Something for Thursday

 Ever have something that was a favorite of yours at some point, but which for no real reason–just the normal moving on to new things, Robert Frost’s “knowing how way leads on to way”–you just leave the favorite thing behind, and then some time later–years later, even–you suddenly remember it?

I’ve been listening to an album by Brona McVittie, an Irish folk singer and songwriter, that I discovered by…well, more on that another time. In listening to McVittie’s album, I found myself reminded of an artist I listened to a lot way back in the early 2000s, but whose track I lost since then. She’s an English folk singer and songwriter named Kate Rusby. I found several of her albums on YouTube and played part of one on my night’s commute…but for now, here’s a song from her debut album, from way back in 1997. This is called “Sir Eglamore”, and it’s a delight.

So why haven’t I heard it in so long? Well…yeah. Way leads on to way, doesn’t it? It’s not just about two roads in a yellow wood.

Here’s Kate Rusby with “Sir Eglamore.”

Sir Eglamore was a valiant knight,
fa la lanky down dilly,
He took up his sword and he went to fight,
fa la lanky down dilly.
As he rode o’er hill and dale,
All armored in a coat of mail,
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da, lanky down dilly..

Out came a dragon from her den,
fa la lanky down dilly,
That killed God knows how many men,
fa la lanky down dilly.
When she saw Sir Eglamore,
You should have hear that dragon roar
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da, lanky down dilly.

Well, then the trees began to shake,
fa la lanky down dilly,
Horse did tremble and man did quake,
fa la lanky down dilly.
The birds betook them all to peep,
it would have made a grown man weep,
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da, lanky down dilly.

But all in vain it was to fear,
fa la lanky down dilly,
For now they fall to fight like bears,
fa la lanky down dilly.
To it they go and soundly fight,
the live-long day from more ’till night,
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da, lanky down dilly.

This dragon had a plaguey hide,
fa la lanky down dilly,
That could the sharpest steel abide,
fa la lanky down dilly.
No sword could enter through her skin,
Which vexed the knight and made her grin,
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da, lanky down dilly.

But as in choler she did burn,
fa la lanky down dilly,
He fetched the dragon a great good turn,
fa la lanky down dilly,
As a yawning she did fall,
he thrust his sword up, hilt and all,
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da, lanky down dilly.

Like a coward she did fly,
fa la lanky down dilly.
To her den which was hard by,
fa la lanky down dilly,
There she lay all night and roared,
the knight was sorry for his sword,
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da
Fa la la m ba di n da da n da da.

Share This Post