Hee! Got a real nice surprise in my email box last night

[capri0mni]

In December, 2002, I was tired of singing just singing Pagan rewrites of Christmas carols, so I set about to write my own, wholely original one, and I posted it to the Mudcat Cafe, here. One woman who liked the song asked me to submit it for printing in her San Fansisco folk-club newsletter. After the holidays, she said they'd sung it in group, and it was a big hit.

Last night, I get this e-mail from her:

Hi Anne.(sic) The folks at the Portland club asked me a couple days ago to do an
equinox ritual for music camp this next weekend, and after rummaging through
my songs, I found I didn't really have anything that worked.

But while talking with my friend Blythe, she suggested I try modifying your
song to turn it into a equinox song instead of a solstice song.

She'd made a few adjustments to the words that worked, but asked me if I'd like a go at it. I took up the challenge, and gave her permission to use her own version if I got stuck.

But I didn't get stuck :-)

Here's what I came up with -- I like it, for one, I hope she doesn't mind having to learn a whole new lot of lyrics:

Come gather together, rejoice and be gay!
Sing! for the night is now balanced by day
The wheel, it is turning, and Life, it goes on.
So raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!

Call out with the Goddess: "It's now time to grow,
Free from the prison of old ice and snow!"
Our slumber is over, our work just begun,
So raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!

Though winter was long, with cold nights and fierce wind,
We have survived, and we're singing again!
And, like the brave seed, may our hearts all grow strong.
Come raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!

Give thanks to the Goddess, the sweet living Earth:
thanks for the cycle of death and rebirth.
She lives in our hearts, and the love that we share.
So raise all your voices, let a song fill the air!

(oringinal song)

Come gather together and sing with glad hearts.
Sing for the sun's return out of the dark.
The wheel, it is turning, the dance, it goes on.
So raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!

Oh, sing with the Goddess: "The world is reborn,
shi-ing as bright as the very first morn!"
The old year has end-ed. Let go of old wrongs
And raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!

Though winter will bring us cold nights and fierce wind,
know by this dawning that hard-ship will end.
And like the sun's rays, may our hearts all grow strong.
Come, raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!

(and the last verse is the same)

Oh? and P.S. A Baptist church group filked the lyrics to make this Pagan carol and Christian one.. heh! I like a little turn-about, don't you?

Comments

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

I *love* it. I was just singing it (making up a melody) quietly to myself (nearing midnight here), but I'll keep it in mind:). Damn, i really need celebrations like this near me in my everyday life!

"Come, raise all your voices, fill the air with sweet song!:)"

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

If you want to hear the tune I wrote for it (Though I'm sure your own tune is loverly, too), you can copy the following text into the Tune-O-Tron Coverter (http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html) and hit [submit] (be sure to turn off any pop-up blockers):

X:1
T: Raise all your Vaices
M:3/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
E2G2C2|C2E2G2|G2A2G2|F2G4|C2D2E2|F2E2D2|C2D2E2|
D4E2|G2G2A2|G2F2E2|F3GA2|G4E2|D2C2D2|F2E2ED|
C2D2B,2|C7/2||

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Wow! I think getting filked by Christians is the ultimate compliment. ;)

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yeah... my thought at the time was: "Now, my life is complete!" ;-)