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Twa Corbies - Single

by Carl Edlund Anderson

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Dig Dragens Hule
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Dig Dragens Hule Really cool folk/metal song...wish there was an album of this !
paul rote
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paul rote This is my favorite Scottish border ballad done in a folk metal style.
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about

A "folk metal" version of the Scottish border ballad "Twa Corbies". The lyrics are traditional; originally collected without a tune, they are nowadays often heard with a music based principally on a Breton melody called "An Alarc'h" ("The Swan"). For my version, besides generally rocking it up with a kind of "Dio-era Sabbath" vibe ;) I've added a short bridge-like riff of my own composition that occurs after some verses.

Originally recorded in late 2007, this release was entirely remixed and partially re-recorded in 2018. All performances, recording and production by Carl Edlund Anderson except the following samples from Freesound.org: www.freesound.org/people/aesqe/sounds/39835/ and www.freesound.org/people/Dynamicell/sounds/17553/.

I'm honoured that on 03 March 2008 a lecture entitled "Border Ballads, Past and Present" by folk-music researcher and professional singer Poppy Holden for the Music in the North East and Borders module of the International Centre for Music Studies, University of Newcastle upon Tyne quoted an earlier version of my interpretation of "Twa Corbies" as an example of living border ballad tradition. Traditional music never dies: it just gets louder! :)

lyrics

Twa Corbies
Trad. (Roud 5 ; Child 26 ; Ballad Index C026) arr. Carl Edlund Anderson

As I was walking all alane

I heard twa corbies making mane.

And tane untae the other did say-o:

“Where shall we gang and dine today-o?

Where shall we gang and dine today?”

“In behind yon auld fell dyke

I wot there lies a new slain knight;

And naebody kens that he lies there-o

But his hawk and his hound and his lady fair-o,

His hawk and his hound and his lady fair.”

“His hound is tae the hunting gane;

His hawk tae fetch the wild fowl hame;

His lady's taen another mate-o;

So we may make our dinner sweet-o,

We may make our dinner sweet.”

“O, you’ll sit on his white hause bane,

And I'll pike out his bonny blue een.

With many a lock o' his golden hair-o

We'll theek our nest when it grows bare-o,

Theek our nest when it grows bare.”

“O, many a one for him makes mane,

But nane shall ken where he is gane.

O'er his white bones when they are bare-o

The wind shall blow forever mair-o,

The wind shall blow forever mair.”

credits

released January 28, 2018
Trad. arr. Carl Edlund Anderson

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Carl Edlund Anderson Bogotá, Colombia

Formed in 1971 ;) Carl grew up on a musical diet of folk, jazz, and classical music, before succumbing to the heady glories of rock-and/or-roll in a teenage daze. Thereafter, he gigged, wrote and recorded songs, and generally jammed out in various bands in the US and UK. Now based in Colombia, South America, he continues working on new music ... some of which appear here! :) ... more

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