John O'Dreams: Difference between revisions
Fixed an erroneous reference to Italian or Russian folklore. The song is based on a Scottish mythos written in at the turn of the 19th century by William Sharp under the pen name Fiona Macleod. Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
m Added Éilís Kennedy to the list of recorded renditions. |
||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
In this context, sleep may also be considered a metaphor for death, both as an eventual equalizer of all things, and for the allusion to a "crossing over," as in a river, a prevalent theme in Western spiritual beliefs. |
In this context, sleep may also be considered a metaphor for death, both as an eventual equalizer of all things, and for the allusion to a "crossing over," as in a river, a prevalent theme in Western spiritual beliefs. |
||
The most popular arrangements are by English singer/songwriter Bill Caddick. Singers [[Gordon Bok]], [[Christy Moore]], [[Jean Redpath]], [[Max Boyce]], [[Garnet Rogers]] and [[The Clancy Brothers]] with [[Robbie O'Connell]] also recorded versions. The enchanting arpeggiated melody is based on [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky's]] [[Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)|Symphony No. 6]], "The Pathetique", and is erroneously thought to have originated in either a Russian or Italian folksong. John O’Dreams is a character in Scottish author Fiona Macleod’s (William Sharp’s alias) “The Lynn of Dreams”, in the Winged Destiny |
The most popular arrangements are by English singer/songwriter Bill Caddick. Singers [[Gordon Bok]], [[Éilís Kennedy]], [[Christy Moore]], [[Jean Redpath]], [[Max Boyce]], [[Garnet Rogers]] and [[The Clancy Brothers]] with [[Robbie O'Connell]] also recorded versions. The enchanting arpeggiated melody is based on [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky|Tchaikovsky's]] [[Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)|Symphony No. 6]], "The Pathetique", and is erroneously thought to have originated in either a Russian or Italian folksong. John O’Dreams is a character in Scottish author Fiona Macleod’s (William Sharp’s alias) “The Lynn of Dreams”, in the Winged Destiny |
||
== Lyrics == |
== Lyrics == |
||
Revision as of 18:51, 14 October 2021
 |
John O'Dreams Often, incorrectly, claimed as being a traditional Irish song, it was written by an Englishman, Bill Caddick, (1944-2018), born in Wolverhampton, England. The titular central character is equivalent to the Sandman, a fictional character who sends people to sleep. The song portrays all people as being "equal in sleep":
- All things are equal when the day is done
- The Prince and the ploughman, the slave and freeman
- All find their comfort in old John O'Dreams
In this context, sleep may also be considered a metaphor for death, both as an eventual equalizer of all things, and for the allusion to a "crossing over," as in a river, a prevalent theme in Western spiritual beliefs.
The most popular arrangements are by English singer/songwriter Bill Caddick. Singers Gordon Bok, Éilís Kennedy, Christy Moore, Jean Redpath, Max Boyce, Garnet Rogers and The Clancy Brothers with Robbie O'Connell also recorded versions. The enchanting arpeggiated melody is based on Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, "The Pathetique", and is erroneously thought to have originated in either a Russian or Italian folksong. John O’Dreams is a character in Scottish author Fiona Macleod’s (William Sharp’s alias) “The Lynn of Dreams”, in the Winged Destiny
Lyrics
- When midnight comes and people homeward tread [Alternate: When midnight comes good people homeward tread]
- Seek now your blanket and your feather bed
- Home comes the rover, his journey's over [Alternate: Home is the rover, his journey's over]
- Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams
- Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams
- Across the hill, the sun has gone astray
- Tomorrow's cares are many dreams away
- The stars are flying, your candle is dying [Alternate: The stars are flying, the wind is sighing]
- Yield up the darkness to old John O' Dreams
- Yield up the darkness to old John O' Dreams
- Both man and master in the night are one
- All things are equal when the day is done
- The prince and the ploughman, the slave and the freeman
- All find their comfort in old John O' Dreams
- All find their comfort in old John O' Dreams
- When sleep it comes the dreams come running clear [Alternate: Now lies you sleep the dreams come winging clear]
- The hawks of morning cannot reach you here [Alternate: The hawks of morning cannot harm you here]
- Sleep is a river, flows on forever
- And for your boatman choose old John O' Dreams
- And for your boatman choose old John O' Dreams
- When midnight comes and people homeward tread [Alternate: When midnight comes good people homeward tread]
- Seek now your blanket and your feather bed
- Home comes the rover, his journey's over [Alternate: Home is the rover, his journey's over]
- Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams
- Yield up the night time to old John O' Dreams
 | This folk song–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |