Song:History:Legend - does anyone keep them straight anymore?
So I was rootling around looking for vestiges of the SCA as I knew and loved it in Olden Days, and came across a site that reposted the lyrics to Malkin and Peregrynne's great old "Raven Banner" - along with a new set of words called "Raven Banner (Irish)." Which...well, which if it shows creative inspiration at all (and it does), shows a very different kind from what went into the original.
Malkin and Peregrynne (M wrote more of the book than P, but I feel like giving them both the credit as much as I can) weren't writing an epic song of Norse-Irish history, not even a history of the Battle of Clontarf per se; they were making a song out of Chapter 157 of Njal's Saga, pretty much pure and simple. The banner and its charm, Thorstein Sidu-Hallson and his laconic joke, and the Good Friday weaving vision, in four verses - that's the song, concise and well done. But the Forgotten Sea version seems more to start from a concept that the song is all about The Clash of Civilizations, and We Must Sing the Pro-Irish Version.
I'm not complaining here that the Irish aren't worthy of songs of praise, not at all, but dude, your version doesn't just ignore the known history, you fling it down on the sod and dance upon it. Not going to into the complex Irish factional politics of the time here, with people of Norse ancestry making up parts of all the different sides, instead let me name just two simple data points: Brian Boru was a) 73 years old at the start of the Battle of Clontarf, so not likely to be "standing tall" fighting in the thick of things; and b) dead at the end of it, so not likely to sing his last chorus with an exultant "I live!"
May be it was the times, maybe it was just me, but once upon a time history, accuracy, fidelity to the original source material seemed more important than they do now. But this is Calontir, and I will allow as the song does sound good 'n' epic if that's what floats your forgotten boat. (I am morally certain that they are completely oblivious to Thorstein's joke, though.)
Malkin and Peregrynne (M wrote more of the book than P, but I feel like giving them both the credit as much as I can) weren't writing an epic song of Norse-Irish history, not even a history of the Battle of Clontarf per se; they were making a song out of Chapter 157 of Njal's Saga, pretty much pure and simple. The banner and its charm, Thorstein Sidu-Hallson and his laconic joke, and the Good Friday weaving vision, in four verses - that's the song, concise and well done. But the Forgotten Sea version seems more to start from a concept that the song is all about The Clash of Civilizations, and We Must Sing the Pro-Irish Version.
I'm not complaining here that the Irish aren't worthy of songs of praise, not at all, but dude, your version doesn't just ignore the known history, you fling it down on the sod and dance upon it. Not going to into the complex Irish factional politics of the time here, with people of Norse ancestry making up parts of all the different sides, instead let me name just two simple data points: Brian Boru was a) 73 years old at the start of the Battle of Clontarf, so not likely to be "standing tall" fighting in the thick of things; and b) dead at the end of it, so not likely to sing his last chorus with an exultant "I live!"
May be it was the times, maybe it was just me, but once upon a time history, accuracy, fidelity to the original source material seemed more important than they do now. But this is Calontir, and I will allow as the song does sound good 'n' epic if that's what floats your forgotten boat. (I am morally certain that they are completely oblivious to Thorstein's joke, though.)