Breme fell at Hastings

Subject: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Piff
Date: 09 May 16 - 06:31 AM

Breme Fell at Hastings - most of you have probably heard this very powerful Show of Hands number by now, but is anyone able to catch what are the first three words of the song? I have listened to it again and again and I just can't make it out.

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST,Kampervan
Date: 09 May 16 - 07:56 AM

'Of our own will we took the field'

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Piff
Date: 09 May 16 - 12:12 PM

Great - thanks for that

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST,Kampervan
Date: 09 May 16 - 12:24 PM

Pleasure. I'm a fan myself.

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: michaelr
Date: 09 May 16 - 03:19 PM

Why not post the lyrics here?

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST
Date: 09 May 16 - 05:22 PM

As far as I know this is a song written by Steve Knightley and I'm not sure about the legalities of publishing someones lyrics on a public site.

Maybe its ok maybe its not, I don't know. but Piff asked about the first few words and that's what I put up.

If someone tells me that Mr Knightley is happy to have his lyrics posted on this site then I'd be happy to.

Alternatively the CD 'The Long Way Home' is available for purchase.

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST,Kampervan
Date: 09 May 16 - 05:26 PM

Sorry, the post - above was me.

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: michaelr
Date: 09 May 16 - 06:36 PM

Hundreds of song lyrics by known authors have been posted here on Mudcat. It's kind of the point of the site. The disclaimer at the bottom of the page takes care of the legalities. I'm not aware that there's ever been a problem.

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Piff
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 03:42 AM

Does anyone know the Anglo-Saxon words spoken during the song? Or even where they come from? Presumably these are not original and have been quoted form the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle or some similar source?

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Reinhard
Date: 11 Jun 19 - 04:25 AM

Yes, it's unlikely that a front-line reporter had been accompanying the mission.

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Kampervan
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 12:49 AM

Clip from the BBC

The following was posted by Steve Daily on the Show of Hands fan site ' Longdogs'
‘Thoughts must be harder, heart the keener
Spirit shall be stronger - as our might lessens.....’
(Is from the battle song of Maldon from East Anglia area...)
The last line is from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
‘And all the flower of England fell.......’

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:12 AM

The spoken part at the start is lines 313-314 from The Battle Of Maldon:

Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre,
mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen l?tlað.

(Thoughts must be harder, heart braver,
Courage must be greater, as our strength diminishes)


I can't make out all of the end line. It sounds like:

þær wæs of-slagen eall þe ??? Angelcynnes folc

(then all the ?? English men were killed)


Mick

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:14 AM

Last word of 1st line should have been l?tlað

Mick

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:15 AM

Damn - preview looked fine, but not posted! Without the length macron over y the word is: lytlað

Mick

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 12 Jun 19 - 09:57 AM

I think the last line might be:

þær wæs of-slagen eall þe duguþ Angelcynnes folc

(...the manhood/excellence/good/honourable of English men...)


Mick

Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Jun 19 - 05:28 AM

Thank fuck!.. I thought poor old Julian Bream had had a mishap on the south coast.