Sunday 16 January 2011

Sydney Carter - an update

I hear of a Baptist minister in the east of England who not only chooses "One more step along the world I go", he revels in it!

This is the sort of thing that caused the Reformation. If we let down our guard, surely the barbarians will be at the walls. I for one will not rest from mental strife, nor shall my sword rest in my hand, until we have banished "Lord of the Dance" from England's Green and Pleasant Land.

6 comments :

  1. And, please, from Scotland's Wales's and Ireland's green and pleasant lands, too.

    Here in Poland, the tune is well known as a sea-chanty (with different words, of course).

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  2. I feel the same about the ditty "these are the days of ELijah"....

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  3. Please spare us dear Lord from 'Jerusalem' and the one set to the tune of 'the carnival is over'. Bring back 'Onward Christian Soldiers' and 'When a knight won his spurs '.

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  4. @Left-footer - I'm sorry, fond as I am of the Celtic races they're on their own here. Think of it as your penance for all the hymns set to the "Sky Boat Song".

    @Lynn - there are many things wrong with Days of Elijah. Not least that it is in one of the evil flat keys (Eb or some such) which break the hearts of honest guitarists.

    @Margaret -I have no idea what the other two hymns are that you are referring to, but love Jerusalem and Onward Christian Soldiers.

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  5. LyricsWhen a knight won his spurs, in the stories of old,
    He was gentle and brave, he was gallant and bold;
    With a shield on his arm and a lance in his hand,
    For God and for valour he rode through the land.

    No charger have I, and no sword by my side,
    Yet still to adventure and battle I ride,
    Though back into storyland giants have fled,
    And the knights are no more and the dragons are dead.

    Music by Ralph Vaughan Williams (a Celt!)

    Let faith be my shield and let joy be my steed
    'Gainst the dragons of anger, the ogres of greed;
    And let me set free with the sword of my youth,
    From the castle of darkness, the power of the truth.[5]

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  6. Hobgoblin nor foul fiend shall daunt my spirit

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