As promised, here's our set from the 2021 OBOD Midsummer Gathering. 

It was a great pleasure to be a part of the Solstice celebrations, and the set was very well received - thanks to our friends old and new. An honour to be working alongside Barry Paterson, Liv Torc, ZZ Birmingham, Damh The Bard and Spiral Dance. Shout out to Shaun Hayes for keeping it all together.

Songs performed (click 'read more' for lyrics):

King Of The May
Soul Quest
Dark Narcotic
Lammas

We hope to continue with regular videos fusing Pagan elements with our Blues roots. ZZ Birmingham and myself have talked often about melding the two traditions - it's a work in progress. Take a walk with me, honey where the wild things are.

KING OF THE MAY

I've been to Poplar, I've been to Panama
I hitched a train and I rode a fancy car
I've walkwd a mile and I've walked a million more
And I can tell you what the juice is for

I've seen him standing with his golden crown
I've seen him lying in the burying ground
I'll give you magic when the Sun goes down
And you can tell Who's the King of the May

I've seen a man with a bible and a gun
I worked my ways and I put him on the run
I learned my licks in a field in Collymore
And I can tell you what the blues is for

You'll find my blood in the sand and in the stones
You'll fan the fire every time I roll the bones
We'll run the road from the IJssel to the Gade
And celebrate the love that we have made

SOUL QUEST 

The Lord of Summer wears an Oaken crown
And he has worn the Holly too
The Ashen King has hewn the Alder down
Hear me sing it now for you

Tell me mister, have you seen my soul?
She passed this way a day before
She’s my Sister, Mother, Maid and Queen
And She’s my Washer At The Ford 

I made the Long Man on a Tiwesdæg Morn
In a doorway on a hill
He held me fast, a band of Nyd and Þorn
I could not break it with my will 

Cruel miller, grind me down, drink up my blood like wine
Don’t leave me on the threshing floor
I’ve learned the secret of the wheat and of the vine
But I can’t feel the wind no more
Oh Brighid, why can’t I have milk and honey?
Oh Maedbh why can’t I wear your crown?
Inspiration, why’d you leave me lonely?
Is the poor boy sinking down? 

A gentle shade who walks the ancient vale
Came and drew my soul away
My flyweight frame is just and empty shell
Now she’s not living here today

DARK NARCOTIC 

You let me write if I want to
You make me write if I don’t
You break my back if I let you love me
You’ll rape my mind if I won’t 

You say there’s no repercussion
You say your motives are pure
You make me groan in disease or wonder
You make me long for the cure 

And every time I think I’ll put you down
I fall back under your spell
They tell me there’s a new drug in town
You got me jonesing to get well 

Can’t get you out of my system
Can’t get you out of my veins
Lady you’re just a dark narcotic
About to drive me insane 

You bade me sit by your fire
You swore I would not get burned
Lady you leave a real hard lesson
You know that I’ll never learn

LAMMAS

The darkness is behind us
The Green One’s coming soon
And all of mother’s children
Will be dancing ‘neath the moon
And I believe I gotta shake ‘em all down
Dark lover, Maiden, Mother
Sing my soul back home 

Man be joined with woman
Earth be joined with sky
Fate has dealt my father’s hand
And laid him down to die
And I believe...

My mother’s name was Arianrhod
The stars her silver gown
My father was the Lord of the Forest
Wore the antlered crown
Don’t you miss me, mother
I’ll recover
Sing my soul back home 

Brother better hang your head
Sister wail and cry
Planting time has been and gone
John Barleycorn must die
And I believe...

Master, cease my labour
John Barleycorn is dead
His blood is spilled upon the Earth
And you shall have your bread
And I believe...