Anyone can write an olde English folke songe

pinhedz wrote:This authentic olde English folke songe was written by Judy Henske, from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
Farewell Aldebaran

...Aldebaran is a bright star in Taurus...from memory it's in one of the bull's horns. It's one of (I think there's 56) the navigable stars...the stars you need to know to use a sextant.
...is there a link ?

...I'm obsessing about why they called the album 'Farewell Aldebaran'

These are some sea and star references in the songs:

"Raider" has been described as an "acid sea shanty"
A bluegrass feel created by bowed banjo and dulcimer backing.
A folksy-sounding but surreal lyric.

The upbeat "Charity", sung by Yester to acoustic guitars and powerful vocal harmonies,
tells of a sailing ship doomed to sail for ever.

Finally the title track ('Farewell Aldebaran')featuring electronically treated vocals and Moog synthesizer,
is a unique piece of "space-rock" based upon an insistent bass-drum, full of rushing, wailing and bleeping sounds
as Yester intones "the comets cling to her, the fiery bride, she is the mother of the mark and the prize,
the glaze of paradise is in her eyes, her mouth is torn with stars..." before the track fades into chaos.

...here we go. I googled the lyrics for 'Farewell Aldebaran:

Farewell Aldebaran (Henske/Yester)

Farewell Aldebaran
See, she is descending now
Starting the slide
The comets cling to her
The fiery bride
She is the mother of
The mark and the prize
The glaze of paradise
is in her eyes
Her mouth is torn with stars
and brushed with wings
She cannot call to us
She does not sing
Abandoned and bright
Out from Andromeda
into the night
flaming she falls
Farewell Aldebaran
Alpha Crucis
Lift me up
Alpha Centauri
It is too far
to come to die
Too far to die

...the song begins by tracking the movement of the constellation Taurus across the sky as it begins its descent to the horizon to set.
The comets are following it.

...bulls are obviously male, so I'm guessing that by referring to Aldebaran as 'she' it means Europa?
[Constellation Taurus represents the front half of the transformed Greek God Zeus, whose hind quarters are underwater because he is quite busy carrying Europa (the daughter of the King of Tyre who was lured to ride him) across the sea to Crete ].

...all the references to eyes...Aldebaran marks the celestial bull's eye.

...Andromeda is a constellation, and Alpha Crucis and Alpha Centauri are stars.

...unrelated to the star references but I really like these lyrics:

Charity (Henske/Yester)

Ivory rings, singing peacocks
and things from the East
There's a beast on a chain made of gold
All her cargoes change
with the changing seas
And the name of the clipper is The Charity
Her sails are fading in the sky
As she bids the land breeze goodbye
In the teeth of the sea-wind she flies
A million years on a sea of tears
Charity

Nightward she sails and the fiery trails
of her wake, drown the sky
"I am breaking" she cries
And her figurehead is a barbary queen
With a breast as cold as the sea is green
And she reaches out her arms to the storm
Her long hair windwhipped and torn
She begs for a harbor that's warm
A million years on a sea of tears
Charity

She chries "My name it is The Charity
Beware your luck if you'd sail with me...
Beware"
Come says the tall ship sailing on the East Wind
Run say the white sails filling with the West Wind
Now say the grey gulls riding on the South Wind
Fly say the green waves breaking in the North Wind

1969 Third Story Music Inc. and
Barmpatonph Musik
Judy Henske & Jerry Yester
"Farewell Aldebaran", Straight Records

...after listening to a significant amount of Judy Henske tonight thanks to you pinz, this is my favourite:

(it's a great movie clip as well)

...i think you're right paladin

edit: well that throws another layer on the lyrics