A Song a Day

A Song a Day

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A Song a Day episodes

  • Song 365: "Leave Her, Johnny"

    Leave her, Johnny, leave her
    Oh leave her, Johnny, leave her
    For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
    And it’s time for us to leave her
     

    Oh the times was hard and the wages low
    Leave her, Johnny, leave her
    But now once more on shore we’ll go
    And it’s time for us to leave her

    There’s Liverpool Pat with his tarpaulin hat
    And Yankee John, the pocket rat

    I thought I heard the old man say
    Tomorrow you will get your pay

    Oh, the work was hard and the voyage long
    Oh, the sea was high and the gales was strong

    Oh, sing that we boys will never be
    In a hungry bitch, the likes of she

    Its rotten beef and waverly bread
    It was pump or drown, the old man said

    The sails all furled, our work is done
    And now ashore we’ll take our run

    Oh, what will us poor shellbacks do?
    Our money’s gone, more work to do.
     
    Well the rats have left, and we the crew
    Oh, it’s time by damn’ that we went to

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  • Song 364: "Runaljod" - Wardruna

    Fé vældr fræ'nda rógi;
    fóðesk ulfr í skógi

    Rúnar munt þú finna
    ok ráðna stafi,
    mjök stóra stafi,
    mjök stinna stafi,
    er fáði fimbulþulr
    ok gerðu ginnregin
    ok reist hroftr rögna.
    [Hávamál 142]

    Úr er af illu jarni;
    oft leypr ræinn á hjarni

    Þurs vældr kvenna kvillu;
    kátr værðr fár af illu

    Óss er flestra færða;
    för, en skalpr er sværða

    Nam ek upp rúnar, æpandi nam...
    [Hávamál 139]

    Ræið kvæða rossom væsta;
    Reginn sló sværðet bæzta

    Kaun er barna bolvan;
    bol gorver mann folvan

    Hagal er kaldastr korna;
    Herjan skóp hæimin forna

    Nauð gerer nappa kosti;
    naktan kælr í frosti

    Is köllum brú bræiða;
    blindan þarf at læiða

    Ár er gumna góði;
    get ek at örr var Fróði

    Sól er landa ljómi;
    lúti ek að helgum dómi

    Týr er einhendr ása;
    oft værðr smiðr at blása

    Bjarkan er laufgrænstr líma;
    Loki bar flæ'rðar tima

    Maðr er moldur auki;
    mikill er græip á hauki
    Mikill er græip á hauki...

    Nam ek upp rúnar, æpandi nam...

    Laukr er, er fællr ór fjalle;
    foss en gull ero nosser

    Ýr er vetrgrænstr víða;
    vant er, er brennr, at svíða

    Wealth cause dispute among friends;
    the wolf lives in the forest

    Runes will you discover
    And meaningful staves,
    Very powerful staves,
    Very strong staves,
    That the wise high-storyteller gained
    That the higher creative-powers crafted
    That the Hroptr of Gods carved.
    [Hávamál 142]

    Slag comes from bad iron;
    the reindeer often races over the frozen snow.

    Giant causes women's sorrow;
    few are cheerful from misfortune

    River mouth is way of most journeys;
    but the sheath is the one of swords

    I took up the runes, crying aloud I took them...
    [Hávamál 139]

    Riding, one says, is for horses the worst;
    Regin forged the best sword

    Ulcer is fatal for children;
    death makes man pale

    Hail is the coldest of grain;
    Herjan shaped the world in olden times

    Need leaves you little choice;
    the naked freeze in the frost

    Ice we call the broad bridge;
    the blind man must be led

    Good year is a blessing for men;
    I say that Frodi was generous

    Sun is light of the land
    I bow before the holy

    Tyr is one-handed among the Æsir;
    often the smith must blow

    Birch is the limb greenest with leaves;
    Loki brought success of deceit

    Man is increase of soil;
    mighty is the hawk's claw
    Mighty is the hawk's claw...

    I took up the runes, crying aloud I took them...

    Water is what falls from the mountain;
    but of gold are the jewels

    Yew is the greenest tree in winter;
    it often singes when it burns

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  • Song 363: "El alazán" - Atahualpa Yupanqui

    Dicen que un hombre de a pie
    Solo es la mitad de un gaucho
    Eso solo seré
    Porque perdí mi caballo

    No me gustan las nostalgias
    Porque me achican la vida
    Y el corazón se desangra de penas
    Mientras camina

    A veces a rienda corta
    Con las coscojas sonando
    Parecía preguntarme
    ¿Que anda pasando, paisano?

    Y así voy
    Y así voy yendo
    Cuesta arriba
    Y cuesta abajo
    Solitario y nostalgioso
    Porque perdí mi caballo

    Era una cinta de fuego,
    galopando, galopando.
    Crin revuelta en llamaradas,
    mi alazán te estoy nombrando.

    Trepo las sierras con luna,
    cruzó los valles nevando.
    Cien caminos anduvimos,
    mi alazán te estoy nombrando.

    ¿Qué oscuro lazo de nieve
    te pialó junto al barranco?
    ¿Cómo fue que no lo viste?
    ¿Qué estrella andabas buscando?

    En el fondo del abismo,
    ni una voz para nombrarlo.
    Solito se fue muriendo,
    mi caballo, mi caballo.

    En una horqueta de un tala
    hay un morral solitario,
    y hay un corral sin relinchos,
    mi alazán te estoy nombrando.

    Si es como dicen algunos,
    que hay cielos pal' buen caballo,
    por ahí andará mi flete,
    galopando, galopando.

    Oscuro lazo de nieve
    te pialó junto al barranco.
    ¿Cómo fue que no lo viste?
    ¿Qué estrella andabas mirando?

    En el fondo del abismo,
    ni una voz para nombrarlo.
    Solito se fue muriendo,
    mi caballo, mi caballo.

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  • Song 362: "Stormalong"

    Oh Stormy's gone, that good old man
    Way hay, Stormalong!
    Oh, poor old Stormy's dead and gone
    Aye, aye, Mister Stormalong!

    We dug his grave with a silver spade
    His shroud of finest silk was made

    We lowered him with a silver chain
    Our eyes all dim with more than rain

    An able sailor, bold and true,
    A good old bosun to his crew

    He's moored at last, and furled his sail
    No danger now from wreck or gale

    I wish I was old Stormy's son
    I'd build me a ship of a thousand ton

    I'd fill her up with New England rum
    And all my shellbacks they would have some

    I'd sail this wide world 'round and 'round
    With plenty of money I would be found

    Old Stormy's dead and gone to rest
    Of all the sailors he was the best!

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  • Song 361: "Grace O'Malley" - The Dreadnoughts

    Boys, I remember one September
    Taking arms up to the crown
    Beaten up and broken down

    And the maid that Connaught gave us
    Who could save us from our shame
    Grace O'Malley was her name

    Granuaile the Pirate Queen
    Flashing eyes so wild and green
    I was only seventeen, boys
    I'd no right to be
    In Grace O'Malley's company


    Her solution, retribution
    Revolution in the air
    Sailed we from the county Clare

    Every galleon or battalion
    Who bore the British crest
    Sent them howling from the west

    Granuaile the Pirate Queen
    Flashing eyes so wild and green
    I was only seventeen, boys
    I'd no right to be
    In Grace O'Malley's company


    How we adored her even more sir
    When the order came around
    With an offer from the crown
    Hike the stems boys, up the Thames boys
    It's Gracie breath to breath
    With the one Elizabeth

    Granuaile the Pirate Queen
    Flashing eyes so wild and green
    I was only seventeen, boys
    I'd no right to be
    In Grace O'Malley's company


    Just one thousand men
    No one ever found again
    She was offered and upset, boys
    The pure light was she
    Our Grace O'Malley's Company

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  • Song 360: "The Valley Below" - The Family Crest

    If I wasn't born
    If I wasn't here
    She'd move herself back down to the valley below
    'Cause there the night is calm
    And here the wind is cold
    So move yourself back down to the valley below

    This is not where I come from
    This is not where I belong
    Moving soft, so slowly she said
    I'll move through the night, love, I'll sleep when I'm dead
    I'll move through the night, love, I'll sleep when I'm dead
    I'll move through the night, love, I'll sleep when I'm dead

    As the wind it howls against the trees so slow
    She moves herself back down to the valley below
    'Cause there the night is calm, and here the wind is cold
    So she moves herself back down to the valley below

    And this is not where I come from
    No, this is not where I belong
    And speaking soft, so slowly she says
    I'll move through the night love, I'll sleep when I'm dead
    I'll move through the night love, I'll sleep when I'm dead
    I'll move through the night love,
    I'll sleep when I'm dead!

    Now she's got me moving slow
    I don't know where to go
    I guess I'll go on my own way

    If I wasn't born
    If I wasn't here
    She'd move herself back down to the valley below
    'Cause there the night is calm, and here the wind is cold
    So move yourself back down to the valley below

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  • Song 359: "Los peces en el río"

    La Virgen se está peinando 
    entre cortina y cortina 
    los cabellos son de oro 
    y el peine de plata fina. 

    Pero mira cómo beben los peces en el río 
    Pero mira cómo beben por ver al Dios nacido 
    Beben y beben y vuelven a beber 
    Los peces en el río por ver a Dios nacer. 


    La Virgen está lavando 
    y tendiendo en el romero 
    los pajaritos cantando 
    y el romero floreciendo. 

    La Virgen se está lavando
    con un poco de jabón.
    Se le han picado las manos,
    manos de mi corazón.

    La Virgen va caminando
    por entre aquellas palmeras,
    el Niño mira en sus ojos,
    el color de la vereda.

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  • Song 358: "Home for Christmas" - The Family Crest

    Oh, the stars in the sky
    How they shine here tonight
    Out to guide me home

    Now the snow starts to fall
    And the wind, oh it's howling out
    To greet me

    And I don't know how I'll get there
    On this cold and windy night
    But love, I'll be home for Christmas tonight

    Oh, the lines on the road
    How they blend with the homes
    Reds and greens

    Keep the fire up for me
    Leave the lights out on the tree

    And I don't know how I'll get there
    On this dark and stormy night
    And although my body's aching
    Oh love, I'll still long to hold you tight
    Because Christmas isn't Christmas without you

    Without you my dear
    Oh all of the songs have no meaning here
    And, I want you beside me
    Yes, I need you beside me

    You're where I want to be this New Year

    And I don't know how I'll get there
    On this cold and windy night
    But love I'll be home for Christmas tonight

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  • Song 357: "Trabajo, quiero trabajo" - Atahualpa Yupanqui

    Cruzando los salitrales,
    uno se muere de sed
    Aquello es puro desierto
    Y allí no hay nada que hacer
    (x2)

    Trabajo, quiero trabajo
    Porque esto no puede ser
    Un día veré al desierto
    Convertido en un vergel


    El río es puro paisaje,
    Lejos sus aguas se van,
    Pero mis campos se queman
    Sin acequias ni canal
    (x2)

    Las entrañas de la tierra
    Va el minero á revolver
    Saca tesoros ajenos
    Y muere de hambre después
    (x2)

    (x2)

    Despacito, paisanito,
    Despacito y tenga fe,
    Que en la noche del minero
    Ya comienza a amanecer.
    (x2)

    Trabajo, quiero trabajo,
    Trabajo, quiero trabajo,
    Trabajo, quiero trabajo,
    Porque esto no puede ser.

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  • Song 356: "Donald McGillavry" - Empty Hats

    Donald came into towne lean and wiry.
    Music flew from his pipes wild and firey.
    With pack on his back and eyes wide with ecstasy,
    some called him the devil, that Donald McGillavry.
    Play like the wild man, Donald McGillavry.
    Are you the wild Pan, Donald McGillavry?
    Innocence and wisdom do dance thru his melody;
    the soul of the wild seed has Donald McGillavry.

    Galway lay shrouded in mist and twisted trees.
    Its people were strangled by their toils and drudgery.
    Any passion was rare; the priest kept them on their knees,
    but then came that stranger, that Donald McGillavry.
    Laugh like a jackal, Donald McGillavry.
    Fear be their shackle, Donald McGillavry.
    Sing to them to wake them and rouse them to revelry.
    You call down the thunder, you Donald McGillavry.

    Their flesh was awakened to its ancient melody.
    But they bound it with ropes of self-righteous civility.
    They cursed him that day, "You’ve roused the beast, there’s blood to pay!"
    The mob swelled with hatred for Donald McGillavry.
    You’re black as the raven, Donald McGillavry.
    Hell be your heaven, Donald McGillavry.
    They tried him, and judged him; there came down a death decree.
    "You’ll burn with the Devil, you Donald McGillavry!"

    Sunrise brought amber skies; day was a certainty.
    But Donald stood bound and gagged facing eternity.
    The crowds fought for place. The torch smoked heavily.
    "Why wait, do it now to this Donald McGillavry?"
    "Pray for your soul now, Donald McGillavry.
    Your life is over, Donald McGillavry."
    They kicked him and poked him, they ridiculed his destiny,
    ’til fate pushed the children toward Donald McGillavry.

    The children laid their bodies down, innocence at his feet.
    Halos did crown their heads light for the blind to see.
    From the mothers came cries, "Our children see with God’s own eyes,
    this man is a messenger sent to undo our lies!"
    They unbound the limbs of Donald McGillavry.
    He took up his pipes again, that Donald McGillavry.
    He played ’til the dawn; they danced ’til they fell to sleep.
    Then off to the next towne went Donald McGillavry.

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About A Song a Day

From the publisher's feed

Sherlock records a song a day, fully memorised, for every day of 2018.