Lyke Wake Dirge - The Young Tradition (1965)

[laconic94]

Wonderful stuff. I like the versions by Pentangle and Medieval Babes, but this one is the most powerful. You can see it being chanted in some windswept northern parish in the middle ages of Britain (or even earlier?). A soul has departed this life, and must embark on its final dreadful journey. The music has very primitive harmony. The three parts move in parallel triads, reminiscent of Gregorian chant.

[maximillionmarcopolo]

i heard this on John Peels show in 1967 or so. The harmonies made the hairs on my arms stand up and started a 20 year love affair with folk music. Lovely to hear it again. It still sounds so stark and elemental

[mouldybear]

I got this from my stepmother Nan (nee Spence) who heard it from an old Scots lady, Peggy Richards. The tune she sang was probably printed in "Songs Of The North" by Robert Boulton in 1909 and unconsciously changed by me into a more folk like tune.

I taught it to The Young Tradition claiming no copyright. Subsequently sung by Pentangle etc.

[mouldybear]

These verses were originally chanted en route to the graveyard along the "Lyke Wake Walk". They tell of the journey of the soul to the afterlife. The whinnies are thorns with berries on them called whinberries, now known more commonly as bilberries or blueberries. The verses concerning the 'Brig O' Dread' are lost

although Robert Graves had a go at writing them and not admitting to it.

[communitea]

Alasdair Roberts does an Amazing version of this song, based more on Pentangle's melody, and very spooky.

[pjotr60dvd]

1965? I was like 5 then... Discovered it when I was 12, still gives me shivers... Brilliant!

[mayasherwin]

gives me shivers

[mapior]

Lyrics anyone?

[LeslyGillian]

@mapior

They're on Wikipedia (can't paste in the URL for some reason)

[poetryandbeyond]

I have this recording and a version by the Pentangle. I'm a fan of both, which are very different. The Pentangle's version sounds like high church. With this one, I can see the plague victims being loaded on the death cart.

[cyberpup1000]

I won this L P in 1970 at a folk club in Birkenhead at a raffle (I was 16 then) back in 1970. It was a toss up between the Spinners and the Young

Tradition so I chose the album I didn't Know. I still treasure it!!

[acearch5ive]

Thank you for the posting....Desperate to find their recordings. I will never forget the first time I heard them in Newport one weekend afternoon. What a day that was.

[semiperilous]

@acearch5ive

the vinyl is on ebay right now for 99 cents! just search for the young tradition.

[NowPleaseReadThis]

Thanks Balmouth for posting this. I only know this song from this version a cut on 'Electric Muse, An Anthology of British Folk-Rock' 1976?

The lyrics you posted do not match what the group is singing.

[LindsayCurran]

Haven't heard this since I lost my Pentangle LP's - superb! Thank you so much!

[maximillionmarcopolo]

a pedant writes-the lyrics on the left are not correct

[maximillionmarcopolo]

what a sad loss Peter Bellamy. A superb singer. This was played on the John Peel show in the early 70's and I thought I had never heard anything so stark and spare and strange.

[raysteer]

Have you bought those new speakers yet?! Only kidding, maybe you didn't mean "tinny" exactly???

[Bobbo293]

The wonderful Pentangle do a great version of this, but as a measure of YT's brliiance this knocks spots off it. Peter Bellamy's voice still send shivers down the spine

[xtcxtc123]

great fully thankyou

they think i'm mexican wgaf

bravo

[celticladda]

exquisite harmony, superb blend of voices. thanks for posting

[bewren]

A bit tinny??? Have you ever tried to sing a cappella in harmony like this??? Buffy St. Marie also did a spine-tingling version....if there's any deficit in this version, (which I can't find) it's on the part of the recording quality...

[jessyquedens]

@bewren Yes, Buffy's version was less well sung but more affecting, I thought.

[Eppillus]

@jessyquedens

idk about that. Knowing Peter Bellamy killed himself makes this song haunting to me. He is probably my favorite singer (Toss up between Peter Bellamy, Ronnie Browne, Luke Kelly, and Maddy Prior)

[guywolff]

I do love this version . The whole of their recorded work on Vanguard was for sale as a double cd a few years back . It must be still available . They are such an inspiration and two of them very missed . I would love to meet Heather being that I live north of NYC . You never know she may come into my pottery shop some day !

[Bryt25]

My fav version of this song. Thanks especially for the lyrics balchoth. YT CDs are still available on Amazon UK I believe, but pretty expensive.

[jeana1001]

The Young Tradition were amazing to see live. This is a great song. Years ago I managed to complete 32 miles of the Lyke Wake walk!

[Trysine]

It's many years since I heard this: was on the first folk album I ever bought, now long since lost! Thank you for posting. :)

[balchoth]

you're welcome ;)

[MySerpentine]

A bit tinny, but that's okay. Still a great song.

[martinrosskuul]

So remember this group when I was a v young folky,would love to get hold of their albums again.Can anyone help me......Brilliant

[balchoth]

Sorry, but I just have this song, because it was on an "Acoustic Folk" compilation.

[evpman]

there's a few LPs on ebay

[semiperilous]

@martinrosskuul

the vinyl is on ebay right now for 99 cents! just search for the young tradition.

[carollizc]

@semiperilous I'm torn between delight and disgust - delight that someone got a bargain, and disgust that such brilliant music is being sold so cheaply. I was fortunate enough to have seen Peter Bellamy perform in Toronto in the 80's, and it was truly memorable. Too bad there aren't many singers of this calibre amonst the younger generation.

[Jarrahnut]

They were very good. Their harmony was superb. Sadly, only Heather Wood is still with us. Best wishes to one and all from Jarrahnut in wonderful Western Australia.

[balchoth]

Thank you =)

[slobjob13]

Perfect

[balchoth]

I think so too. It's my prefered interpretation of this song. I like it even better than Pentangles one...

[johnnyrafter]

superb song

just bought a double album of peter bellamy

great stuff