927:" in old writing can be easily confused....As best we can tell the song originated in Yorkshire, and people who have studied Yorkshire culture and dialect tell us that the word really is "fleet" with an "f". "Fleet" is an old word for a large room in a house, related to "flet" or floor. People who have read Tolkien may recall the Elvish platforms up in the trees in Lothlorien, which were called "flets" and were little more than floors surrounding the trunks of large trees. When "fleet" appears in English poetry, it is generally together with "fire" in the phrase "fire and fleet," to indicate the comforts of home. (Today we would say "hearth and home.")
657:. We were opening our set at the time with the Lyke Wake Dirge, a grim piece of music from Yorkshire concerning pergatory and we all dressed in dramatic mummers ribbons with tall hats. The effect was stunning. 5 gaunt figures in line across the front of the stage, lit from below casting huge shadows, intoning this insistent dirge alarmed some members of the audience whose reality was already tampered with by 1970s substances. It was most satisfying.
470:
531:
576:) with words altered slightly to fit the canonical single melody, the second countertenor starting one bar behind the first. At the end of each versicle the line rises by a semitone producing an eerie and climactic ending on top D before dropping back down to the starting tone.
579:
A version with a different tune (but with the "fire and fleet" version of the lyrics) was collected by the folk song collector, Hans Fried, from the singing of "an old
Scottish lady", Peggy Richards.
141:, an undead monster in fantasy fiction. "Lyke-wake" could also be from the Norse influence on the Yorkshire dialect: the contemporary Norwegian and Swedish words for "wake" are still
93:, reminding the mourners to practise charity during lifetime. Though it is from the Christian era and features references to Christianity, much of the symbolism is thought to be of
334:
in the version that Aubrey collected. Unlike the preceding and following pairs of stanzas, nothing happens at the Brig o' Dread. Richard
Blakeborough, in his
587:
recording on their 1965 debut album, using quite a primitive harmonisation, in which two of the vocal parts move in parallel fifths. The folk band
380:
In this version, the Brig o' Dread (Bridge of Dread) is the decisive ordeal that determines whether the soul's destination is Heaven or Hell.
785:
552:
698:
1056:
969:
777:
517:
78:
850:
Wit, character, folklore & customs of the North Riding of
Yorkshire; with a glossary of over 4,000 words and idioms now in use
615:
491:
444:
1061:
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399:
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137:, the roofed gate at the entrance to a churchyard, where, in former times, a dead body was placed before burial, and the
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1046:
628:
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seems to be corrupted from selt, or salt, a quantity of which is frequently placed on the breast of a corpse
887:
667:
220:
1041:
388:
338:, fills this apparent gap with verses he says were in use in 1800, and which seem likely to be authentic:
1066:
801:
672:
557:
331:
82:
1014:
fire and flet (corruptly fleet): 'fire and house-room'; an expression often occurring in wills, etc.
580:
535:
319:, are in the old ballad made contingent on the dead person's willingness in life to participate in
94:
854:
654:
610:
110:
327:
in 1686, who also recorded that it was being sung in 1616, but it is believed to be much older.
105:
The title refers to the act of watching over the dead between the death and funeral, known as a
965:
833:
781:
773:
649:, drily characterises the song's countercultural appeal, in describing one 1970s performance:
40:
619:. Most later renditions of the song use the Richards-Fried melody; these include versions by
703:
687:
635:
context, changing the refrain to "May earth receive thy soul". This version can be found on
624:
588:
547:
320:
988:
593:
565:
561:
106:
848:
679:
606:
602:
1035:
870:
edited by Hannah Aitken, Scottish
Academic Press, Edinburgh and London, 1973. Page 82
827:
620:
236:
564:
uses individual verses as interludes between the longer movements. English composer
714:
597:, using the same tune as The Young Tradition, but elaborating the arrangement, and
452:
are a summary of the comforts of the house, which the dead person still enjoys for
1000:
995:, Wolfe Publishing Ltd, 1968. This includes the version collected by Hans Fried.
737:
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324:
115:
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The safety and comfort of the soul in faring over the hazards it faces in the
57:
109:. "Lyke" is an obsolete word meaning a corpse. It is related to other extant
978:, published for the Yorkshire Dialect Society by Sidgwick and Jackson, 1916.
907:
718:
316:
245:
127:
90:
546:
set it for voice and piano in 1908 and made an orchestral version in 1934.
1008:
First verse in 3-part harmony, based on the singing of The Young
Tradition
814:
A glossary of the
Cleveland dialect: explanatory, derivative, and critical
121:
133:
131:, all meaning "corpse". It survives in modern English in the expression
426:. F.W. Moorman, in his book on Yorkshire dialect poetry, explains that
195:
171:
with the same meanings as previously described for "lyke" and "wake").
983:
Wit, Character, Folklore, and
Customs of the North Riding of Yorkshire
530:
1007:
924:
710:
631:. The annual Spiral Dance in San Francisco has adapted the song to a
923:
Some think the word is really "sleet," since the letters "f" and "
730:
568:
wrote a duet (This Eane Night) for two countertenors (recorded by
529:
214:
74:
733:– church service (office) for the dead, later somber funeral song
645:, writing in the liner notes to the Steeleye Span retrospective
351:
138:
86:
29:
662:
463:
89:'s travel, and the hazards it faces, on its way from earth to
868:
A Forgotten
Heritage: Original Folk Tales of Lowland Scotland
422:; the latter is in Aubrey's version of the words and in the
976:
Yorkshire dialect poems: (1673–1915) and traditional poems
816:
by John
Christopher Atkinson, J.R. Smith, 1868. Page. 601
336:
Wit, Character, Folklore, and
Customs of the North Riding
940:"Matt Berninger & Andrew Bird – "A Lyke Wake Dirge""
542:
The poem has been recorded a number of times as a song.
383:
This ballad was one of 25 traditional works included in
55:
47:
35:
28:
23:
696:In 2016 a version was used as the theme for BBC's
770:Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of world religions
758:The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Part 3, Volume 5
348:Bud if o' siller an' gawd thoo nivver ga' neean,
340:
189:
160:
142:
637:Let It Begin Now: Music from the Spiral Dance
456:, and then goes out into the dark and cold."
345:At t' Brigg o' Dreead thoo'll finnd footho'd,
230:The whinnes sall prick thee to the bare bane;
166:
154:
148:
8:
709:"Lyke-Wake Dirge" is sometimes considered a
702:supernatural horror TV series, performed by
958:Remaines of gentilisme and judaisme 1686–87
829:The Oxford Book of English verse, 1250-1900
605:in the "Collector's Choice" version of his
498:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
960:. Reprinted in: John Buchanan-Brown (ed),
613:also included this song on her 1967 album
343:If ivver thoo gav' o' thi siller an' gawd,
179:The song is written in an old form of the
20:
16:Traditional Yorkshire-dialect English song
772:by Wendy Doniger, Merriam-Webster, 1999,
518:Learn how and when to remove this message
258:The fire will burn thee to the bare bane;
242:From Brig o' Dread when thou may'st pass,
228:If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gav'st nane
73:" is a traditional English folk song and
591:performed a version on their 1969 album
256:If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane,
1012:The Oxford English Dictionary includes
750:
233:From Whinny-muir when thou may'st pass,
27:
1024:version, with a quotation that sleet
826:Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas (1900).
253:The fire sall never make thee shrink;
7:
886:. Vol. Compact (2nd ed.).
832:. Oxford University Press. pp.
553:Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
496:adding citations to reliable sources
438:. He also notes that the expression
1018:old northern song over a dead corps
414:Some versions of the words include
221:If ever thou gavest hosen and shoon
211:When thou from hence away art past,
205: (Refrain:)
678:In 2014 the dirge was recorded by
616:Fire & Fleet & Candlelight
350:Thoo'll doon, doon tumm'l tiwards
323:. The poem was first collected by
251:If ever thou gavest meat or drink,
14:
908:"Understanding "Lyke Wake Dirge""
798:Gods and Myths of Northern Europe
671:, the angel Islington (played by
550:set it to music as a part of his
268:Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
203:Fire and fleet and candle-lighte,
1001:The Oxford Book of English Verse
468:
1004:, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1900
804:, Penguin Books, 1964 Page. 231
450:Fire and fleet and candle-light
445:Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
261:This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
192:This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
853:. London: H. Frowde. pp.
847:Blakeborough, Richard (1898).
740:" – a similar Norwegian ballad
653:5 nights at the LA Forum with
442:appears in the mediaeval poem
272:And Christe receive thy saule.
225:Sit thee down and put them on;
207:And Christe receive thy saule.
1:
985:, Henry Frowde: London, 1898.
892:Variant or dialectal form of
802:Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson
627:(titled 'This Ay Nicht') and
398:of this tale also appears in
998:Arthur Quiller-Couch (ed.),
993:100 folk songs and new songs
713:, but unlike a ballad it is
583:used this version for their
558:Cantata on Old English Texts
424:Oxford Book of English Verse
281:Oxford Book of English Verse
400:The Well of the World's End
385:Ballads Weird and Wonderful
330:There would appear to be a
1093:
387:(1912) and illustrated by
365: Note:
288: Note:
217:-muir thou com'st at last;
883:Oxford English Dictionary
460:Versions and performances
440:Aboute the fyre upon flet
263: —
248:fire thou com'st at last;
194: (
113:words such as the German
1057:Buffy Sainte-Marie songs
706:featuring Howlin' Lord.
270:
85:. The song tells of the
964:, Centaur Press, 1972.
888:Oxford University Press
699:The Living and the Dead
981:Richard Blakeborough,
659:
539:
363:
286:
265:Every nighte and alle,
200:Every nighte and alle,
167:
161:
155:
149:
143:
126:
120:
114:
1062:Northumbrian folklore
1020:, but also notes the
890:. 1989. p. 1041.
651:
556:in 1943, and, in his
533:
404:"Muir o' Heckle-pins"
1072:Year of song unknown
673:Benedict Cumberbatch
492:improve this section
239:thou com'st at last;
83:Roud Folk Song Index
1052:Traditional ballads
581:The Young Tradition
536:the Young Tradition
448:and explains that "
434:and references the
1077:Songwriter unknown
1047:English folk songs
647:Spanning the Years
611:Buffy Sainte-Marie
540:
125:and the Norwegian
1016:and refers to an
962:Three prose works
906:Duntemann, Jeff.
786:978-0-87779-044-0
760:, 1983. Page. 533
528:
527:
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181:Yorkshire dialect
77:listed as number
67:
66:
41:Yorkshire dialect
24:"Lyke-Wake Dirge"
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629:Alasdair Roberts
625:Mediaeval Baebes
601:had a duet with
548:Benjamin Britten
534:Sheet music for
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594:Basket of Light
566:Geoffrey Burgon
562:Igor Stravinsky
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360:Stanzas 6 and 7
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71:Lyke-Wake Dirge
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1022:Fire and sleet
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942:. 8 July 2014.
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680:Matt Berninger
607:Zero She Flies
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420:fire and fleet
416:fire and sleet
411:
410:Fire and fleet
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1042:English poems
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956:John Aubrey,
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912:duntemann.com
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621:Steeleye Span
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574:Charles Brett
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477:This section
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454:this ae night
451:
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296:: stockings;
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237:Brig o' Dread
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95:pre-Christian
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58:Songwriter(s)
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992:
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915:. Retrieved
911:
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867:
863:
849:
842:
828:
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813:
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797:
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769:
765:
757:
753:
717:rather than
708:
697:
691:
677:
666:
661:In the 2013
660:
652:
646:
641:
636:
614:
592:
578:
570:James Bowman
551:
541:
514:
505:
490:Please help
478:
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418:rather than
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187:. It goes:
178:
132:
119:, the Dutch
104:
70:
68:
18:
1067:Death music
788:. Page 282.
738:Draumkvedet
704:The Insects
684:Andrew Bird
675:) sang it.
665:radio play
655:Jethro Tull
643:Maddy Prior
603:Mimi Fariña
538:'s version.
396:Whinny-muir
389:Vernon Hill
377:: foothold
325:John Aubrey
283:(1900) #381
1036:Categories
951:References
690:TV series
668:Neverwhere
599:Al Stewart
585:a cappella
544:Arnold Bax
369:: silver;
354:fleeames,
304:: thorns;
175:The lyrics
880:"fleet".
719:narrative
589:Pentangle
560:of 1952,
508:June 2017
479:does not
317:afterlife
312:: bridge
300:: shoes;
279:from the
246:Purgatory
101:The title
91:purgatory
39:English (
725:See also
686:for the
633:neopagan
375:footho'd
373:: gold;
358:—
308:: bone;
277:—
134:lychgate
111:Germanic
97:origin.
36:Language
917:12 June
609:album.
500:removed
485:sources
402:as the
321:charity
302:whinnes
292:: one;
196:Refrain
150:likvaka
144:likvake
81:in the
63:Unknown
51:Unknown
48:Written
968:
784:
776:
711:ballad
623:, the
430:means
367:siller
332:lacuna
215:Whinny
116:Leiche
857:-124.
836:-362.
745:Notes
731:Dirge
715:lyric
432:floor
428:fleet
298:shoon
294:hosen
75:dirge
69:The "
966:ISBN
919:2015
894:flet
782:ISBN
774:ISBN
693:Turn
682:and
572:and
483:any
481:cite
394:The
371:gawd
352:Hell
310:brig
306:bane
198::) —
168:vake
162:vaka
159:and
147:and
139:lich
122:lijk
107:wake
87:soul
79:8194
30:Song
855:123
834:361
800:by
688:AMC
663:BBC
494:by
436:OED
244:To
235:To
213:To
183:of
156:lik
128:lik
1038::
991:,
921:.
910:.
780:,
721:.
639:.
406:.
391:.
290:ae
1028:.
925:s
896:.
736:"
521:)
515:(
510:)
506:(
502:.
488:.
223:,
165:/
43:)
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