Lyr Add: a good song for November

Subject: a good song for November
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Nov 00 - 11:37 PM

We had an ice storm today, and my city hasn't been this silent since last January 1st. The sky is gray and winter is getting serious. So here are the lyrics to a traditional song I heard Martin Wyndham Read sing. The tune is a plaintive little thing, like a slow air but not really worth working out, so make up your own.

The hills are clad in purple, and the trees are clad in gold
The autumn wind is sighing for a beauty growing old.
The gray grouse in the heather and the wild deer in the glen
are longing for the summer, when they'll see their joy again.

The merry, laughing summer, with its mantle cloak of green
The trees and all the flowers, such a beauty to be seen!
But autumn, gentle autumn, with its quiet eyes of gray
enwrapped me in the twilight, and stole my joy away.

A friend of mine who is no stranger to depression thought that this was written by a person suffering from Seasonal Affect Disorder, in which a person becomes depressed in winter. I think it helps explain why Scotland's chief export is Scots.

BTW, to avoid kicking off another debate, there is no hyphen in "Wyndham Read" on this CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: a good song for November
From: L R Mole
Date: 09 Nov 00 - 01:29 PM

Reading the head of this before the letter, I thought perhaps it was a request for a good November song. And though I dislike the recorded version, I think a simple, non-bombastic-string-section-and-screechy-vocal cover of "Love Reign O'er Me" would be nice and autumnal.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: a good song for November
From: Peg
Date: 09 Nov 00 - 03:39 PM

hmmm...

I like that LR!

Which tune is the Martin Reade song? The lyrics look similar to the John Wood song (fellow who brews a beer for every season)...I bet Judy Predmore would know!

Okay, if we are gonna get a bit non-traditional for the moment...

Meself, this time 'o year, I get a bit misty-eyed and autumnally-dreamy when I hear "In the Wintertime" by the Steve Miller Band, or The Witches' Promise by Jethro Tull ("Leaves falling red yellow brown all look the same") or just about anything circa 1967 by The Moody Blues...

peg

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: a good song for November
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Nov 00 - 05:30 PM

Autumn Gold

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: a good song for November
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Nov 00 - 08:20 PM

Another autumnal song, "Come Ye Thankful People, Come" This is a good song to sing while washing dishes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: a good song for November
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Mar 18 - 09:24 AM

From "Young People's Supplement" The Mail (Adelaide: Saturday, June 9, 1934)

Autumn

The hills are clad in purple and the trees are clad in gold,
And the autumn wind is sighing of a beauty growing old;
And the grey grouse on the heather, and the wild deer in the glen
Are a-dreaming of the sunshine and the soft spring rain.

The autumn mist is rising and the hills are growing grey,
And the first dead leaves are murmuring along the twilight way;
And the swallow and the ousel in the pale light of the dawn,
Are a-flying in the footsteps of the summer that is gone.

Oh, bonnie is the springtime in her tender robe of green,
And the merry, laughing summer is a crimson-mantled queen;
But 'twas autumn, gentle autumn, with her dreaming eyes of grey,
That trapped me in the twilight and stole my heart away!


* * *
Note: this section of the paper printed stuff submitted by kids, and apparently, the editors weren't too particular about whether the kids plagiarized the material. This poem does say "(Copied)" at the top, but it doesn't say from where. It was submitted by a 13-year-old girl.