Seth sings one! This week Caleb and Google collaborate to suggest an Alfred, Lord Tennyson poem as a worthy mate to a guitar riff of Mr. Dean, Sr.’s creation. (Names containing commas are certainly the best.) Ethan joins in with the low-strung guitar. Beauty ensues.
Here’s the song!
The poem:
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
This song is part of a Songwriting Exercise we’re calling 52 Weeks. Check in next Friday for yet another song. Listen and let us know what you think, and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes .
We need you! If like one of these songs, please comment on our blog at Stereoreel.com. Your opinions will help us decide what’s on the next album. Even if you just want to make a suggestion, or accuse us of cryptomnesia we’d love to hear from you. (Don’t necessarily expect songwriting credit or royalties though. Sorry.)
All songs copyright 2009-2010 Stereoreel Music, LLC.