This is the "Lord of the Dance" item.  Vishnu asked to see the verses.  
While we're at it, anyone who has more verses or other favorite songs and
chants should feel free to post them here.

112 responses total.

When She danced on the water and the wind was her form
The Lady laughed and everything was born.
And when she lit the sun and the light gave Him birth
The Lord of the Dance first appeared on the Earth.
        Dance, then, wherever you may be,
        For I am the Lord of the dance, says He.
        I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,
        And I'll lead you all in the dance, said He.
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun.
I was called from the darkness by the song of the Earth,
I joined in the singing and She gave Me birth.
        Chorus
I dance in the circle when the flames leap up high.
I dance in the fire and I never, never die.
I dance on the waves of the bright summer sea,
For I am the Lord of the waves' mystery.
        Chorus
I sleep in the kernal and I dance in the rain.
I dance in the wind and through the ripening grain.
And when you cut me down I think nothing of the pain;
In athe Spring I'll be Lord of the dance once again.
        Chorus
They cut me down, but I leap on high. 
I am the light that will never, never die.
I'll live in you if you live in me,
I am the Lord of the dance, said He.
        Chorus
I dance on the Sabbat when you dance out the spell.
I dance and sing that everyone be well.
And when the dancing's over do not think that I am gone,
To live is to dance and I dance on and on.
        Chorus

Ah, I like that one.  

Here are a couple from alt.pagan:
THE NEW COSMOLOGY   (P. Rubin)                                                 
                                                                               
He hacked on the vacuum where the world was begun,                             
He hacked on the code that the Universe would run,                             
The code was the music in the song that he sang,                               
When he booted it up, it gave a big bang.                                      
                                                                               
        Hack, hack, wherever you may be,                                       
        I am the lord of the hacks, said he,                                   
        I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,                                
        Lead you all in the hack, said he.                                     
                                                                               
[other verses mercifully omitted]                          

This one is by Clif Flynt and maybe Bill Roper, I think.                       
        We dance out the windows and we fall to the ground,                    
        As we go *splat* we hear a joyous sound,                               
        For the people who are listening know that this will end our song,     
        And the day of our dancing now is done.                                
        *Splat*, *splat*, whoever you may be,                                  
        This is the force we call gra-vit-y,                                   
        It pulls on you-u as it pulls on me,                                   
        It pulls us all to e-ter-ni-ty.     

--------------------------------------

-phaedrus

I love the "gravity" verse!

I am also fond of th Shaker tune "Simple Gifts"
and the chant "Rise W/ The Fire"

The words of that one go:
And we can rise with the fire 
of freedom.
Truth is the fire that burns
our chains.
And we can stop the fire of
destruction.
Healing is the fire running
through our veins.

It's attributed to Starhawk.

Is that to the same tune?

not at all. More of a drum-beat with some syncopation.  I haven't sheet music
even if it were possible to copy it onto the bbs.  So sorry.  You'll have to
show up some Thurs. night if you can and ask someone to sing it for you.

Ok-a.

Great chant/song.
It's in the back of Spiral Dance I think, along with several other great 
ones.
-phaedrus

Kami,
do you have the words to ""Simple Gifts" ?

on tape. somewhere. uless I've lost it.
I think I can remember the first part:

'Tis a gift to be simple, 'tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a gift to come down where you ought to be.
And when you find yourself in the place just right,
'Twill be in the Valley of Love and Delight.
        When true simplicity is gained,
        To bow and to bend we won't be ashamed
        To turn, turn will be our delight,
        'Til by turning, turning we come 'round right.

thanx Kami, that's what I remembered from the tape I borrowed from you.

do you still have that tape? or can I copy your copy?

as far as I know, I returned it to you W/ out making a copy ; I have no way of
doing that).

uh oh.  Oh- "eye of the spiral" (the UofM pagan group) is doing music- with
tapes- this Thursday: 9:PM at the Guild House. Bring tapes and/or music.

Is it some kind of Pagan Kerioke??!! Explain please.

aaagh! the mind fries at the thought!
No, it's an open university-based pagan organization.  Most of the poeple 
who have been coming to meetings are relative beginners.  We decided to work
on learning some songs and chants, as three or four of us know a bunch and
want more while the rest want to learn the common ones.  I plan to bring
my boom box, tapes of favorite pagan music, lyric sheets, and blank tapes
in case anyone wants to copy anything.  Other folks are encouraged to do
likewise.  Make sense now?  WHy don't you drop by?

That sounds better, it sounded like a little slice of hell at first.
I'll try to drop by, but I'm so overcommited as it is, I doubt it'll 
happen. Thursdays? Where? Once again for the faint of brain!
-phaedrus

at the Guild House.  It's one block East of State, but I don't remember the
street name- I think it's one block South of S. University, but I could be
wrong about that. 9:PM.  See ya!

The street is Monroe I believe.

thanks.  I usually drive in my sleep.

Two doors down from Dominick's, and it's labelled "A Campus Ministry" over the
door.  Seems like an odd place for a pagan gathering...

huh? What's Dominick's, and I never noticed the sign. Oh well. See you there?
If not this week, next?  Cheers!

re #23- pagans have a religion, why can't they be a campus ministry?
<grin>

Much like all other beliefs, paganism is divided into sects.  However, in
other beliefs, sects are all of different ideals of the same religion.  With
pagans, it is a different religion for each sect.

vidar, annoyingly apt point.  we should work on this.  I think we (many of us)
are.

Is that a complement or an insult?  I really can't tell.

neither, dear- I consider both types of commentary to be a waste of time. I
merely make observations.  The annoyance is about the state of affairs, not
the person reporting it.  I do think we need to learn to work together much
more often, since differences in style or specific beliefs are often not
relevant. Campus ministry or outreach, public service, civil rights activism,
etc. are examples where it doesn't matter at all.  Even some general 
celebratory public rituals could be "nondenomenational" with a bit of effort.
If there can be a round church in Vermont which was built and shared by
about a dozen sects, then surely a bunch of pagan traditions, with no set
belief in their exclusive rightness, should be able to share a building or
program.

Never mind.  In fact, forget I even asked.

ok, but I think the discussion in general can be useful.

Then let
's take it to mail.

or start a new item- it's certainly relevant in this conference.

Fine wit' me, this time it's your start.

Great idea Kami, this topic is very important to the Pagan community. At leasr
least it had better become important! 

did you find the new item? 
Back to the topic at hand, who has favorite Beltaine songs/chants? I have a
couple.

Yes.

I'll post mine if you post yours ;)'

Post my what?  I forgot?

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