As part of my long-term project to get my LadyD back into singing after a long break we have been working on a series of Fairy Tales.
This one is an adaptation of Grimm's The Six Swans.
Done in a folk-rock style I had Joel Sattler adapt the story which was refined into more usable lyrics by LadyD and put to music by me.
As well as LadyD on vocal we have Nigel Robinson on drums, his brother Peter on lead guitar breaks, Enrico Nichelatti on violin and myself on acoustic and electric guitars, bass, mandolin and arrangement/mix.
TheSixSwans
THE SIX SWANS
based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
six brothers and their sister fair
lived by the river wide
the widowed king, their father was
and then he took a bride
but she was full of jealousy
black magic she did spawn
and placed a curse upon the boys
that turned them into swans
their sister she was told the spell
could only lose its power
if she would weave each one a shirt
made of the starwort flower
six brothers and their sister fair
who knows where they have gone
some people dream of princesses
and memories of swans
and also she must take a vow
of silence for six years
and if she could accomplish this
her loved ones would appear
one day the King of Mountains came
and asked for leave to wed
the gentle lovely silent girl
whose eyes no tears had shed
he took her to the Land of Skye
among the hills so wild
and there she bore him children three
in silence deep and wide
six brothers and their sister fair
who knows where they have gone
some people dream of princesses
and memories of swans
the wicked queen accused her
of crimes foul and depraved
against these she could not defend
if her brothers would be saved
the day came when the fire was set
to burn her at the stake
the flowered shirts were almost done
but yet her spirit did not break
and as they tied her to the pyre
six swans flew overhead
she threw the shirts into the air
in triumph after dread
six brothers and their sister fair
who knows where they have gone
some people dream of princesses
and memories of swans
dark sorcery it was laid bare
her voice the story told
on queenly wrist shackles appeared
not bracelets of gold
six brothers and their sister fair
who knows where they have gone
some people dream of princesses
and memories of swans
James.
