For completeness, I've put this recording up on local 1 March, having found last night the scratched sketch for the actual song, from n weeks ago. Thus I have broken my cast-iron rule (more a guideline actually) not to put up any more Tim Fatchen songs after local midnight. I think, however, that's the least of the world's worries right now.
The melody and most of the lyric were my first attempt at the traditional-sounding #ballad thread, totally overpowered by the lovely "I would fain lie with thee". Which stole the better melody motifs in this song. So that song's the self plagiarism, not this one. Oh the shame...
One-shot live replete with instrumental and vocal mistakes. At least Macci the Dog didn't join in.
The Harp is from the now- Abandonware Kore player, put to death by its cruel and uncaring mother Native Instruments.
isrc AUNEY2200191
AT THE DAWN OF OUR LAST DAY
Words & Music by and Copyright © 2022 TJ Fatchen All Rights Reserved
As the rose dawn came seeping
She quiet lay, sleeping
Her bed the new-mown hay
My own summer sweeting
My love lay a-sleeping
At the dawn of our last day.
The birdsong dawn bringing
And my own heart singing
At her sweetness as she lay
My own summer sweeting
My love there a-sleeping
At the dawn of our last day
One more noon-tide travelling
Our hearts unravelling
Come the end of our last day
For our time was so fleeting,
Where my love lay a-sleeping
At the dawn of our last day
For we were parted, and sundered
Through lands and time wandered
And that parting we could not allay.
Grey years on, a last meeting
But little joy in our greeting
We were but ghosts of our last day.
But when the rose dawn comes creeping
I remember her, sleeping
Her bed the new-mown hay.
My own summer sweeting
My love there a-sleeping
At the dawn of our last day.
@billwhite51 Mar 2022
the refrain is so captivating that i did not register the full import of the verses until the 4th listen, john dowland would be jealous.
@berni1954 Mar 2022
This has a true traditional ballad feel both melodically and lyrically. It really sounds like a song you had learned off some ancient old lady who has kept the song alive within the oral tradition.
@didib Mar 2022
I love the mediaeval sound, lovely song!
@jwhanberry Feb 2022
Very much like an old English ballad. Well performed. I wouldn't worry about the time. As the song says "It's five o'clock somewhere.". The same goes for midnight.
@kenmattsson Feb 2022
This is so lovely, and I'm so wanting to sing this myself! Beautiful!
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
This is so beautiful and sad. Such lovely music and gorgeous melody.
@heavyhedonist Feb 2022
O, so pretty. I'd love to sing this too, such a great melody and slaying lyrics.
@timfatchen Feb 2022
The reason this isn't marked "feast" is that the whole thing has taken the best part of 4 weeks. Which demonstrates that effort alone is not enough for beauty or perfection!