25 Days of Holiday Music: Day 20

Thanks to A Game of Thrones, we've been seeing "Winter is Coming" since, um, since well before last winter. But Winter is truly coming in the Northern Hemisphere, and it arrives at 6:12am on December 21 (EST). That makes today, December 20, the eve of the Winter Solstice. After tonight, the days become longer as we trudge through the cold part of the year on our way to Spring. This evening is also Mother's Night (sometimes written as Mothers Night or Mothernight) in the reconstructed and/or revived traditions of Europe's pre-Christian spiritualities (called by many names such as Asatru, Germanic and Scandinavian Paganism, Heathenry, etc.). As the first evening in Yuletide, Mothers Night is devoted to honoring the female ancestor spirits (in your family line, as well as the Goddesses of home and hearth). Yule continues for 12 nights, or 12 days if you prefer, and is likely the source for the modern 12 days of Christmas.

With all of the above in mind, I give you today's song: "What Night Is This?"

Katerina El Haj adapted the tune of "Greensleeves" -- writing new lyrics to the song best known as "What Child Is This?" -- and included it on her album, Yule Song ~ Carols for the Craft (2011), a collection of songs specifically for the Yuletide season. If you enjoy it, and I hope you do, you can purchase it (and other tunes) at Katerina's Bandcamp page.

What Night Is This?

What night is this so long and drear

When all good folk would gather near

To light their pyres, the Solstice fires

And tend the blaze till morning.

All, all of nature sing

As the days grow long, so comes the Spring.

All hail our Lord, the Sun,

The babe of our blessed Lady.

So build the fires strong and high

The wind will be His lullaby

Returning king, of thee we sing

Watching the Yule log burning.

All, all of nature sing

As the days grow long, so comes the Spring.

All hail our Lord, the Sun,

The babe of our blessed Lady.

Come join me by the Yuletide flame

To call our Lord by His holy name.

By fire bright, invoke His light

Keeping watch till dawning

All, all of nature sing

As the days grow long, so comes the Spring.

All hail our Lord, the Sun,

The babe of our blessed Lady.

If you like my music posts, please consider giving me +K in Music on @klout. And, please, do check out the other entries in my 25 Days of Holiday Music series!