Earlking
reeder
"The Earlking"- in English.
Does anyone have the words and music to this song. I know Steve Gillette
recorded it a while back. I desparately need this if you can help, I would
be eternally thankful and grateful.
Thanks ,
Bob Reeder
Daniel Scott Mesnik
On 9 Dec 1996, reeder wrote:
> Date: 9 DEC 1996 22:24:00 GMT
> From: reeder <ree...@sky.net>
> Newgroups: rec.music.folk
> Subject: Earlking
Wow, Bob, it's interesting you ask, because I was just listening to this
song about a week ago! The version I have is on a 1979 album called
"Stories" bt Scott Alarik, who was a popular folkie here in the
Twin Cities area back in the 1970s. This album features a young
Peter Ostroushko and has liner notes by Robin & Linda Williams.
I've since heard that Alarik moved to Boston and is a reviewer
of folk music for the Boston Globe (I think it's the Globe).
Can anyone verify this, and does Scott Alarik still perform and record?
The Erlking is a great song, and I like his version a lot.
Anyway, Alarik sings the version penned by Steve Gillette.
Here's the lyrics, with introductory notes by Scott Alarik:
THE ERLKING (Steve Gillette)
[Based on an old German folk tale. The Erlking is a spirit
that only children can see. It tempts their souls from them.
Often these tales had a lesson to them, and I've often thought
about that in relation to this song. Perhaps it was that
children can hear and see things we cannot and should
be listened to more carefully.]
Who rides the night so dark and wild?
The father rides with his own fearful child
The boy he holds so close to his arms
Guards him safely; he keeps him warm
Why do you hide your face as in fear?
Father, can't you see that the erlking is near?
He calls to me with a crown and a shroud
No, my son, that's nothing but a passing cloud
The erlking beckons to the terrified child
You must come with me
I'll bring you jewels and wealth untold
You'll walk in robes of bright and shining gold
Father, father do you not hear
The erlking whispering low in my ear?
Hush now; rest easy. It's nothing, my child
But the trees in the night wind playing
their melody wild
The erlking says, oh, come with me
And my own fair daughters will wait on thee
A heavenly vigil o'er your cradle they'll keep
Tenderly sing and rock you to sleep
Father, father see them there
The erlking's daughters with bright shining hair
No, my son, there are no fair maids
Nothing but the willows that wave in the glade
Clutching the reins in his trembling hands
With pain and a fear that he cannot understand
Alone on the road with the stars overhead
Fearful and helpless, the boy in his arms is dead
To the trees and the night wind he cries aloug
Seeks out the face of death in every passing cloud
Past the meadow where the child's maidens lay
There's nothing but the willow that wave in the glade
Ralf-Michael Thilo
On Tue, 10 Dec 1996, Daniel Scott Mesnik wrote:
> On 9 Dec 1996, reeder wrote:
>
> > Subject: Earlking
> > "The Earlking"- in English.
> > Does anyone have the words and music to this song. I know Steve Gillette
> > recorded it a while back. I desparately need this if you can help, I would
> > be eternally thankful and grateful.
> > Thanks ,
> > Bob Reeder
>
>
> Wow, Bob, it's interesting you ask, because I was just listening to this
> song about a week ago! The version I have is on a 1979 album called
> "Stories" bt Scott Alarik, who was a popular folkie here in the
> Twin Cities area back in the 1970s. This album features a young
> Peter Ostroushko and has liner notes by Robin & Linda Williams.
>
> THE ERLKING (Steve Gillette)
> [Based on an old German folk tale. The Erlking is a spirit
> that only children can see. It tempts their souls from them.
> Often these tales had a lesson to them, and I've often thought
> about that in relation to this song. Perhaps it was that
> children can hear and see things we cannot and should
> be listened to more carefully.]
>
> Who rides the night so dark and wild?
> The father rides with his own fearful child
<snip>
Well, actually it's a Danish folktale, the word ellerkonge, i.e. elven-
king, being mistranslated into German as Erlkoenig.
The German poet Johann Wolfgang v. Goethe wrote a ballad called
'Der Erlkoenig' about it, which every school-child in Germany learned
by heart and from this it entered folk-tradition.
Steve Gillette is just a good more or less verbatim translation
of Goethe's.
Michael
Peter Fischman
Daniel Scott Mesnik wrote:
> I've since heard that Alarik moved to Boston and is a reviewer
> of folk music for the Boston Globe (I think it's the Globe).
> Can anyone verify this, and does Scott Alarik still perform and record?
Scott does write for the Boston Globe. He also publishes _The Folk
Almanac_ which brings music news and comment to all of New England.
Scott still records and performs, at least locally. I have seen him
twice in the last year. He is in good voice and humor in all his
endeavors.
Best,
peterf
reeder
It is my understanding that the German (or Dutch) is much more powerful
than the English, and that the strength of the verse is somehow lost in the
translation. But I first heard it, of course, in English ala Steve Gillette and
have been searching for a long time for his version. The song is incredible
and should be done by more contemporary folk artists
Daniel, thank you for you post, mail and reply. This means very much to
me.
Thank you,
Bob Reeder
Blackthorn Records
http://worldmall.com:80/reeder/
Ton Maas
In article <58kkbl$1...@alpha.sky.net>,
reeder <ree...@sky.net> wrote:
>It is my understanding that the German (or Dutch) is much more powerful
>than the English, and that the strength of the verse is somehow lost in the
>translation. But I first heard it, of course, in English ala Steve Gillette and
>
>have been searching for a long time for his version. The song is incredible
>and should be done by more contemporary folk artists
>Daniel, thank you for you post, mail and reply. This means very much to
>me.
Dear Bob,
I would be very surprized if there were a Dutch version of "Der Erlkoenig",
since it is so typically German(ic). But I will ask around and let you
know.
Ton Maas, Amsterdam NL
MIKE REGENSTREIF
In article <58kkbl$1...@alpha.sky.net>, reeder <ree...@sky.net> writes:
>It is my understanding that the German (or Dutch) is much more powerful
>than the English, and that the strength of the verse is somehow lost in the
>translation. But I first heard it, of course, in English ala Steve Gillette and
>have been searching for a long time for his version. The song is incredible
>and should be done by more contemporary folk artists
>Daniel, thank you for you post, mail and reply. This means very much to
>me.
Steve Gillette's version of "The Erlking" is on STEVE GILLETTE
(Vanguard VMD-79251), Steve's album from 1967 that was re-released on CD two or
three years ago.
I'm sure you can get info on it from Steve's and Cindy Mangsen's web
site at <http://www.sover.net/~gillette>.
Mike Regenstreif
"Folk Roots/Folk Branches" on CKUT in Montreal
mre...@vax2.concordia.ca
Jeff Fookson
Folks should be aware of the setting of the Goethe poem by Franz Schubert. It
is incredibly powerful; even thinking about it as I've been reading the posts
on this subject sends chills down my spine. There are many recordings; I best
recall quite an old one, performed by Hermann Prye (sp?).
Does anyone know if Steve Gilette's version has any connection with Schubert's?
Jeff
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Fookson
Internet: je...@cns.nyu.edu Center for Neural Science
Dept of Psychology
New York University
Phone: (212) 998-7782 6 Washington Place, Rm 972
Fax: (212) 995-4011 New York, NY 10003
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Creasey
Best version of the Schubert version I've heard lately is the one on Bryn
Terfel's album of Schubert lieder (I'm at work, so don't have the title or
the catalog # handy). IIRC, the Gillette version is a different tune, ans
is to an English setting; Terfel's is in the original Germsn (the CD has
a good translation, however, in the booklet). This is properly classical
music, though, and should be available in any good classical music
section of a record store. (Bryn Terfel is a Welsh operatic baritone.)
Mary the Filker
--
Mary Creasey
Random Factors [a filk music dealer]
cre...@worldnet.att.net
70501,672 1:102/524