Lyr Req: Travellers' Prayer (John Renbourn)

Subject: Lyr Req: travellers prayer john renbourne
From: GUEST,singer2
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 06:40 AM

Hi
Has anyone got the words for Travellers Prayer by John Renbourne. Iwould be so grateful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: travellers prayer john renbourne
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 10:14 AM

Is it this one? Click me!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: travellers prayer john renbourne
From: velvet
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 10:20 AM

Thanks Sorcha, but these arn't the words I was looking for. The song is on a cd of the same name.

Subject: Lyr Add: TRAVELLERS PRAYER (from John Renbourn)
From: delphinium
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 02:06 PM

TRAVELLERS' PRAYER

Praise to the moon, bright queen of the skies,
Jewel of the black night, the light of our eyes,
Brighter than starlight, whiter than snow,
Look down on us in the darkness below.

If well you should find us then well let us stay,
Be it seven times better when you make your way,
Be it seven times better when we greet the dawn,
So light up our way and keep us from all harm.

Give strength to the weary, give alms to the poor,
To the tainted and needy five senses restore,
Give song to our voices, give sight to our eyes,
To see the sun bow as the new moon shall rise.

Cast your eyes downwards to our dwelling place,
Three times for favour and three times for grace,
Over the dark clouds your face for to see,
To banish misfortune and keep trinity.

In the name of our lady, bright maiden of grace,
In the name of the king of the city of peace,
In the name of our saviour, who hung on the tree,
All praise to the moon, for eternity.

I think it's Trad., arr. by John Renbourn, lyrics possibly based on something in St. Francis of Assisi?

John Renbourn recorded different versions of this on Ship of Fools (1988) and Traveller's Prayer (1998). The Ship of Fools version can be heard on JR's website here (under Music, Track 2).

Subject: Lyr Add: travellers prayer john renbourne
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 02:35 PM

Add for delphinium's post of 09 Mar 03 - 02:06 PM this thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: travellers prayer john renbourne
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 09 Mar 03 - 08:23 PM

John Renburn wrote the words to Traveller's Prayer after perusing the Carmina Gadelica , and not finding exactly what he was looking for. I had a delightful email correspondance with Renbourn while trying to find the right contact to pay him royalties when my chorus recorded this wonderful song!
(Shameless plug: If you would like info about the Animaterra cd that contains this song, PM me!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: travellers prayer john renbourne
From: velvet
Date: 10 Mar 03 - 07:12 AM

Thanks everyone for your help. I only heard this song once, but loved it. I have now ordered cd, to learn it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Travellers' Prayer (John Renbourn)
From: Barbara
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 04:59 AM

We're singing this in the Portland Revels this year, and the last verse is different than the ones I've been able to find posted.
Anyone know where this comes from?
Song is the same until the end, but this verse:

In the name of our lady, bright maiden of grace,
In the name of the king of the city of peace,
In the name of our saviour, who hung on the tree,
All praise to the moon, for eternity.

has become

In the name of the waters that spring from the earth
In the name of the rivers to whom they give birth
In the name of the oceans, the seven deep seas
All praise to the moon, for eternity.

I suspect someone in the Revels community rewrote it.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Travellers' Prayer (John Renbourn)
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 07:25 AM

Betcha it was Susan Cooper! She's the one who often does the re-writes (and does them very well)! But I hope they ran it by Renbourn, in any case.

Interestingly, in 1996, I sang this in a Cambridge Midsummer Revels in the original words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Travellers' Prayer (John Renbourn)
From: Barbara
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 11:05 AM

Is your recording still available, Animaterra?
it is human nature, I know, to like the way one hears it first, and I do like the last verse with the waters -- I particularly like how the lower parts drop the octave on "seven deep seas".
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Travellers' Prayer (John Renbourn)
From: Barbara
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 12:25 AM

I learned, from George Emlen at our Revels cast party last night that Patrick Swanson wrote the last verse. They are the music and artistic directors of the national Revels company, I believe.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Travellers' Prayer (John Renbourn)
From: GUEST,Jesse
Date: 13 Mar 19 - 10:07 PM

Praise to the moon, bright queen of the skies,
Jewel of the black night, the light of our eyes,
Brighter than starlight, whiter than snow,
Look down on us in the darkness below.
If well you should find us then well let us stay,
Be it seven times better when you make your way,
Be it seven times better when we greet the dawn,
So light up our way and keep us from all harm.
Give strength to the weary, give alms to the poor,
To the tainted and needy five senses restore,
Give song to our voices, give sight to our eyes,
To see the sun bow as the new moon shall rise.
Cast your eyes downwards to our dwelling place,
Three times for favour and three times for grace,
Over the dark clouds your face for to see,
To banish misfortune and keep Trinity.
In the name of our Lady, bright maiden of grace,
In the name of the King of the City of Peace,
In the name of our Saviour, who hung on the tree,
All praise to the moon, for eternity.