Song Lyric Sunday: Let Me In

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As Jim tells us in his post of that title,  today is World Meteorological Day, which has been marked on 23 March since the 1950s. I had been ignorant of this until now, but I shouldn’t have been, as it is far too important to overlook. The official site for it can be found here, and has links to some important messages about climate. No doubt this won’t be respected in the White House any time soon, more’s the pity. To mark the day Jim is asking us to play a song related to weather condition such as cyclones, floods, hurricanes, rainfall, storms, tornadoes, typhoons, winds. This is similar to a theme from last July, and I’m going to be reprising one of the songs I played then, together with the version I first knew of it. I’m also adding in a rather sweet version I found when researching this, by someone I hadn’t previously heard of: three versions of the same song – is there no beginning to my imagination?

I’m leading with the one I’ve always known, since I first bought the album on which it featured back in 1971. This is from a 1995 reunion of those 1971 band members, as part of a show raising funds for the War Child charity, which supports children in war zones:

Folk music is never far away from here, is it! That was Steeleye Span with Cold Haily Windy Night, (not ‘hairy’ as autocorrect gave me!). It is a traditional English folk song which has been recorded many times, so the lyrics don’t come with the usual credits. They tell a rather tragic story of an important loss, though:

“Oh, me hat, it is frozen to me head
Me feet, they are like a lump of lead
Oh, me shoes, they are frozen to me feet
With standing at your window”

“Let me in,” the soldier cried
Cold, haily, windy night
“Oh, let me in,” the soldier cried
“For I’ll not go back again, no”

“Me father, he watches down on the street
Me mother, the chamber keys do keep
Oh, the doors and the windows, they do creak
I dare not let you in, oh”

“Let me in,” the soldier cried
Cold, haily, windy night
“Oh, let me in,” the soldier cried
“For I’ll not go back again, no”

Oh, and she’s rose up and she’s let him in
She’s kissed her true love cheek and chin
And she’s drawn him between her sheets again
And she opened and she let him in, oh

Then she has blessed the rainy night
Cold, haily, windy night
Oh, then she has blessed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in, oh

“Soldier, soldier, stay with me
Soldier, soldier, won’t you marry me?”
“Oh no, no, no, it never can be
So fare bid thee well forever”

Then she has wept for the rainy night
Cold, haily, windy night
Oh, then she has wept for the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in, oh

Oh, and he’s jumped up all out of the bed
He’s put his hat all on his head
But she had lost her maidenhead
Her mother, she heard the din, oh

Then she has cursed the rainy night
Cold, haily, windy night
Oh, then she has cursed the rainy night
That she opened and she let him in, oh

Not especially subtle, is it! But in olden times, when there was no tv or internet, people had to make their own entertainment, which explains why they all seemed to have 23 kids. Steeleye Span first recorded the song for their second album, Please To See The King, which was released in March 1971. The first time I saw them play live was in November of that year, and as Maddy Prior remarked when she introduced this one “here’s a suitable song for tonight” – it was blowing a gale outside with the rain lashing down, so just a typical winter’s evening by the British seaside, really. They recorded the song again for their twentieth album, Bloody Men, in December 2006, along with several others that had been on previous records. I have since seen the band on many occasions, and whilst this one isn’t always in the set list it gets a good response when they do play it. I guess we like our tales of women being done wrong, which may have had something to do with the title of that later album!

I was planning on playing just two versions of this tune until I came across this one, which is rather nice, so I’m adding it in as a bonus. Spot the slight change of title, which is common with old folk songs:

I hadn’t heard of Betty Harrigan before, so I looked her up. She is from Ireland and I found this on a site called eartothegroundmusic. It is actually a review of the album shown in the clip, Full Circle, which was released in January 2013. They say that it is her first, but I can find no trace of any others by her. It seems she will remain a local favourite in relative obscurity, reflected by the fact that the clip I played has been up for nine years and has a total of just 90 views – including my three visits! She appears to be another victim of the music industry: often it isn’t a case of how good you are but of who you know.

The version of the song that I played last time is a little different. You may notice that it is sung in German, but I can assure you that it is the same song, which demonstrates for me the ability of folk music to transcend boundaries:

In case you were wondering where any of the theme words come into this, ‘kalte’ is the German word for ‘cold,’ which is a part of the title in the other two versions, and the ‘stormy’ bit goes with it. Faun have become one of my favourite bands since I discovered them several years back, thanks to the accuracy of YouTube’s algorithm for recommendations, which has served me well on many occasions. They make beautiful music, and aren’t afraid to push the barriers with their videos: a couple of them border on the very naughty! Diese Kalte Nacht (this cold night) is a track from their 2013 album Von Den Elben (of/from the elves), which reached #7 in the mainstream German albums chart – quite an achievement for a band that describes its music as being ‘pagan folk’ in style. As I have said, I’m a big fan of Steeleye Span, but I think the vocals and musicianship by Faun are gorgeous, and the setting of Marienburg Castle, in Lower Saxony, Germany, is perfect in creating the ambience. There are several lyric videos which give an English translation of this, with varying degrees of accuracy (from the poor to the awful) but they lose the beauty of the video. There are several attempts at translations on the web, too, if you feel the need to try them, but don’t be surprised at how we cope with other languages: when I typed in ‘nacht’ autocorrect gave me ‘nacho’ instead! The song is a popular part of Faun’s repertoire, and the video has more than 21m YouTube views. When I opened it up there today I was a little surprised to see that the comment I left several years ago is at the top of that section, though I’m guessing that is only for my benefit and you might see something different!
 
That’s it from me for today, and I hope I’ve broadened your musical horizons a little with another of my dips into our folk music traditions. And you don’t necessarily have to understand all of the words to appreciate the beauty of a performance, do you?
 
See you again soon 😊
 
 

61 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Let Me In”

  1. Pingback: Farewell March | Take It Easy

  4. Two rousing versions of one ‘naughty song’ (there lots of them weren’t there- The Bonny Black Hare – Ooooh no missus. Titter ye not- I miss that fellow).
    Not forgetting Steele Span revisited the same theme in ‘Ups and Downs’ on ‘Parcel of Rogues’

    FAUN – Diese kalte Nacht- Haunting song and atmospheric video. Thanks for that one!
    I reckon it’s best not to look for an English translation, they never seem to travel well. Just get a brief summary about the theme and leave well alone.

    For years I was enthralled by ‘Au fond du temple’ from Bizet’s ‘Les pêcheurs de perles’. The French lyrics simply transported me. OK so it was “The Pearl Fishers’ Duet” in English. Having the average Brit’s grasp of french, ie nearly zero I did not care. It was haunting.
    Then one day I chanced up an official English translation, which basically gave us the image of two guys seeing an attractive woman going ‘wow’ but saying their friendship was more important. Poetry there was none.
    It’s taken many more listens in the original to cleanse my mind.
    Same goes for many another opera.

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    • Frankie was one of a kind.

      Bonnie Black Hare was eventually recorded by Steeleye – on the Bloody Men album in 2006. Fairport Convention did it much earlier, though.

      I love the way Faun treat the song. As you say, a very atmospheric video and Fiona Ruggeberg was gorgeous in it.

      Sometimes, things can be best left well alone 🤣

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      • ‘Up Pompei’ just does not get old, nor do the recordings of his stage act, along with a brilliant harried barrow-boy in ‘The Lady Killers’

        Fairport’s Album Angel Delight, they held up well in the wake of Richard Thompson’s departure.👍

        Thanks for the introduction to Faun too,

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      • I occasionally see clips from that on YouTube and they always make me laugh. The movie version had plenty of other attractions too 😉

        Quite possibly the best album ever to be named after a packet desert. Just add milk and whisk like crazy 🤣

        You’re welcome for the introduction – I found Faun seven or eight years ago and love their music.

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  5. There must be plenty of folk songs about dastardly soldiers, no doubt sung as a warning! One of the songs we learnt at junior school was Soldier , soldier won’t you marry me – his excuses end with For I have a wife of my own. Of course we didn’t know the true meaning.

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  11. Great picks Clive! ☺️ I do remember Steeleye Span, but not the song. I know folk music is dear to your heart. Have you seen the Dylan movie A Complete Unknown yet? It was a great portrayal of the young Bob Dylan and how his folk music began. He was an avid fan of Woody Guthrie. I enjoyed it very much.

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  13. Great selection of a song about weather that I never heard before and done differently by some interesting groups, Clive.   I liked the Betty Harrigan version better than the Steeleye Span, because it seemed much livelier.  The German band FAUN also sounded lovely.  Thanks for showing up again and adding to my knowledge about music.

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    • Thank you, Jim, I’m pleased you appreciated these. Steeleye is the version I grew up with so I know it well. Betty was a pleasant surprise, and Faun’s beautiful music is a favourite of mine.

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  14. This was new for me, Clive; I would have remembered a song about an AWOL soldier and a girl losing her virginity. The imagery was excellent and I’m quite sure I’ve seen you feature Steeleye Span before. The group has their finger on the true sound of those ancient English folk songs, don’t they?
    Betty Harrigan’s version was a good one; however, I prefer the lower register of female voices.
    My favorite was Faun’s rendition; I loved their arrangement, especially when the chorus joined in. The lead singer was lovely and I liked the use of traditional instruments.
    Once again, an excellent Song Lyric Sunday contribution by you. Thanks, Clive.

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    • Thank you, Nancy, for these kind words. It’s a fairly typical theme for traditional folk songs – many variants on it! I’ve played Steeleye and Faun before, so you will probably have seen them here.

      Steeleye have done much over their 55+ years to bring these songs to a new audience, and I love the way they do it.

      Betty was a lucky find. I put the title into YouTube’s search field and that was one of the results. I liked it, so I played it!

      To be honest, Faun is my favourite of these three too. I love everything about the way they make music. Neither of the two female vocalists is in the band now, but they have recruited well to replace them and are still making lovely music.

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  15. I love all three versions of this song it’s great isn’t it and I reckon it’s closely related to Soldier, Soldier will you marry me? A great old folk song!
    The tune is just lovely too…I know you like Faun who I am a fan of now …I also agree that it’s a shame that Betty Harrigan has not been noticed but sadly that is the music business for you.
    Great post all round 💜

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    • I’m pleased you like them all, Willow. There are many folk songs which use variations on themes – they didn’t have that much to go on, really! I’ve been a fan of Steeleye since their first album, and have got to know many folk songs through them and others who have recorded them.

      I’ll always play Faun given the chance, and Betty was a lucky find. I’ve got her album in my Apple Music library now and it is really nice.

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    • Thank you, Darlene, I’m pleased you enjoyed them all. Betty Harrigan was a lucky find, and I love her voice. And I’m with you on Faun – happy to have made that introduction 😊

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  19. Well, rest assured you broadened my musical horizons as I have never heard of this song in any incarnation. I am taken with the lyrics and the difference in the delivery on all three videos. Thank you, Clive as always you have taken me somewhere i never would have thought to go on my own.

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    • Thank you, Jodi. Our traditional folk songs tell some great stories and that is why I’m such a fan of the genre. You can hear the same song at the base of these, can’t you, and the beauty in it for me is what people do with that. Happy to have broadened your musical horizons!

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