Origins: 17 years of Sorrow

Subject: Origins: 17 years of Sorrow
From: bradfordian
Date: 24 Apr 03 - 10:39 AM

It's precipitating so I've had to break off my outside DIY.

Heard this in our Folk Club & would like to know the songwriter and singer(the singer hasn't appeared again so I can't ask her). It has a great melody.

17 YEARS OF SORROW

17 years of sorrow, pierced my heart
17 years of sorrow, pierced my hea-a-art
My one regret is fo-or the time we've spent apa-a-art
17 years of sorrow, pierced my heart

You say you neither love a slave or fear a tyra-a-ant
While all these years you've been more a slave than mo-o-ost
Chain-ed byyy yo-o-our own ideas of freedom
Till you left the ones you love the most

You are even noooow as a candle-e-e
Burning out your heaaart to light the wa-a-ay
But as you diiid wha-a-at needed, to be done
You let 17 years of sorrow steeeeal away

17 years of sorrow pierced my heart
17 years of sorrow pierced my hea-a-art
My one regret is fo-or the times we've spent apa-a-art
You let 17 years of sorrow pierce my he-a-a-a-a-a-a-art
17 years of sorrow pierced my heart

sorry about the hyphenated words - its part of my technique for phrasing.
Regards Brad

Subject: RE: Origins: 17 years of Sorrow
From: GUEST,KingBrilliant
Date: 24 Apr 03 - 11:16 AM

Hiya
Its a really lovely song - and it comes from a set of songs which form the story of John Lilburne - leader of the Levellers movement.
Here's a cutnpaste from a record review which explains it better:

*******quote****

       Cooking Vinyl* released recently the 'Freeborn John' album (COOK CD III) by Rev Hammer and I can recommend it to Maddy fans.
       It tells the story of John Lilburne who was the leader of the Levellers, the radical reformers of seventeenth century England and features Rev Hammer, Rory Macleod, Eddie Reader, The Levellers (as the Levellers) and Maddy Prior.
       Maddy plays the part of John Liliburne's wife Elizabeth and appears on two tracks, 'Elizabeth's Great Gallop' where she duets with Simon Friend and ' Seventeen Years of Sorrow' which is a Maddy solo.
       The CD is certainly worth getting just to hear some new Maddy vocals but I also enjoyed some good songs, some interesting arrangements and I've learnt some history!

***********unquote ***********

I heard it on a compilation CD, and have loved it ever since. Its great to sing! Dunno if its the right chords, but I sing it in C - just using C,G,F & possibly Am. Easy to figure out.

Kris

Subject: RE: Origins: 17 years of Sorrow
From: bradfordian
Date: 24 Apr 03 - 12:26 PM

Thanks Kris. I've also found this. Very interesting

Cheers Brad.

Subject: RE: Origins: 17 years of Sorrow
From: bradfordian
Date: 24 Apr 03 - 01:00 PM

A clip can be heard here. So is Hammer the author?
Brad.

Subject: RE: Origins: 17 years of Sorrow
From: GUEST,KingBrilliant
Date: 24 Apr 03 - 04:31 PM

That's a great site with all the lyrics. I expect I'll have to buy the CD now!!!!


KRis