A time of fire and a time of ice

[sovay]

Does anyone reading this have a recording of Jack Hardy's "Three Ravens"? I heard the song once on the radio in elementary school; it made a chilling impression on me. I remembered the chorus and a handful of lines word-perfect and that never helped me with a Google search till now. (The site I've linked is the sole hit for the lyrics; I think they must have gone up very recently.) The album to which it belongs appears to be out of print and I get nothing from YouTube. Internet?

Comments

[ajodasso.livejournal.com]

I have a recording of English soprano Emma Kirkby singing a version of it, although I don't know if it's Hardy's. I can certainly send it along to you once I'm home from work!

[sovay]

I have a recording of English soprano Emma Kirkby singing a version of it, although I don't know if it's Hardy's.

I would guess she's singing the Child ballad of the same name, but it's worth checking?

[ajodasso.livejournal.com]

You're right; what Kirkby is singing is a version of the Child ballad, but actually, the version she sings is a bit more disturbing than the one listed on Wikipedia. I remember far more of it being a discussion between the ravens regarding what bits of the knight they'd most like to eat, and why! I haven't listened to it in a few years, though, so I'll dig up the file when I get home.

ETA: It is a variant on the Child ballad; not what you're looking for, in any case.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

You know, that song is not at all cheerful. Is it original, or a ballad?

[sovay]

Is it original, or a ballad?

It's not the ballad (though it makes use of similary imagery), but I kept getting hits for Child 26 every other time I searched for it.

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Still, there's two more corbie variants I didn't know. I wonder if it's in Current Protagonist's repertoire.

I hope the recording above is the right one!

[sovay]

I hope the recording above is the right one!

I suspect from the singer that it's going to be Thomas Ravenscroft's "Three Ravens," not Jack Hardy's, but it would be nice.

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

There's an online store called Brambus Records that is selling Civil Wars for about $16. It also looks like there are a few copies available from resellers on Amazon.
I checked Worldcat, too, but the only even remotely useful thing I found there was a cassette copy at Wesleyan in Middletown, CT.

[sovay]

There's an online store called Brambus Records that is selling Civil Wars for about $16.

Hm. Thank you. I will contemplate.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I haven't, unfortunately. Good luck finding it--it sounds interesting. I hope the air is worthy of the words.

[sovay]

Good luck finding it--it sounds interesting. I hope the air is worthy of the words.

I remember the tune for the chorus, but not the verses.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I remember the tune for the chorus, but not the verses.

Always frustrating, that. Hope you can get access to the rest of it soon.