Need Info: Seventh son of a seventh son

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: The Walrus
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 05:59 PM

As I recall, vindelis is correct and the 7th son of a 7th son is supposed to have "second sight".

On the musical side (if it can be called music) I seem to remember Bob Hope (and I assume Bing Crosby) singing about the 7th son of a 7th son (and committing appalling "cod" Scots accents) in (I think) one of the "Road" series of films (no idea which one).

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 05:28 PM

Only count the boys....don't know about multiple mothers or stillborns but I would think they would count if they were all boys.

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: M.Ted
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 05:06 PM

Sorry to be a bit of a nerd on this, but, what does "seventh son of a seventh son mean?" It seems a bit vague-- Would it be the counting all the children?(i.e.--3 girls, three boys, and the seventh, a boy) or would it be any number of sisters, only counting the boys? And are they sons of a the same mother, or do you count all the sons of the father, regardless of the mother? And do you count the stillborns? Enquiring minds, you know...

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 03:52 PM

There is a lake in Northrumbria, under the shadow of Hadrian's wall called Broomlee Lough. Legend has it that viking treasure lays buried there and can only be extracted by twin white horses and twin oxen which are chained together by a golden chain which is made by (wait for it ,wait for it!!) a blacksmith (here it comes!) who is the seventh son of a seventh son. The National Trust has just bought the property but in the contract there is a caviat which allows the original owners family to continue to search for the treasure for the next 99 years. I have written a song about it the chorus goes:
Five fathom five, my father lies asleep,
and on his head a golden crown and in his slumbers deep
it is twice for the man I am, and twice the golden mane
and the seventh son of a seventh son will strike the golden chain ,five fathom five.
I only have snippets to base this song on and although it is finished it needs a bit of tidying. anyone with more info about this would they PM me?

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: GUEST,CFJS
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 03:47 PM

I don't know where she got the basis of the folklore from but a British writer Susan Cupper wrote a whole series of young adult fiction books where based around british folk lore, traditions, myths and ledgends, where the lead character 'Will' was a seventh son of a seventh son, and as a result was one of the 'Old Ones', not vampires but sort of gardians of mankind. don't know if this is of interest....

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: vindelis
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 03:12 PM

Soory that should have read: Aren't they supposed to have second sight? I haven't.

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: vindelis
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 03:11 PM

An't they supposed to have second sight?

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 02:10 PM

In my family (UK)the seventh son of a seventh son was thought to have mystic powers.

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: okthen
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 02:02 PM

I think there's a reference in hoochie coochie man, by muddy waters.

The healer Mathew Manning (here in UK) is a seventh son of a seventh son, a man of remarkable abilities. He live not far from me, and bought a house on an intersection of 2 lay lines.

Thanks Mary in Kentucky for reminding me of Mose Alison.

cheers

bill

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 01:49 PM

I think there is a line about the 7th son of a 7th son in The song "Who Do You love?"

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 11:23 AM

Amazon says this is the first one, Sorcha: "Seventh Son (Tales of Alvin Maker."

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:42 AM

I belive it was Orson Scott Card who wrote a series of books (fantasy/fiction/sci-fi)about this......can't remember any titles, tho.

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: Peg
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:18 AM

Seven, in numerology, is a very powerful and magical number. Being born "under the seven" in the old days meant you were destined to be taken into mystical training of some sort...it represents completion and understanding and wisdom and a deep connection to the unseen world (dreams, etc.); hence children whose birthdates corresponded to it were closely watched to see if they had powers or skills that went beyond the usual...I would imagine the seventh son of a seventh son thing is related to this...

I have also heard the vampire thing repeated widely...

one pal of mine is a seventh son; he is a horror writer by trade.

Peg

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SEVENTH SON (Willie Dixon)
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 10:03 AM

THE SEVENTH SON
W. DIXON sung by JOHNNY RIVERS

Everybody talkin' 'bout the seventh son
In the whole wide world there is only one

And I'm the one, I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son

I can tell your future, it will come to pass
I can do things to you make your heart feel glad
Look in the sky, predict the rain
Tell when a woman's got another man

I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son

I can talk these words that will sound so sweet
They will even make your little heart skip a beat
Heal the sick, raise the dead
Make the little girls talk outta their heads

I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son

------ lead guitar ------

I can talk these words that will sound so sweet
They will even make your little heart skip a beat
Heal the sick, raise the dead
And make the little girls talk outta their heads

I'm the one, oh I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son

I'm the one, hey, hey
I'm the one
Oh, I'm the one, babe
Oooo, I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son
I'm the one, I'm the one
The one they call the seventh son

SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON
IRON MAIDEN

Here they stand brothers them all
All the sons divided they'd fall
Here await the birth of the son
The seventh, the heavenly, the chosen one

Here the birth from an unbroken line
Born the healer the seventh, his time
Unknowingly blessed and as his life unfolds
Slowly unveiling the power he holds

Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son

Then they watch the progress he makes
The Good and the Evil which path will he take
Both of them trying to manipulate
The use of his powers before it's too late

Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son
Seventh son of a seventh son

Today is born the seventh one
Born of woman the seventh son
And he in turn of a seventh son
He has the power to heal
He has the gift of the second sight
He is the chosen one
So it shall be written
So it shall be done

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: jeffp
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 09:07 AM

Rory Gallagher had an electric blues song called, "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son." I believe it was on Blue Thumb Records, sometime in the late Sixties or early Seventies.

jeffp

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 08:58 AM

Oh yes. Iron Maiden had an album out in 1988, entitled thus. I was there.

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: Crazy Eddie
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 08:52 AM

No songs, but in Ireland 7th sons of 7th sons were (are?) believed by many (some?) to have powers of healing.

In Terry Pratchett's discworld, the eighth son of an eighth is a wizard. Wizards are supposed remain celibate, to avoid any possibility of an eighth son of an eighth son of an eighth son. Such a one would be a sourcerer, (able to touch the source of magic), with enough power to destroy the entire world.

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: mcpiper
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 07:03 AM

Thanks Letty, 14 minutes for a reply, not bad at all, some interesting info. Any songs anyone?
Cheers, mcpiper

Subject: RE: BS: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: Letty
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 06:35 AM

Well, traditionally 7th sons of 7th sons are supposed to be witches or at least have some magical powers.

Here's a quote I had lying about somewhere (don't know the source):
Belief in the special gifts of a Seventh Son or Daughter
can be found in Folklore throughout the world. Leslie
Shepard in his 'Encyclopedia of Occultism and
parapsychology' states that in Romania the Seventh
Child is fated to become a vampire. And that in
England in the seventheenth century there were
reports of a Seventh Son healing the deaf blind and
lame.
In France, The Seventh Son was called a 'Marcou' and
branded with a 'fleur-de-lis' {reknown worldwide as a
symbol of the Divine & Quality, and all that is Holy,
Click this Link for history}. Good Luck was also said
to attend the Seventh Child. In olden days, when
Captains of Merchant Ships were setting sail on long
voyages, they would try, 'often by force if
neccessary' to have a Seventh Son on ship as Legend
has it that the Ship wouldn't sink with a Seventh Son
on Board
The reason why the Seventh Child as opposed to the first
or the fifth for example-should have 'Special Powers'
has it's roots in ancient beliefs. The number Seven
has many mystical and religious associations. Apart
from the Bible telling of God creating the world in
Seven Days, The number features throughout the old
and new testaments.
Seven is a very significant number in numerology and is
the basic unit of transition in natural cycles from
the week as a phase of the lunar cycle to the idea
that many of life's patterns are divided in phases of
Seven.

Letty

Subject: Seventh son of a seventh son
From: mcpiper
Date: 16 Aug 01 - 06:21 AM

Hello to all. Is there anything in folklore regarding the 7th son of a 7th son. I work with one who claims to be such a person, and seem to remember sayings etc. about them. Any info, tales, superstitions, or indeed any songs would be a real help, and maybe help to shut the bugger up.
Thanks, mcpiper.