Pagan Yule Songs

[Flar's Freyja]

I know we had a thread on these last year but I can not get it to come up in search :( Mol?

Anyway.....

HARK THE NEO-PAGANS SING
"Sunblade"
(Tune: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing")

Hark the neo-Pagans sing,
Glory to the Holly King!
Peace on Earth and mercy mild,
God and Goddess reconciled,
Hear us now as we proclaim,
We have risen from the flames,
Our ancient Craft now we reclaim,
In the God and Goddess' names
Hark the neo-Pagans sing,
Glory to the Holly King!

Herne by highest love adored,
Herne the ever-reborn Lord,
At all times behold Him come,
Offspring of the Holy One,
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see,
Hail Incarnate Deity!
Our ancient Craft now we reclaim,
in the God and Goddess' names
Hark the neo-Pagans sing,
Glory to the Holly King!


YE CHILDREN ALL OF MOTHER EARTH
Ellen Reed
(Tune: "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear")

Ye children all of Mother Earth
join hands and circle around
To celebrate the Solstice night
When our lost Lord is found.
Rejoice, the year has begun again
The Sun blesses skies up above
So share the season together now
In everlasting Love!


GLORIA
Ellen Reed

Snow lies deep upon the Earth
Still our voices warmly sing
Heralding the glorious birth
Of the Child, the Winter King
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Deo!
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Dea!

Our triumphant voices claim
Joy and hope and love renewed
And our Lady's glad refrain
Answer winter's solitude
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Deo!
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Dea!

In Her arms a holy Child
Promises a glowing Light
Through the winter wind so wild
He proclaims the growing Light.
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Deo!
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Dea!

Now the turning of the year
Of the greater Turning sings
Passing age of cold and fear
Soon our golden summer brings.
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Deo!
Glo -- ria!
In excelsis Dea!



OH, COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL!
Ellen Reed

Oh, come all ye faithful
Gather round the Yule Fire
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye,
To call the Sun!
Fires within us
Call the Fire above us
O, come, let us invoke Him!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
Our Lord, the Sun!

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee!
Born again at Yuletide!
Yule fires and candle flames
Are lighted for You!
Come to thy children
Calling for thy blessing!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
O, come, let us invoke Him!
Our Lord, the Sun!


SILENT NIGHT
Ellen Reed

Silent night, Solstice Night
All is calm, all is bright
Nature slumbers in forest and glen
Till in Springtime She wakens again
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Sleeping spirits grow strong!

Silent night, Solstice night
Silver moon shining bright
Snowfall blankets the slumbering Earth
Yule fires welcome the Sun's rebirth
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Hark, the Light is reborn!

Silent night, Solstice night
Quiet rest till the Light
Turning ever the rolling Wheel
Brings the winter to comfort and heal
Rest your spirit in peace!
Rest your spirit in peace!



GLORY TO THE NEW BORN KING
Ellen Reed (1st verse)

Brothers, sisters, come to sing
Glory to the new-born King!
Gardens peaceful, forests wild
Celebrate the Winter Child!
Now the time of glowing starts!
Joyful hands and joyful hearts!
Cheer the Yule log as it burns!
For once again the Sun returns!

Brothers, sisters, come and sing!
Glory to the new-born King!
Brothers, sisters, singing come
Glory to the newborn Sun
Through the wind and dark of night
Celebrate the coming light.
Suns glad rays through fear's cold burns
Life through death
the Wheel now turns
Gather round the Yule log and tree
Celebrate Life's mystery
Brothers, sisters, singing come
Glory to the new-born Sun.



DANCING IN A WICCAN WONDERLAND
"Alexander & Aarcher"

Pagans sing, are you listenin',
Altar's set, candles glisten,
It's a Magickal night, we're having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland

Blades held high, censer smoking,
God and Goddess, we're invoking,
Through Elements Five, we celebrate life,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland,

Queen of Heaven, is in Her place,
Triple Goddess, now the Crone Face,
Above and Below, She's the Goddess we know,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland

Now the God, is the Provider,
Supplying game for our Fire,
Above and Below, He's the Horned One we know,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland

In a Circle we can light a Yule Fire,
And await the rising of the Sun,
It's the Great Wheel turning for the new year,
loaded with abundance and great fun.

Later on, by the fire,
Cone of Power, gettin' higher
It's a Magickal Night we're having tonight,
Dancing in a Wiccan Wonderland


SHARE THE LIGHT
(The First Noel)

CHORUS: Share the light, share the light!
Share the light, share the Light!
All paths are one on this holy night!

On this Winter holiday, let us stop and recall
That this season is holy to one and to all.
Unto some a Son is born, unto us comes a Sun,
And we know, if they don't that all paths are one.

Be it Chanukah or Yule, Christmas time or Solstice night,
All celebrate the eternal light.
Lighted tree or burning log, Or eight candle flames.
All gods are one god, whatever their names.

MOON OF SILVER
(We Three Kings)

CHORUS: Oh, Moon of Silver, Sun of Gold,
Gentle Lady, Lord so bold!
Guide us ever, failing never,
Lead us in ways of old.

Maiden, Mother, Ancient Crone,
Queen of Heaven on your throne,
Praise we sing Thee, Love we bring Thee,
For all that you have shown.

Lord of Darkness, Lord of Light,
Gentle Brother, King of Might,
Praise we sing thee, Love we bring Thee
On this Solstice night.



JOY TO THE WORLD

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her king!
Let every heart prepare him room
And Heaven and Nature sing, etc.

Welcome our King who brings us life.
Our Lady gives him birth!
His living light returneth to warm the seeds within us
And wake the sleeping earth, etc.

Light we the fires to greet our Lord,
Our Light! Our Life! Our King!
Let every voice be lifted to sing his holy praises,
As Heaven and Nature sing, etc.



CHRISTMAS TIME IS PAGAN!
(Gloria in Excelsius Deo)

CHORUS: Glorious!
Christmas time is pagan!
Glorious!
Christmas time is pagan!

Christmas time is here again,
Decorations everywhere.
Christmas carols ringing out,
Gentle pagans, we don't care.

Modern folks all celebrate
What they learned in Sunday School.
In December, they don't know
They are celebrating Yule!

Let them have their Christmas trees,
Decked in red and green and blue.
We rejoice at every one!
Christmas trees are pagan, too.

Bowls of bubbly Christmas cheer,
Fill your cup and quench your thirst.
They think the tradition's theirs.
Wassail bowls were pagan, first.



CHRISTMAS TIME IS PAGAN!

Every door and window bears
Wreaths of holly, wreaths of pine.
Circles represent the Sun.
Every wreath is yours and mine.

Christmas lights on Christmas trees,
Candle flames burn higher and higher,
Let us cheer along, my friends,
As they light their Yuletide fire.

There's a possibility
That this song is yours and mine
'Cause the tune was known to all
Back in A.D. one-two-nine.



GOD REST YE MERRY, PAGANFOLK
(God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen)

God rest ye merry, paganfolk,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember that the Sun returns
Upon this Solstice day.
The growing dark is ending now
And Spring is on its way.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

The Goddess rest ye merry, too,
And keep you safe from harm.
Remember that we live within
The circle of Her arms,
And may Her love give years to come
A very special charm.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!

http://www.geocities.com/pagan_rosehawk/pagan_yule_songs.htm

[Azure]

No offense intended, those are very clever, but I would much prefer to see new and original songs, rather than rewritten Christian ones - especially as most of those are old songs that have nostalgia value in their own right.

[Flar's Freyja]

Okay, give me more work to do :lol:

I'll be searching for old classic chants that correspond to Yule and posting them in the Classic Chants thread in M&R when I find 'em!

[Flar's Freyja]

Here's one:

Celebrating Yule

Tonight we touch our fear so deep
Before we wake from this dark sleep.

In this hour our sun so bright
Is birthed to ease the dark of night.

~Kathryn Canfield Smith

http://witchesanthology.org/writings/chants/celebyule.shtml

[Azure]

Cool.

[Danustouch]

Actually, I wish I could find the references, but there ARE a couple of Christmas Carols which have origins in earlier Pagan Carols. I believe that One example is "I Saw Three Ships", and another may be the 12 Days of Christmas. With that knowledge, the words can easily be adapted to fit Yuletide/Solstice Celebrations, while respecting the origins of the carol's themselves :) Actually, if anything, when people adapted them to Christian Terms, That was actually the bastardization (word is harsh, but was the only fitting word I could think of). Another one, which I think can be adapted, with respect, would be "Wassail". (http://www.phillyburbs.com/Mongol/carols/wassail.shtml) And of course, instead of using "What Child is This" one could sing "Greensleeves" with historical Respect, since Greensleeves was Written Long before "What Child is This".

How about "The Holly and the Ivy"? (I can't recall the second verse, but..I think the first is 'nature oriented' enough to be sung at Yule Celebrations :) And "Deck the Halls" is certainly pagan enough ;)

Here is a very interesting link about the origins of some very famous Christmas Carols. The stories may surprise you :)

http://www.iuinfo.indiana.edu/ocm/packages/carols.html

[Danustouch]

if anyone caught that link that I posted, right before editing, sorry about that. Mastermoon came home for lunch, and he was on the computer. I thought I'd copied the christmas carol link, lol..but didn't. Anyway. The link there now, is the one I meant to post :)

[Danustouch]

Incidentally...here's a little bit of trivia for you.

What Saint officially introduced the singing of Christmas Carols, to official Christmas Masses?

Scroll down for answer:





















St. Francis of Assisi- Who is one of my Favorite Catholic Saints. He advocated Vegetarianism. And if I'm not mistaken, is the Patron Saint of Children, and Animals.

Quote: If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who deal likewise with their fellow men.


Not to hurt our humble brethren is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission - to be of service to them wherever they require it.

- Quoted in the Life by St.Bonaventura

[Azure]

Not at all, Danustouch - I love that kind of stuff. Check out the Oxford Book of Carols or a history like Ronald Hutton's "Merrie England: The Ritual Year 1400 - 1700" for more information.

The most likely author for "Greensleeves" is Henry VIII, an accomplished musician in his own right.

As to the Wassail songs and I Saw Three Ships - most of them have origins in medieval Christian tradition - which is much, much more like modern Paganism than it is like 20th/21st century conservative Christianity. Again, check out the above mentioned book and another called "Stations of the Sun" by the same author. It's extremely good, thorough, footnoted history.

Not to say that some Christian traditions don't have Pagan origins, they certainly do, but frankly not nearly as many as are frequently claimed by Pagan authors.

But to me, things like Handel, Beethoven and Victorian Christmas carols still have their traditional place, and I just don't much like modern Pagan rewrites. I much prefer original compositions that speak of new experiences of devotion, rather than what feels to me like a need to cover up Christian ones to prove we no longer want or need that influence. I wouldn't appreciate Pagan words to traditional Jewish or Hindu holiday songs much either, probably. They still have, all of them, their own place, their own resonance, and their own touch of Divinity.

[Azure]

I really liked reading 'Little Flowers of St. Francis" - he was also the saint who invented the creche scene - inviting all the villagers to come to him with their children and pets for Christmas DAy, and arranging them to echo the scene at the manger. Or so the legends tell it :)

[Danustouch]

Incidentally...those of you who like Celtic Music, May appreciate this album:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005PJBV/ref=ase_jelleyjarcoun-20/102-4004691-9730518

[Sequoia]

I hate to be a stick in the mud, and those are really clever, but. . . *shivvers* I don't know, it feels weird to hear new verses like that to the Christmas songs. *chuckles* I agree with rather having entirely new songs, than re-writing the old ones. They have special meaning. . . it's really strange. Like hearing a song about christmas to the tune of the star-spangled banner. Odd, and just a little "wrong" to me.

(if this is incoherent. . . I slept in today, and havn't had my coffee quota yet ;) )

[kblackthorne]

If I wanna sing a Pagan song when folks are doing Christmas Carols...

I'll just start a round of "Deck the Halls..."

[Azure]

*grins* I must admit, I like the Walt Kelly "Pogo" version of that one. . .

Deck us all with Boston Charlie, Walla-Walla Wash. and Kalamazoo! Nora's Freezing on the trolley, Holler swaller cauliflower, alligaroo!!!

[unicatwritr]

Bright Blessings,

And...just like all roads lead to one, I on the other hand want to thank Freyja for posting the listing of "Paganized Christmas Carols" <G> I had just been looking for. But would also enjoy anything new in Pagan Carols, even that one listed as a chant.

[Danustouch]

Personally, I think one of THE most Pagan Christmas Albums EVER was John Denvers "Christmas with the Muppets". :)

"The River meets the Sea",
"It's in Everyone of us"
"Alphie the Christmas Tree",
"The Peace of Christmas Day". All very Pagan lyrics. :)

Paul Winter has some Great Stuff.
And if you're looking for some great solstice material, look under the celtic section at your local music store :) A Celtic Heartbeat Christmas has a blending of Christmas, and Solstice-type tunes. You can just mix and match :)

[Danustouch]

Oh..and check out this link :)

http://www.celticmp3s.com/radio/celtic_christmas/

[Danustouch]

Lisa Theriots "All Hail the Days" is a great Yule Song :)

Also Check out Kari Tauring. She has a good selection of Solstice Music. Even some medeivil ones, such as "I sing of a Maiden". I specifically like "Starlight, Yule Bright" ...pretty "Carol Like". And "Be Born In Me" is another :)

[HerbN'Legend]

I think the new words to old songs are great, it'll be easier to teach them to my kids someday because I already know the tunes, just have to re-memorize the words. I think they're really cool. Thanks.

~TobyAnn

[Eeluna]

There's an interesting link about this subject at The Witches Voice.

http://witchvox.com/xwrensnest.html

Here's the link to the orignal story at The Vancouver Sun:

http://canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/story.asp?id={40D4C72B-5FE1-4306-A004-87FD019C0E2A}

[Mysterious]

Any songs besides deck the halls that uses the same lyrics..cuz pretty much all my friends are christian and that makes things awkward.

[AmbivalentMirage]

Oooh! I like! I like! *sings happily!*

[AuroraSilvermist]

I think the new words to old songs are great, it'll be easier to teach them to my kids someday because I already know the tunes, just have to re-memorize the words. I think they're really cool.

I was about to say the same thing. This approach makes it easy for families to sing familiar tunes that everyone knows, while using Pagan lyrics fitting for a Yule celebration.

As a former Catholic church organist (yeah, shhhh! :shhhh: ) I know very well that hymn tunes are set to different lyrics ALL the time. It's a very common practice in liturgical music, and has been since the singing of hymns in religious celebrations began. So actually, there's nothing at all odd or unnatural about it. Most of these hymns are within the public domain, and have been for centuries, so ANYone is free to rewrite their lyrics and re-use the tune. (An exception might be the more modern tunes. Even I cringed a bit at "Wiccan Wonderland." :lol: )

That being said, I'm all for new music, too. I've been digging around on the Web looking for Yuletide music, and not finding much that appealed to me. (Now, if only Laura Powers would make a Yule album!) Perhaps some of our more talented musicians here will have to collaborate. ;)

[AmbivalentMirage]

I was about to say the same thing. This approach makes it easy for families to sing familiar tunes that everyone knows, while using Pagan lyrics fitting for a Yule celebration.

As a former Catholic church organist (yeah, shhhh! :shhhh: ) I know very well that hymn tunes are set to different lyrics ALL the time. It's a very common practice in liturgical music, and has been since the singing of hymns in religious celebrations began. So actually, there's nothing at all odd or unnatural about it. Most of these hymns are within the public domain, and have been for centuries, so ANYone is free to rewrite their lyrics and re-use the tune. (An exception might be the more modern tunes. Even I cringed a bit at "Wiccan Wonderland." :lol: )

That being said, I'm all for new music, too. I've been digging around on the Web looking for Yuletide music, and not finding much that appealed to me. (Now, if only Laura Powers would make a Yule album!) Perhaps some of our more talented musicians here will have to collaborate. ;)
That could be fun! :D