Having heard some songs recently that I thought would translate well into an Ithronian/Fools and Heroes setting, I thought I’d gather together all the bits and pieces that could appear in-game.
So, here are some songs I would like to share as Fools and Heroes songs which I will, at some point, work into an in-game setting:
~~~
We will go home
Land of the Bear and Land of the Eagle.
Land that gave us birth and blessing,
Land that calls us ever homeward.
We will go home across the mountains.
We will go home,
We will go ho-me,
We will go home across the mountains.
From “King Arthur“, 2004
~~~
Gently as she goes
Lips, soft as the petals in bloom
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes …
Eyes, blue as the sea and the sky
Water flows, water flows
Heart, burning like fire in the night
Gently as she goes …
La, la la la la la la
La la la, la la la
La, la la la la la la
Gently as she goes …
From “Beowulf“, 2007
Singer: Robin Wright-Penn
Original Lyrics: Alan Silvestri
~~~
A hero comes home
Just wait, though wide he may roam,
Always a hero comes home.
He goes where no one has gone,
But always a hero comes home.
He knows of places unknown,
But always a hero comes home.
He goes and comes back alone,
But always a hero comes home.
From “Beowulf”, 2007
Singer: Robin Wright-Penn
Adapted Original Lyrics: Alan Silvestri
Note – the above lyrics are sung by Robin Wright-Penn in the film but a longer “rock” version is on the film’s OST.
~~~
When a Knight won his spurs
When a knight won his spurs, in the stories of old,
He was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold;
With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand,
For love and for valour he rode through the land.
No charger have I, and no sword by my side,
Yet still to adventure and battle I stride,
Though back into storyland giants have fled,
And the wights are no more and the dragons are dead.
Let faith be my shield and let joy be my steed
‘Gainst the dragons of anger, the ogres of greed;
And let me set free with the sword of my youth,
From the castles of darkness, the power of the truth
Original Lyrics: Jan Struther
~~~
Rose of Ithron
Hear my voice and listen well, and a story I will tell,
How duty brought a broken heart, and why a love so strong
Must fall apart;
She was lovely, she was fine, daughter of a royal line,
He, no equal, but for them it mattered little for they were in love;
Rose of Ithron, sweet and fair, shining with the sun,
Rose of Ithron, have a care, for where the thorn is,
There the blood will run;
Oh my heart, oh my heart;
Through the summer days and nights, stolen kisses and delights
Would thrill their hearts and fill their dreams with all emotions
That true love can bring;
But black of mourning came one day, when her sister passed away,
And many said on bended knee, she has gone, and you must be our Queen;
Rose of Ithron, sweet and fair, shining with the sun,
Rose of Ithron, have a care, for where the thorn is,
There the blood will run;
Oh my heart, oh my heart;
To the Seven she did ride, with her lover by her side,
When they heard the heralds sing, she was Queen
And one day, he’d be King;
But men of malice, men of hate, protesting to her chambers came,
“A foreign prince will have your hand, for he’ll bring peace
And riches to our land”
She said, “Do you tell me that I cannot wed the one I love?
Do you tell me that I am not mistress of my heart?”
And so with heavy weight of life she kissed her lover one last time,
“This land I wed, and no man comes, for if I cannot have you, I’ll have none”
Rose of Ithron, sweet and fair, shining with the sun,
Rose of Ithron have a care, for where the thorn is,
There the blood will run;
Oh my heart, oh my heart.
Original Lyrics: Chris de Burgh
~~~
The Minstrel Boy
The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone
In the ranks of death you will find him;
His father’s sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;”
Land of Song!” said the warrior bard,
“Tho’ all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!”
The Minstrel fell! But the foeman’s chain
Could not bring that proud soul under;
The harp he lov’d ne’er spoke again,
For he tore its chords asunder;
And said “No chains shall sully thee,
Thou soul of love and brav’ry!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free,
They shall never sound in slavery!”
Original Lyrics: Thomas Moore
Blooming Heather
Oh the summertime is coming
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?
And we’ll all go together
To pluck wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?
I will build my love a tower
Near yon’ pure crystal fountain
And on it I will build
All the flowers of the mountain
Will ye go, Lassie go?
And we’ll all go together
To pluck wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?
If my true love she were gone
I would surely find another
To pluck wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?
And we’ll all go together
To pluck wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?
Let us go, lassie, go
Singer: Kate Rusby
Elfin Knight
The Elfin Knight stands on yon hill
Blows his horn both loud and shrill
Stands so proud and he stands so still
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
If I had the Knight that stands on yon mound
My true love then surely I found,
Down to the church then soon we will be bound
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
He’ll make me a dress with seams of fine thread
Make me a garland of flowers for my head
Down to the church, then away we’ll go to bed
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
The Elfin Knight stands on yon hill
Blows his horn both loud and shrill
Stands so proud and he stands so still
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
Blow winds blow my bonny o
Blow winds blow my bonny
