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Lyke Wake Dirge

by Cunning Folk

supported by
Stephen Hunt
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about

Lyke Wake Dirge is an old North Yorkshire song. The Antiquarian John Aubrey wrote this about it in 1697: ‘When anyone dies, certain women sing a song to the dead body, reciting the journey that the deceased must go, and they are of the belief, such is their fondness, that once in their lives it is good to give a pair of new shoes to a poor man; forasmuch as after this life they are to pass barefoot through a great land full of thorns & furze, except by the merit of the alms aforesaid they have redeemed their forfeit; for at the edge of the land an old man shall meet them with the same shoes that were given by the party when he was living, and after he hath shod them he dismisses them to go through thick and thin without scratch or scale.’

lyrics

This ae nighte, this ae nighte
Every nighte and alle
Fire and fleet and candle-lighte
And Christe receive thy saule

When thou from hence away art past
To Whinny-muir thou com'st at last.

If ever thou gavest hosen and shoen
Sit thee down and put them on.

If hosen and shoen thou ne'er gav'st nane
The whinnes sall prick thee to the bare bane.

From Whinny-muir when thou may'st pass,
To Brig o' Dread thou com'st at last.

From Brig o' Dread when thou may'st pass,
To Purgatory fire thou com'st at last.

If ever thou gavest meat or drink
The fire sall never make thee shrink.

If meat or drink thou gav'st nane
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane.

credits

released April 22, 2023
traditional song arranged by George Hoyle. Produced and performed by George Hoyle

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Cunning Folk London, UK

Cunning Folk takes folklore & magic as inspiration for musical journeys. Prog-folk made with love for you.

A Casual Invocation was in Songlines Magazine's essential 10 folk albums.
Ritual Land Uncommon Ground: “beautifully-rendered pastoral and Pagan acoustic folk-pop.” fRoots

” a record that manages to demonstrate integrity without affectation. A breath of fresh air.” Shindig

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