All Through the (Winnipeg Folk Festival) Night

[elisem]

Sleep, my friends, and peace attend you
All through the night
From the bugs may DEET defend you
All through the night
May your lantern safely light you
No ill dreams or drums affright you
May the blackflies never bite you
All through the night

May the breeze blow gently o'er you
All through the night
May the moon shine brightly for you
All through the night
Take you no unwitting dose of
Substance toxic or corrosive
Noxious, nasty or explosive
All through the night

Sweet your slumbers, and refreshing
All through the night
May your doorzips all be meshing
All through the night
If the weather turn vexatious
May your tent-stakes be tenacious
And your rain-fly efficacious
All through the night

May your coolers never wander
All through the night
Boneheads camp 'way over yonder
All through the night
Fear no festal prank felonious
No discussion acrimonious
May your howlers be harmonious
All through the night

There. The tune should be tolerably obvious, since I've only altered the title parenthetically. This one was fun to sing in harmony; the year it was written, we went over and sang it to Safety Services, who were much amused. They said they'd never been serenaded before. We said that that was exactly why we did it.

Do you make songs about events in your life?

Comments

[papersky.livejournal.com]

You could sing that to the tune of the Welsh hymn "Ar hyd y nos", which means "All through the night", making me wonder if the original song you know is a translation of the Welsh -- I've never heard it sung in English, but maybe someone translated it years ago and took it to Minnesota. It's a really cool tune, if it's the same song.

And yes, I do write songs about events in my life.

[pameladean]

I love the rhymes.

No, I don't make songs about events in my life, but I like it when other people do of theirs.

Pamela

The Dread Poet Mishalak

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Me? Make up songs about my life? Ha! A very good authority told me that for the sake of humanity I should not attempt to make my writing scan or rhyme, since the result approaches Vogon Poetry levels. Also I seem to have a bit of a tin ear. The reactions to my attempts to sing songs are greeted by howls of anguish or strained polite comments. So I don't either sing or attempt to write songs unless I am v. drunk.

More seriously, though I have gotten much better over the years I am still at heart very shy. So even if I do ever complete a bit of art chances are no one but me will ever see it. I make up stories in my own head because I can't help it, but I don't want to put myself out there to be derided. I have enough trouble working up the courage to go out in public as my life is now. I dread to think what it would be like if I were a well-known hack writer.

[elisem.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's the very tune. I have seen it written down in Welsh, and I have heard it and sung it in English, indeed here in Minnesota. I can't remember if I learned it at John Brantner's house or not.

I am happy and unsurprised that you write songs of your life. That sort of thing might run in the family; just this morning I found a copy of the Ballad of the Wedding-Con in zorinth's handwriting.