Happy May Day to you too, and to all celbrating this beautiful feast of the Old Calendar!
"tis a wonderful time of the year, and those glorious dew drenched meadows with that long shallow sunlight of first dawn...mmm
May Blossom, chicks cheeping for breakfast, the arrival of all those birds from Southern latitudes, no wonder so many songs allude to this special time of the year.
There's another jig called The New May Moon. I put it in the Tunes base some time ago so it may be found there, probably peppered with errors and hysterical corrective comment on my part. Good tune, though. Else I would not have put it in! Here is the link:
Back in the 1940s and 50s on the last day of April we use to cut Gorse Bushes, place them in front of all the houses and sprinkle them with flowers to welcome May (Mary's Month) Consequently on the first of May our whole area of council houses was a blaze of yellow. An unforgettable sight.
I often played a reel called 'The First of May' It's on here as the 'Four Provinces Fling'.
The Gorse Bush is also known as 'The May Bush' The Furze Bush' and of course 'The Whin Bush' hence the tune The Whinny Hills of Leitrim
The jig 'The Young May Moon' was also used as the regimental march of the 'Sherwood Foresters'. A now disbanded regiment of the British Army
I remember as a young child, in the late 60's, May Day being celebrated in Montana. The schools would erect May Poles, girls would wear May Day dresses and we would all dance hanging on to ribbons attached to the May Pole. It was a grand celebration of Spring. As we then moved about the country(military family) year after year I never saw this again. Too bad it was a nice Holiday. Happy May indeed!
It is a lovely, sunny day! Even though it snowed on Friday, the rhubarb and hops are popping up. And we are having our May Day session tonight-fa la la indeed!
Viewer discretion is advised: there is a naughty word which is repeated throughout the song. If you're averse to such things, or not old enough to hear bad words, this is not the link for you:
Workers of the world unite, light a bonfire, dance around a pole, rake the garden, pull out the yard statuary and clean the porch, or enjoy the day in whatever way you like best. May Day is truly the Swiss Army Knife of holidays, meaning so many different things to many different people.
Enjoy!!!
We went to Padstow for our honeymoon, 33 years ago. It was the first time there had been a MayDay Bank Holiday. Everywhere else in Britain was shrouded in cloud and rain, but at Padstow the sun shone all day !
Oss, oss !
We celebrate this day in my country by playing that old type of Irish music. We even have a band that plays only Irish music and it's great. I love it. I hope that we will soon have a parade like that ;)
Interesting, kuec's clip of the Rottweil festivities. Some of the costumes do make me think of Border Morris.
I suppose it is to ensure a good sausage harvest. I was waiting for one or more women to come out and be whipped to be enabled to conceive - I thought that was all part of the string-bag of ancient lore. Perhaps they were waiting round the corner. But it was odd that there was no music. Or rottweilers. Perhaps they are all over here.
I don't quite see the connection between whipping and conception ?-) As far as I know there are pipe and tabor and giant cowbells for music.
t's about driving the winter away, a shrovetide custom. Winter out, spring in - what's the shift of a few weeks within a couple of hundred years?
Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.[5]"
Happy May Day
Happy May Day
I like this little history of the good pagan Celtic folk in Padstow, Cornwall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86_NSluiVPc&feature=related
Have you any stories, music, videos from elsewhere?
# Posted on April 30th 2011 by oldstrings
Re: Happy May Day
And a wee tune for the occasion - jim,,,
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/8252
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Happy May Day
Happy May Day to you too, and to all celbrating this beautiful feast of the Old Calendar!
"tis a wonderful time of the year, and those glorious dew drenched meadows with that long shallow sunlight of first dawn...mmm
May Blossom, chicks cheeping for breakfast, the arrival of all those birds from Southern latitudes, no wonder so many songs allude to this special time of the year.
All the best
Brian x
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by briantheflute
Re: Happy May Day
Yes indeed! A joyous Beltane to all.
Now waiting to spot my first Apus apus (swift) of the year in the next few weeks...
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by yhaalhouse
Re: Happy May Day
There's another jig called The New May Moon. I put it in the Tunes base some time ago so it may be found there, probably peppered with errors and hysterical corrective comment on my part. Good tune, though. Else I would not have put it in! Here is the link:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/6334
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by nicholas
Re: Happy May Day
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May here in Kernow this morning...
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Steve Shaw
Re: Happy May Day
Back in the 1940s and 50s on the last day of April we use to cut Gorse Bushes, place them in front of all the houses and sprinkle them with flowers to welcome May (Mary's Month) Consequently on the first of May our whole area of council houses was a blaze of yellow. An unforgettable sight.
I often played a reel called 'The First of May' It's on here as the 'Four Provinces Fling'.
The Gorse Bush is also known as 'The May Bush' The Furze Bush' and of course 'The Whin Bush' hence the tune The Whinny Hills of Leitrim
The jig 'The Young May Moon' was also used as the regimental march of the 'Sherwood Foresters'. A now disbanded regiment of the British Army
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Free Reed
Re: Happy May Day
I remember as a young child, in the late 60's, May Day being celebrated in Montana. The schools would erect May Poles, girls would wear May Day dresses and we would all dance hanging on to ribbons attached to the May Pole. It was a grand celebration of Spring. As we then moved about the country(military family) year after year I never saw this again. Too bad it was a nice Holiday. Happy May indeed!
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by shanty
Re: Happy May Day
Not quite ITM but a Mayday piece I've always enjoyed.
http://www.jsayles.com/music/maying.mp3
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Boots MacAllen
Re: Happy May Day
A nice rendering of the tune in the link that you posted, Boots ...
... And of course, we have the Thomas Morley lyrics that go with it ...
Now is the month of maying,
When merry lads are playing,
Each with his bonny, bonny lass
Upon the greeny, greeny grass ...
Fa la la, fa la la! etc, etc.
But exactly WHAT is going on in that "fa la la" bit?
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Happy May Day
mix, you know very well what's going on...
around here, finally the sun is out, the garden is growing,
may day hooray, and not a moment too soon. thanks for the tune ideas, all.
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by full measure
Re: Happy May Day
It is a lovely, sunny day! Even though it snowed on Friday, the rhubarb and hops are popping up. And we are having our May Day session tonight-fa la la indeed!
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Michele Sims
Re: Happy May Day
Well, here's a cute little song for the day.
Viewer discretion is advised: there is a naughty word which is repeated throughout the song. If you're averse to such things, or not old enough to hear bad words, this is not the link for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRhPeJ3uzOc
Happy spring to all of you - it's a lovely day in Boston, right on time.
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Happy May Day
Compare the 'obby 'oss to the one from southern Germany (home of the Rottweiler)
http://kueckelhaus.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/winteraustreibe/
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by kuec
Re: Happy May Day
"But exactly WHAT is going on in that "fa la la" bit?..."
It has obviously been amended by genteel educationalists from the Norman French "Ooh la la!"
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by nicholas
Re: Happy May Day
Well obviously it's spring , somebody's sowing seeds.
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by Boots MacAllen
Re: Happy May Day
Workers of the world unite, light a bonfire, dance around a pole, rake the garden, pull out the yard statuary and clean the porch, or enjoy the day in whatever way you like best. May Day is truly the Swiss Army Knife of holidays, meaning so many different things to many different people.
Enjoy!!!
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by AlBrown
Re: Happy May Day
I've always liked the tune The First of May. I've put three versions I play in succession in the tunes section at
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1627/comments
# Posted on May 1st 2011 by fiddlentina
Re: Happy May Day
Ouch, ouch, ouch, kuec. Whipping in the Spring?
It's a beautiful day in Vancouver, must see if the lawn mower starts before heading to the session.
# Posted on May 2nd 2011 by oldstrings
Re: Happy May Day
We went to Padstow for our honeymoon, 33 years ago. It was the first time there had been a MayDay Bank Holiday. Everywhere else in Britain was shrouded in cloud and rain, but at Padstow the sun shone all day !
Oss, oss !
# Posted on May 2nd 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Happy May Day
Southern Coastal Waters Navigation Guide;
"Padstow; Do not attempt to enter the harbour on May 1st." !
# Posted on May 2nd 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Happy May Day
We celebrate this day in my country by playing that old type of Irish music. We even have a band that plays only Irish music and it's great. I love it. I hope that we will soon have a parade like that ;)
# Posted on May 2nd 2011 by Bring22it
Re: Happy May Day
Interesting, kuec's clip of the Rottweil festivities. Some of the costumes do make me think of Border Morris.
I suppose it is to ensure a good sausage harvest. I was waiting for one or more women to come out and be whipped to be enabled to conceive - I thought that was all part of the string-bag of ancient lore. Perhaps they were waiting round the corner. But it was odd that there was no music. Or rottweilers. Perhaps they are all over here.
# Posted on May 2nd 2011 by nicholas
Re: Happy May Day
I don't quite see the connection between whipping and conception ?-) As far as I know there are pipe and tabor and giant cowbells for music.
t's about driving the winter away, a shrovetide custom. Winter out, spring in - what's the shift of a few weeks within a couple of hundred years?
# Posted on May 2nd 2011 by kuec
Re: Happy May Day
@kuec:
It was the Romans, of course. From Wiki:
"Plutarch described Lupercalia:
Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.[5]"
I wonder how many got pregnant on the spot.
T
# Posted on May 3rd 2011 by nicholas