Lyr Req: When the Battle's O'er

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Battle's O'er
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 18 Mar 19 - 03:43 PM

I can definitely see/hear the similarity, Guest. But whether it's one of those situations where a partly remembered tune impacts subconsciously on someone composing what he/she thinks is a new tune, or whether pure chance that it has some similarities, who knows? I sometimes write tunes myself, but would always run a "new" tune past a few musically knowledgeable friends to make sure I have not copied someone else's tune.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Battle's O'er
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 11:33 PM

Though the lyrics are modern (C) 1961 by Andy Stewart, the melody would appear to be 18th century. There is a direct crossing over from an Irish song, the Last Rose of summer (based on a poem), the music had earlier origins. "The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He wrote it in 1805, while staying at Jenkinstown Park in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was said to have been inspired by a specimen of Rosa 'Old Blush'.[1] The poem is set to a traditional tune called "Aislean an Oigfear", or "The Young Man's Dream",[2] which was transcribed by Edward Bunting in 1792, based on a performance by harper Denis Hempson (Donnchadh Ó hÁmsaigh) at the Belfast Harp Festival.[3] The poem and the tune together were published in December 1813 in volume 5 of Thomas Moore's A Selection of Irish Melodies. The original piano accompaniment was written by John Andrew Stevenson, several other arrangements followed in the 19th and 20th centuries," From Wiki.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Battle's O'er
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 07:55 PM

As an aside to this there was a mass playing of this pipe tune by pipers around the world at 6am local time on the 100th anniversary of the First World War Armistice, Nov 11th 1918.
The tune is by Pipe Major William Robb. (which has not been mentioned in previous posts)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Battle's O'er
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 19 - 01:16 PM

After Andy Stewart made his own write of new words a lot of folks do not know the story of where this song came from. My name is Joe Moyes and I am going to tell you the song's history. The tune began life as a Scots pipe tune. One day in 1903 US singer Liz Spencer heard the tune she went to the Edison record label and that time she marries Len Spencer and in 1904 the 2 record a song called Martha but using the same tune as the pipe tune. In 1961 Andy Stewart heard the pipe tune so many times but he did not no that the tune was called something else. When I talk about this song in my ways my music teacher Judith had the new 1961 words in one of her music books and played and sang the words the tune of the pipe tune was a tune called The Battle's Oe'r in 1866. Many pipers play this now as a tune. in 1903 some words got to the USA and after 1961 a new song back then was heard after then after Andy Stewart died many music teachers sing this song and even put there own words to this what was a old 1788 pipe tune and this makes lots of folks happy.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BATTLE'S O'ER
From: GUEST,morandir
Date: 06 Jul 10 - 05:05 AM

I used to play the pipes in a marching pipe band. When we went on trips, 'The Battle's O'er' was a favourite song to sing. Here's the lyrics as they appear in my old pipe music book.

THE BATTLE'S O'ER

I returned to the hills of glory
Where the green grass and flowers grow,
And the wind softly sings the story
Of those brave lads of long ago.

Ch. March no more, my soldier laddie.
There is peace where there once was war.
Sleep in peace, my soldier laddie.
Sleep in peace now the battle's o'er.

In the Great Glen they lie a-sleeping
Where the cool waters gently flow,.
And the grey mist is sadly weeping.
For those brave lads of long ago.

Ch.

See the tall grasses there a-waving
As their banners of long ago.
With their heads high, set forward, braving.
Stepping lightly to meet the foe.

Ch.

Some return from the fields of glory
To their loved ones who held them dear.
But some fell in their hour of glory.
And were left to their resting here.

Ch.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: Little Robyn
Date: 19 Dec 09 - 01:46 PM

If you want to hear the tune, there is a midi version of pipes playing it here.
The piper seems to play the first and second parts twice but in the song it's just straight through once for each verse.
I've still got it stuck in my head!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: Little Robyn
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 02:57 PM

There's another set of words to this tune and we sang it at a funeral last Tuesday.
The family had asked for a "Scottish song" and this was considered the most suitable.
It was in a key that my Northumbrian pipes can play (C which is D on my pipes) (I didn't tell them they were English pipes).
We started with a little drumming and a pipe solo, then during the singing I just played my drones and it worked very well.
I searched the net for the words and drew a blank, although mention was made on another site that someone had seen them in a book somewhere.
So here are the alternative words if anyone else wants to sing them. I have no idea who wrote them.

Fare thee well

Fare thee well, make the journey homeward,
Strong in heart, trust in life's sweet flow,
Travel on over hill and valley
To the place where you long to go.
Travel onward, make the journey,
Carry with you the things you know,
Peace and blessing go before you,
Be your guide as you homeward go.

Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: Pukuhipi
Date: 19 May 01 - 04:20 AM

Thank you PatJoe Cheers Pukuhipi

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BATTLE'S O'ER (rec by Andy Stewart)
From: GUEST,PatJoe
Date: 18 May 01 - 12:21 PM

THE BATTLE’S O’ER
As recorded by Andy Stewart

1. I returned to the fields of glory
Where the green grass and flowers grow,
And the wind softly sings the story
Of the brave lads of long ago.

CHORUS:
March no more, my soldier laddie.
There is peace where there once was war.
Sleep in peace, my soldier laddie.
Sleep in peace now the battle’s o’er.

2. In the great glen, they lie a-sleeping
Where the cool waters gently flow,
And the grey mist is sadly weeping
For those brave lads of long ago. CHORUS

3. See the tall grasses there are waving
As their banners of long ago
With their heads high were forward braving
Stepping lightly to meet the foe. CHORUS

4. Some returned from the fields of glory
To their loved ones who held them dear,
But some fell in their hour of glory
And were left to their resting here. CHORUS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T6Rj7ey5bU

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: GUEST,Dita (at work)
Date: 18 May 01 - 08:15 AM

A quick check in a CD shop at lunchtime turned up the following credits

Trad. Words Stewart, Arr. McFadyen.

love, john

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: GUEST,Dita (at work)
Date: 18 May 01 - 04:54 AM

This song was recorded ~1961 by Andy Stewart (not Andy M.), as a follow up to his UK hit "The Scottish Soldier". He did write and adapt a lot of his own material, but I can't say for certain about this one.
love, john.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: Pukuhipi
Date: 18 May 01 - 04:37 AM

Thank you Sorcha and Boab. I appreciate your input. As to whether the song was "appropriated" I have not got the foggiest. Cheers Pukuhipi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: Boab
Date: 18 May 01 - 04:21 AM

Could somebody confirm or refute the notion that I have that the song is actually half-inched from the Irish rebel repertoire, and originates in County Wexford? Boab

Subject: Lyr Add:'WhenThe Battle's Oe'r'
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 May 01 - 06:55 PM

Some returned from the fields of gory,
To their loved ones who held them dear.
But some fell in that hour of glory,
And were left to their resting there.

Chorus:
March no more, my soldier laddie,
There is peace where there once was war.
Sleep in peace my soldier laddie,
Sleep in peace, now the battle's o'er.

from: http://ingeb.org/home.html
Don't know if there is any more or not.

Subject: 'The Battle's Oe'r'
From: Pukuhipi
Date: 17 May 01 - 06:32 PM

Hello Mudcatters I am very new to the Mudcat scene and I am very impressed. As yet I have not found the lyrics to the Highland Pipe tune "The Battle's Oe'r". I half remember somebody singing "Fight nae more my soldier laddie for there's peace where there once was war. Put your sword doon my soldier laddie, rest in peace now, the battle's oe'r" However, that is as much as I have. I would be very grateful for some assistance. Many thanks - Pukuhipi