~ Lyrics & Commentary for The Riverbank Faerie ~
1. The Song of Wandering Aengus
Words by W.B. Yeats / Music- Traditional
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
I went out to the Hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
I am enchanted with the singing of
Karan Casey, and it is through her 1997
album Songlines that I first encountered
this curious composition.
With an enigmatic theme of dream-searching at its core,
concise interpretations of this song seem to be elusive-
as perhaps they should be.
Though I have researched, I haven’t a PhD in such matters,
so for now, we’ll just have to make do with the following:
Aengus Óg (Aengus the Young)
is an Irish figure, or god, associated with many things such as youth, beauty,
dreams, seeking, music, transformative fish, sometimes death, in some senses love,
and – along with his beloved Cáer – swans. In this song, we watch and
listen as he glimpses, is enthralled with, and then vows to pursue a
captivating creature perceived in a dream.
Of Aengus (or Angus, Áengus, Óengus, Oenghus, Aonghus...),
much can be explored. And within these lyrics by
W.B. Yeats (1865-1939) – rich in Irish lore – much can be discovered.
2. Morgaine
Words & Music by Brian Buller
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
From Wales I am here
To serve our Pendragon
To safeguard these lands
All we call Britannia
All we call Britannia
From Wales I am here
To face the Saxon war
And dare, dare I say
But glimpse you my Lady
But glimpse you my Lady
Morgaine… Morgaine…
Oh sister of a King
Oh Daughter of the Mists
Oh The Land is alive
Oh, with whispers of your strength
Thanks be to your brother
Oh, for our acquaintance
In honor of your arrival
He holds oh this banquet
He holds oh this banquet
Morgaine… Morgaine…
You invite me, to escort you
In the eve of sweet May
To my wonder, to my joy
We wander in the glow
Of those bonfires ablaze
Your sky of dark hair
Your breath of apples
The hazel light
In the glade of your eyes
Let not the Isle beyond the Summer Sea
Oh, be forsaken
Nor sink in the blood
By which this land is stained
Let not the ways of the Goddess
Oh, be forgotten
Nor, nor the spell
Oh, to us she gave
Oh, to us she gave
Morgaine… Morgaine…
Based on an Arthurian theme
and strongly influenced by
Marion Zimmer Bradley’s &
Diana L. Paxon’s
The Mists of Avalon,
these lyrics are given from
the perspective of Accolon of Wales
as he addresses Morgan Le Fay-
or Morgaine. Our poor prince Accolon
is tormented and conflicted between
his call to duty for to serve his
King Arthur, and his desire to serve
and be near Morgaine; as both a lover
and as a spiritual adherent to the
pre-Christian traditions which she
struggles to uphold amid a turbulent
Medieval Britannia.
3. Bonnie Mae
Words & Music- Traditional
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
Bonnie Mae a-shepherding has gone
To call the sheep to the fold
And aye, as she sang, Oh her bonny voice, it rang
Way over the tops of the downs, the downs
Way over the tops of the downs
There came a troop of gentlemen
As they were riding, riding by
And one of them has lighted down
And he’s asked of her the way, the way
And he’s asked of her the way
“Ride on, ride on, you rank riders
Your steeds are stout, Oh and strong
For ‘tis out of the fold I will not go
For fear you will do me wrong, me wrong
For fear you will do me wrong”
Now he’s taken her by the middle jip
And by the green gown, green gown sleeve
And there he’s had his will of her
And he’s asked of her no leave, no leave
And he’s asked of her no leave
“Oh I’ve ridden east and I’ve ridden west
And I’ve ridden o’er, o’er the downs
But the bonniest lass that ‘ere I saw
Is calling the sheep to the fold, the fold
Is calling the sheep to the fold”
Now she’s taken the milk pale on her head
And she’s gone lingering, lingering home
And all her father, Oh said to her
Was, “Daughter you’ve done me wrong, me wrong”
Was, “Daughter you’ve done me wrong”
Now twenty weeks have gone and past
Twenty weeks, oh and three
And the lassie began to fret and to frown
And to long for his twinkling eye-bright-eye
And to long for his twinkling eye
Now it came on a day, a bonny summer’s day
When she went out, out alone
That selfsame troop of gentlemen
Came riding o’er the downs, the downs,
Came riding o’er the downs
“Who got the babe with thee Bonnie Mae?
Who got the babe in thy arms?”
For shame she blushed, and aye, she said
“I’ve a good man of my own, my own,
I’ve a good man of my own”
“You lie, you lie, you bonny, bonny Mae
So loud I hear, hear you lie
Remember that misty, murky night
I lay in the fold with thee, with thee
I lay in the fold with thee”
Now he’s lighted off his berry-brown steed
He’s set the fair Mae, fair Mae on
“Go call out the fold, good father yourself
She’ll ne’er call them again, again,
She’ll ne’er call them again”
For he’s the Lord of Achentrioch
With fifty plough, oh and three
And he’s taken away the bonniest lass
In all of the south country, country,
In all of the south country.
I was introduced to Bonnie Mae through
The Hour Before Dawn (2000) by Solas.
In addition to the group’s trademark instrumental
virtuosity, the album features the singing of Deirdre Scanlan,
whose ethereal and comforting voice encouraged
me to explore the emotional landscapes of this ballad.
4. English Sunlight
Words & Music by Brian Buller
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
Clouds of grey were tumbling
Or’ the calling countryside
Or’ the walls of Londinium
In the stirring of Spring
So intensely my heart was thrown for thee
As boughs in a tempest of March
As bright tips of waves spark
Now as I lie in the bosom of longing
There is the blanket of your hands
As the warming of the land
‘Neath English Sunlight
English Sunlight
As the warming of the land
Skies of white were galloping
Or’ the rising hillsides
Or’ the streets of Londinium
In the stirring of Spring
So intensely my heart was thrown for thee
As boughs in a tempest of March
As bright tips of waves spark
Now as I lie in the bosom of longing
There is the blanket of your hands
As the warming of the land
‘Neath English Sunlight
English Sunlight
How I longed for thee
How I longed for thee...
As the warming of the land
Clouds of grey were tumbling
Or’ the calling countryside
With fumbling yet earnest words of yearning,
a spellbound traveler shares a bit of his story.
5. Bushes and Briars
Words & Music- Traditional
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
Through bushes and through briars
She lately took her way
All for to hear the small birds sing
And the lambs to sport and play
She overheard her own true love
His voice it was so clear
Long time she has been waiting for
The coming of her dear
Sometimes she is uneasy
And troubled in her mind
Sometimes she thinks she’ll go to her love
And tell to him her mind
But if she should go unto her love
Her love he may say nay
If she shows to him her boldness
He’ll ne’er love her again
This song, to me, speaks of many things:
an ageless push and pull between woman
and man; of haunting and hope… of anger
and passion… of tenderness and longing.
I came to know this song through
Susan McKeown’s 1998 album Bushes & Briars;
a very persuasive and dynamic recording.
6. The Riverbank Faerie
Words & Music by Brian Buller
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
Somber steps, the young man takes
To the Summer River’s muddy banks
Before him flows so hushed and fair
A face of blossoms adrift in the River’s hair
~ Adrift in, the River’s hair ~
Cottonwood alight
Such a sweet evening
Wishing for new life
In this sweet evening
In but a whisper, the young man speaks
To the Summer River’s stalks and reeds
To him comes in prickling skin
An answer in truth given to him
I hear you tonight
In this sweet evening
Wishing for new life
In this sweet evening
In drowning emotion, he falls to his knees
In a pool at the edge, his tears he leaves
In cupped hands, his face is washed
Away with sadness, away with loss
Away with sadness, away with loss
Now there’s, vine-like arms of stone-speckled skin
The Summer River embraces him
Around him flows so hushed and fair
A face of blossoms...
~ Adrift in, the River’s hair ~
I hear you tonight in this sweet evening
Wishing for new life in this sweet evening
I hear you tonight in this sweet evening
I give you new life with this sweet evening
I hold you tonight, with this sweet…
I give you new life, with this sweet…
A young man lost in his troubles and considering
the worst is drawn to a river’s edge. There he
encounters a benevolent creature of the
Otherworld, who offers him redemption and
renewal amid the splendor and wonder of
the Natural World.
7. The Dark Eyed Sailor
Words & Music- Traditional
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
As I roved out one evening fair
It being Summer to take the air
I spied a sailor and lady gay
And I stood to listen, and I stood to listen
To hear what they might say
He said, “Fair lady why do you roam?
The day is spent and night is on.”
She heaved a sigh as tears did flow
“For me dark eyed sailor, for me dark eyed sailor,
So young and stout and bold.”
“‘Tis seven long years since he’s left this land
A ring he took of his lily-white hand
One half the ring is still here with me
But the other is rolling, but the other is rolling
At the bottom of the sea.”
He said, “Can’t you drive him right out of your mind?
Another young man you surely can find
Love turns aside and cold does grow
Like a Winter’s morning, like a Winter’s morning
When the hills are white with snow.”
She said, “I will never forsake my dear
Although we’ve parted this many a year
Gentile he was and no villain like you
To induce a maiden, to induce a maiden
To slight the jacket of blue.”
Then half of the ring did young William show,
She ran distracted in grief and woe
Saying, “William, oh William, I have gold in store
For me dark-eyed sailor, for me dark-eyed sailor
Who’s proved his overthrow.”
Now there is a cottage by yonder lee,
This couple is married and does agree
So maids be loyal when your love is away
For a cloudy morning, for a cloudy morning
Brings in a sunny day.
Here, as a token-ring ritual is being played out,
we have a story of desperate longing
and bitter doubts resolved through a reunion of the
true-hearted. My path for learning this song came
through Kate Rusby and Kathryn Robert’s 1995
collaborative album; I find their rendition of
The Dark-Eyed Sailor to be satisfyingly soul-piercing.
8. Inland the Eventide Moves
Words & Music by Brian Buller
Arranged by Brian Buller & Ryan Eston Paul
Inland the Eventide moves
In a whisper of sea air
Blushing the hills to the pink of a shell
Inward our thoughts move
Recalling so much
The Sea has given and likewise taken
Our loved ones, our kin
Their strength, their hardship
Let them sleep on a plank of moonlight
Oh, soft and silvery smooth
Let them drift with the gulls
Let them frolic with the Selkies
Let them rest in a nest of Western clouds
Aglow with the Sun
Lightly,
Lightly we will go
Gently,
Gently the waves do roll
Lightly,
Lightly we will go (we’ll go)
Gently,
Gently the waves do roll (they roll)…
Part lullaby, part elegy, this song speaks
of the Sea and its eternal roles as both
provider and thief. There is mention of
Selkies- referring to the ‘Seal People or
Seal Folk’ of Celtic and Nordic lore.
Dedicated to the memory of my
Uncle Warren who was lost to the waves
when I was just a kid.
Commentary by BB.
