Corpus Christi Carol (Jeff Buckley)
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| “Corpus Christi Carol” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by Jeff Buckley | |||||
| Released | August 23, 1994 | ||||
| Recorded | Bearsville Recording Studio, Woodstock, NY | ||||
| Genre | Alternative | ||||
| Length | 51:44 | ||||
| Label | Columbia | ||||
| Producer | Jeff Buckley Andy Wallace |
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| Grace track listing | |||||
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"Corpus Christi Carol" is a Middle English hymn (or carol) that dates from the 15th century. The writer remains anonymous. Its haunting lyrics are commonly thought to be concerned with the grail legend, but recent scholarship has suggested that it may have been composed for the grief of the displaced Anne Boleyn (former wife of Henry VIII, whose badge was a falcon). English composers Peter Warlock and Benjamin Britten have both used the carol in composition and applied it to those that died at war.
It was also covered by Jeff Buckley on his début album Grace in 1994. Buckley's own interpretation, and reasons for putting this song on the album: "The "Carol" is a fairytale about a falcon who takes the beloved of the singer to an orchard. The singer goes looking for her and arrives at a chamber where his beloved lies next to a bleeding knight and a tomb with Christ's body in it. My friend Roy introduced me to the song when I was still in high-school and now I'm singing it for him." [1].
- Judith Baker's version of this song served as the basis for his cover
[edit] Lyrics
- Lulley, lulley, lully, lulley,
- The falcon hath born my mak away.
- He bare hym up, he bare him down,
- He bare hym into an orchard brown.
- In that orchard ther was an hall,
- That was hanged with purpill and pall.
- And in that hall ther was a bede,
- Hit was hangid with gold so rede.
- And yn that bed ther lythe a knyght,
- His wowndes bledyng day and nyght.
- By that bedes side ther kneleth a may,
- And she wepeth both nyght and day.
- And by that bedes side ther stondith a ston,
- "Corpus Christi" wretyn theron.
