval English Songs". It includes the tunes and the fullest known versions of the texts.

The web still can't compete with paper for some things.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:14 AM

Both the above sites give access to the tune which is helpful.. Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:12 AM

And this one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:09 AM

Try this site... should help.

Subject: Lyr Req: Very early songs
From: wulfnoth
Date: 30 Aug 10 - 04:06 AM

Hi all

and hello (first post). Does anyone know of any songs from around the end of the 15th centuary/beginning of the 16th.
Any help greatly appreciated

wulfnoth