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Breme fell at Hastings

09 May 16 - 06:31 AM (#3789318)
Subject: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Piff

Breme Fell at Hastings - most of you have probably heard this very powerful Show of Hands number by now, but is anyone able to catch what are the first three words of the song? I have listened to it again and again and I just can't make it out.


09 May 16 - 07:56 AM (#3789329)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST,Kampervan

'Of our own will we took the field'


09 May 16 - 12:12 PM (#3789368)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Piff

Great - thanks for that


09 May 16 - 12:24 PM (#3789370)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST,Kampervan

Pleasure. I'm a fan myself.


09 May 16 - 03:19 PM (#3789408)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: michaelr

Why not post the lyrics here?


09 May 16 - 05:22 PM (#3789437)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST

As far as I know this is a song written by Steve Knightley and I'm not sure about the legalities of publishing someones lyrics on a public site.

Maybe its ok maybe its not, I don't know. but Piff asked about the first few words and that's what I put up.

If someone tells me that Mr Knightley is happy to have his lyrics posted on this site then I'd be happy to.

Alternatively the CD 'The Long Way Home' is available for purchase.


09 May 16 - 05:26 PM (#3789438)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: GUEST,Kampervan

Sorry, the post - above was me.


09 May 16 - 06:36 PM (#3789446)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: michaelr

Hundreds of song lyrics by known authors have been posted here on Mudcat. It's kind of the point of the site. The disclaimer at the bottom of the page takes care of the legalities. I'm not aware that there's ever been a problem.


11 Jun 19 - 03:42 AM (#3995917)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Piff

Does anyone know the Anglo-Saxon words spoken during the song? Or even where they come from? Presumably these are not original and have been quoted form the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle or some similar source?


11 Jun 19 - 04:25 AM (#3995925)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Reinhard

Yes, it's unlikely that a front-line reporter had been accompanying the mission.


12 Jun 19 - 12:49 AM (#3996058)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Kampervan

Clip from the BBC

The following was posted by Steve Daily on the Show of Hands fan site ' Longdogs'
‘Thoughts must be harder, heart the keener
Spirit shall be stronger - as our might lessens.....’
(Is from the battle song of Maldon from East Anglia area...)
The last line is from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
‘And all the flower of England fell.......’


12 Jun 19 - 09:12 AM (#3996066)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)

The spoken part at the start is lines 313-314 from The Battle Of Maldon:

Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre,
mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen l?tlað.

(Thoughts must be harder, heart braver,
Courage must be greater, as our strength diminishes)


I can't make out all of the end line. It sounds like:

þær wæs of-slagen eall þe ??? Angelcynnes folc

(then all the ?? English men were killed)


Mick


12 Jun 19 - 09:14 AM (#3996068)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)

Last word of 1st line should have been l?tlað

Mick


12 Jun 19 - 09:15 AM (#3996069)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)

Damn - preview looked fine, but not posted! Without the length macron over y the word is: lytlað

Mick


12 Jun 19 - 09:57 AM (#3996078)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)

I think the last line might be:

þær wæs of-slagen eall þe duguþ Angelcynnes folc

(...the manhood/excellence/good/honourable of English men...)


Mick


13 Jun 19 - 05:28 AM (#3996193)
Subject: RE: Breme fell at Hastings
From: Big Al Whittle

Thank fuck!.. I thought poor old Julian Bream had had a mishap on the south coast.