Summer Solstice songs?

Subject: Searching for Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,RA
Date: 28 May 13 - 07:22 PM

I am searching for Summer Solstice Folk Songs & Songs Celebrating summer for a wide age range & family audience!

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 06:59 AM

Two non-traditional you might find OK

Anne Briggs : Summer's In

Watersons : Bright Phoebus

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 07:17 AM

Summer is Icummin In - this recording from Richard Thompson which I liked for it's robust delivery

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

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 09:50 AM

The Digitrad Results for Midsummer

0.8169 - THE TAILOR AND THE CROW
0.7967 - ANDREW BARTON
0.7961 - ON MIDSUMMER DAY
0.7742 - AN AA GUNNER LAY DYING
0.7742 - ROBIN HOOD AND THE VALIANT KNIGHT
0.7742 - ROBIN HOOD AND THE PRINCE OF ARAGON
0.7742 - TARRY TROUSERS
0.7742 - ROBIN HOOD'S DELIGHT
0.7742 - PLEASANT AND DELIGHTFUL
0.7742 - OAK, ASH, AND THORN
0.7742 - HOUSEWIFE'S LAMENT
0.7742 - GAME OF CARDS
0.7742 - FACTORY GIRL
0.7742 - DARK ISLAND 2
0.7742 - COSMIC AND FREAKY
0.7742 - BANKS OF THE SWEET PRIMROSES

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 20 Jun 13 - 10:12 AM

In the DT:
Wild Mountain Thyme
It was pleasant and delightful
It's a rosebud in June

Probably not in the DT:
Spirit Sweet of Summertime

We're giving a summer solstice concert this weekend. We are also doing
Summertime and the living is easy
Fever
Under the Boardwalk
The Water is Wide

and many more obscure songs about summer, love, the moon...
love this time of year!

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 03:28 AM

I always think of Stanton Drew as a mid summer song.
FloraG

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,SteveT
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 04:34 AM

This is what I call my Solstice Song .   The usual problem though - I only get to sing it once a year!

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,SteveT
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 04:41 AM

P.S. For antiopdeans there is a Midwinter Song there just to keep the balance. (Sorry - would have edited the previous post if editing was an option)

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 08:02 AM

Playing your midsummer song now Steve, charming!

Have a fine Midsummer all! I think the exact time was somewhere around 5am - too early for me :)

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 09:57 AM

Steve T... a fine song! I know folks who will truly appreciate it.

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 10:17 AM

It may seem wishful thinking,
And I realise that relatively modern songs are only slowly making their way into folk clubs, so:

"Here comes the sun"

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 21 Jun 13 - 10:58 AM

Or, start your own!

In view of recent UK weather ...

In the British summer,
Frosty wind made moan.
Reservoirs o'erflowing
Crops are still ungrown.
Snow has fallen, Snow on snow,
Rain, then hail, then snow.
I remember Summer,
Fifteen years ago.


Apologies to Christina Rosetti

Subject: Lyr add: RAGANU NAKTS - Summer Solstice song
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Jun 21 - 07:28 PM

Oak Ash and Thorn is a good one for the purpose. It is in the "Digital Tradition"

looking at Speedwell's message, I would hope "The Druids" would sing solstice songs.

If you can learn to pronounce Latvian:

RAGANU NAKTS

Tiesa, tiesa, ne melini... [ligo, ligo!]
Vecu laužu valodina... [ligo, ligo!] x2
Janu nakti meitas gaja
Raganas(i), vilkaces(i)

Jani, Jani šovakar(i)
Kam tie Jani piedereja?
Raganam(i), vilkacem(i)
Tam tie Jani piedereja

Skrien ragana škersu gaisu
Ne mana(ja) setina
Mana seta dzelžiem kalta
Adatam(i) jumti jumti

Adatam(i) jumti jumti
Izkaptem(i) spares celtas
Adatam(i) nosadurti
Izkaptem(i) nosagriezti

Sviesta piena upe teka
Mana govju laidara(ja)
Tur nolauza skaugis kaklu
Tur devinas raganinas
Tur noslika Laumas meitas
Bez saulites vakara(ja)

TRANSLATION by C J Mitchell

Midsummer Night

Its true, Its true, there lay no lies (sway*, sway)
In the old native language (sway, sway)
During summer solstice night the girls become
Witches and werewolves

Summer solstice, Summer solstice is tonight
Who does summer solstice belong to?
Witches and werewolves
summer solstice belongs to them

The witch ran through the air ...
Not in my backyard
My yard is forged with iron
Needles on my roof

Needles on my roof
Caught up in the rafters
Needles stabbed
Rafters cut

The river flowed like buttermilk
In my cows' pasture
There the hunter broke its neck
and stood nine witches,
Drowning was the woodlands fae**
Without the sun in the evening.

*The midsummer festival in Latvia is referred to as Ligo, but the word also roughly translates to mean a swaying or rocking dance motion (Reddit)

**The Lauma in Latvian folklore is a woodland fae or goddess who appears as a beautiful woman. She's generally regarded as a temperamental entity who may prey upon men or kidnap children, but are also can summon rain and perform high quality domestic work. They are strongly associated with blessings or curses on children, and with cow's milk. They are afraid of iron. (Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Brittanica)

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/raganu-nakts-midsummer-night.html

performed by Tautumeitas

A video showing Ligo celebration with lots of singing and dancing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXJpIBocNys

Subject: RE: Solstice Song by S Thomason
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Jun 21 - 08:03 PM

I looked up the song Steve T wrote (see his message of 21 June 2013
I find it a bit strange that oak, which looses its leaves in winter (apart from the Holm Oak Quecus Ilex, which has some resemblance to holly), should be the winter king and holly the summer king. I would have thought it would be the other way about.

SOLSTICE SONG by Steve Thomason

For six long moons the Oak King’s ruled
His breath lay o’er the land
Now his day is done and his time is gone
And the Holly King rules the land
The Holly King rules the land
The Holly King rules the land
And the Holly King rules the land

At Yule so chill, the sun stood still
And the Oak King came to power
And he danced the way for the light of day
And the bud, the leaf, the flower
etc

In the ground the Holly King lay
Healed the wounds he’d won that day
As the days grew long, the Holly grew strong
‘Til the dawning of the May
etc

And the sun rose high in a brightening sky
Then in June the Holly King rose
At Litha he was the stronger tree
And the Oak King he laid low
etc

Now until the Yule the Holly King rules
And the days grow short again
But the Oak King’s strong and it won’t be long
‘Til the Yule brings back his reign

https://soundcloud.com/sthomason-1/a-solstice-song-oak-and-holly
"There is a cyclic battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. At Yule (winter solstice) the Oak King triumphs and presides over the waxing year. At Litha (summer solstice) the Holly King regains his crown and presides over the waning year. The tune is (more or less) the Candlelight Fisherman. This one is designed mainly for the summer solstice; I've got a different one for the winter solstice."

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 21 Jun 21 - 03:59 AM

Or, from the Swedish: Midsummer Song

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GUEST,TomG
Date: 21 Jun 21 - 11:41 AM

A bit late as technically Summer solstice has occurred, but midsummer was, in Western Europe at least, often considered to commence on St John's Eve (23rd June) with celebrations continuing until St Peter's Day on 29th June.

In Cornwall we have the Cornish Midsummer Bonfire Song. It's probably 18th century and was first published in 1857 in Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of the Peasantry of England. The lyrics weren't always received as well-suited for a family audience and were bowdlerised in the 1920s. Apparently "lay sporting on the ground" made people blush...

The Cornish Midsummer Bonfire Song

The bonny month of June is crowned
With the sweet scarlet rose;
The groves and meadows all around
With lovely pleasure flows.

As I walked out to yonder green,
One evening so fair;
All where the fair maids may be seen
Playing at the bonfire.

Hail! lovely nymphs, be not too coy,
But freely yield your charms;
Let love inspire with mirth and joy,
In Cupid’s lovely arms.

Bright Luna spreads its light around,
The gallants for to cheer;
As they lay sporting on the ground,
At the fair June bonfire.

All on the pleasant dewy mead,
They shared each other’s charms;
Till Phoebus’ beams began to spread,
And coming day alarms.

Whilst larks and linnets sing so sweet,
To cheer each lovely swain;
Let each prove true unto their love,
And so farewell the plain.

(see https://www.gutenberg.org/files/649/649-h/649-h.htm#page169)

Tune - use Dives and Lazarus (the tune known in Cornwall as The Marigold)

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 21 Jun 21 - 02:15 PM

Guest, TomG
Thanks for the song.
Not too late. There's a good chance this thread will find its way to the top again in future years at about this time.

Cheers

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: GerryM
Date: 22 Jun 21 - 03:37 AM

Here is another midsummer "Ligo" song from Latvia. Title is Auga, auga ružena.

The lyrics, in Latgalian, are given there as

Augo augo rožele raudoname darže / Po ta rože guli jauna mergina / Ai, mergele, tave moitna šauke / Žinau, žinau, suprantu, suprantu, kad mane motina šauke / Nori mane motina už to senio leisti / Aš to senio visai nenorejau / Aš ta seni pro vartus išleidau / Akmeni sviedžiau / Ai, seni, neatsigežk atgal! / Kad tu taip nueitum, kad nebegrižtum! / Nori mane motina tam jaunam atiduoti / Aš ta jauna pamilau / Klausysiu mamytes, pas ta jauna eisiu / Aš tam jaunam vainikeli duosiu.

And in English (the person posting it warns it's not a great translation),

Grew, grew a red rose in a garden,
Under the rose, under the rose a young girl sleeps.
Hey girl, hey girl, mother is calling you,
I know, I know, I understand, I understand, why mother's calling me.
Mother wants to give me to that old one,
I that old one, I that old one, being small did not want,
I sent that old one through the gates,
Through the gates I sent him, threw a rock at him,
Oh old one, oh old one, don't look back,
Go and don't come back!
Mother wants to give me to that young one,
I that young one, I that young one, being small fell in love with,
I'll obey my mother and go with the young one,
To the young one, to the young one I'll give my crown!

Subject: Rana na Ivana
From: Felipa
Date: 23 Jun 21 - 04:05 PM

The Belorussian song [oi]Rana na Ivana / ??, ???? ?? ????? is a song associated with the summer solstice, with the "Kupala" holiday. If you have more information, you can add it here. Several recordings are available including a Polish group Laboratorium Piesni https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sC6ZJahgZw

Subject: RE: Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs
From: Monique
Date: 23 Jun 21 - 04:45 PM

From Felipa:

ОЙ, РАНА НА ІВАНА

Ой рана на Івана (2x)
Проць Івана ночка мала.
Ой рана на Івана

Ой рана на Івана (2x)
Дзе Купала начавала?
Ой рана на Івана

Ой рана на Івана (2x)
Начавала ў чыстым полі.
Ой рана на Івана

Ой рана на Йвана (2x)
Чым Купала вячэрала?
Ой рана на Івана

Ой рана на Івана (2x)
Вячэрала белым сырам.
Ой рана на Івана

Ой рана на Івана (2x)
Чым Купала запівала?
Ой рана на Івана

Ой рана на Івана (2x)
Запівала гарэлiцай.
Ой рана на Івана
Lyricstranslate.com Translation by Sergei Kolesov:

Oh, early on Kupala night
Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
By Kupala the nights are short.
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
Where did Kupala sleep?
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
Spent the night in the open field
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
What did Kupala have for dinner?
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
Eat just white cheese
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
What did Kupala wash it down with?
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Oh, early on Kupala night (2x)
Washed it down with vodka
Oh, early on Kupala night.

Transliteration: by Paraskevas
Oj, rana na Ivana
Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Proć Ivana nočka mala.
Oj rana na Ivana

Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Dzie Kupala načavala?
Oj rana na Ivana

Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Načavala ŭ čystym poli.
Oj rana na Ivana

Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Čym Kupala viačerala?
Oj rana na Ivana

Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Viačerala bielym syram.
Oj rana na Ivana

Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Čym Kupala zalivala?
Oj rana na Ivana

Oj rana na Ivana (x2)
Zalivala harelicaj.
Oj rana na Ivana

Subject: Summer Solstice songs?
From: matthewdechant
Date: 21 Jun 22 - 11:52 AM

Happy solstice everyone! Does anyone know any songs about the solstice, sung during the solstice, or just about the sun in general?

Subject: RE: Summer Solstice songs?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 21 Jun 22 - 03:46 PM

Midsummer is traditionally celebrated on either the 23rd or 24th of June, although the longest day actually falls on the 21st of June.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by Joni Mitchell

But baby I always wake up lonely
Mornings don't comfort me
Sometimes I think you're only
A midsummer's night's dream

Subject: RE: Summer Solstice songs?
From: Felipa
Date: 21 Jun 22 - 06:10 PM

We don't need a new discussion as there are so many older discussions, for instance "Searching Summer Solstice Folk Songs"

I know the Mudcat search engine hasn't been functioning well of late, but by putting the word "solstice" in the filter just above the listing of recent discussion threads, setting the date to "all" and clicking on "refresh"; I was rewarded with a list of over 35 discussions with the word "solstice" in their titles. That is not counting the "BS" (non-music) threads. Some of the discussions are about specific events such as festivals and gigs, some are about specific songs, and others are more general. The winter solstice threads are also relevant now to Mudcatters who are in the southern hemisphere.

---

Threads combined. -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Summer Solstice songs?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Jun 22 - 05:02 AM

Spancil Hill mentions the twenty-third of June, so I suppose it just misses out...

Subject: RE: Summer Solstice songs?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 22 Jun 22 - 07:01 AM

In antiquity, midsummer fires were lit in high places all over the countryside, and in some areas of Scotland midsummer fires were still being lit well into the 18th century. After Christianity became adopted in Britain, the festival became known as St John’s day (24 June) and was still celebrated as an important day in the church calendar; the birthday of St John the Baptist. Traditionally St John’s Eve (23 June) (like the eve of many festivals) was seen as a time when the veil between this world and the next was thin, and when powerful forces were abroad. Vigils were often held during the night and it was said that if you spent a night at a sacred site during Midsummer Eve, you would gain the powers of a bard, on the down side you could also end up utterly mad, dead, or be spirited away by the fairies. Mysterious Britain.

So you have a choice of occasions on which to celebrate;
Summer Solstice 21 June, the longest day
St John's Eve, 23 June
St John's Day, 24 June

The Fête de la Saint-Jean (St. John’s Eve) is celebrated in France at sunset on June 23rd. St. John’s Day is actually on June 24th and it celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist (6 months before Jesus’s birth). The festival has its roots in the ancient celebration of the summer solstice. The pagans would light bonfires on the eve of the solstice. Originally, they were lit to “help” the sun whose course would shorten until the winter solstice. During the Middle Ages, people thought the bonfires would keep sorcerers from passing by on that night.

It’s in part a celebration of the young ladies and men. On the 23rd, they go around collecting branches for a bonfire to be lit at night. Sometimes when the fire starts to die down and is very low, young people jump over it to show their virility. There’s often a nice meal involved in the festivities. Sometimes fireworks are lit and there’s singing and dancing. On St. John’s Day, French people pick St. John’s Wort. It’s put in a bottle with oil (usually olive) to make “red oil” which is used to relieve rheumatism. mamalisa.com

Subject: RE: Summer Solstice songs?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Jun 23 - 11:28 PM

That time of year is here - happy Solstice, everyone!!!

And goodbye to a lovely Spring.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Summer Solstice songs?
From: GerryM
Date: 21 Jun 23 - 02:48 AM

Summer in the City