‘Tis the HALLWE’EN season and seems the perfect
time to offer an annotated version of a folk song I wrote many, many (blood)
moons ago. Not-so-strangely, my song,
BLOOD MOON, was inspired by a WICCAN busk-mate one evening during an
actual Autumntime blood moon.
Firstly, I should explain that most songs that I write
are by my definition considered to be folk songs. Folk songs in my mind
are those songs written about a group of people and performed for the people. The folk style for such songs typically
means having a stanza form (usually three poetic verses), complete
with a refrain (a repetitive chorus for which the listener
can easily remember), and a simple melody (composed with the said
cowboys chords, G-C-D and Am, Em, and with an capo when appropriate).
Here is my annotated, BLOOD MOON:
BLOOD MOON
[During a lunar eclipse, this blood moon
phenomenon that causes the moon to turn red occurs about three times per year]
INTRO G Em (x3) D C
Em (x3)
D7 … SLIDE DOWN THE
FRETS
Verse 1
G Em G Em
Diana, Diana, Diana, Diana
[Diana, in Roman and Hellenistic religion, is the
goddess of the moon.]
G Em D
Goddess of … the moon
C
Em C Em
Splintered we are … above the flock
[Witches, though definitely marginalized by all
Christian religions, arrogantly consider themselves above the pedestrian
religious belief systems.]
C
Em C Em D7
Sinners we are … shadows in the fog
[Of course, the Christians would consider any pagan
practices as sinful, and make considerable effort to ostracize and demonize
members of the Wiccan community.]
[CHORUS]
D A D D A D
The moon, blood moon,
moon, blood moon
D Em
G A
The time when witches
rise … into battle
[Witches especially
like to rise during the blood moons, a popular time for Wiccan notoriety.]
D Em
G A
The time when the sun
… goes into shadow
[The sun has been
eclipsed by the blood moon. Also a metaphor describing this blood moon
opportunity for those who are really enlightened to actually come out publicly
and profess whatever.]
D A D D A D
The moon, blood moon,
moon, blood moon
D Em
G
A
I am rising into
battle
D Em
G A D
I am ready to fight,
to prove my love for you
[The narrator, a
male, is willing to stand up for his Wiccan love, a female.]
G Em G
Em
Diana, Diana, Diana, Diana
G Em D
Goddess of … the moon
C Em C Em
Our evil fangs bite beside the sea
[In Christianity, the biblical sea is symbolic of
evil, whereas for Wiccans, the sea is symbolic of life.]
C
Em C Em D7
Until we are vapour in the flowers green
[Wiccans have an affinity with Nature, and therefore
are one with the flowers and trees along with all other plants and things on
this earth.]
[CHORUS]
Verse 3
G Em G Em
Diana, Diana, Diana, Diana
G Em D
Goddess of … the moon
C Em C Em
My vision is fading over the horizon
[The narrator is getting older, his “vision” fading
both literally and metaphorically, perhaps even second guessing his fate after
his physical presence expires on Earth.]
C Em C
Em D7
I am getting old I am talking to myself
[To end with a personal and humorous touch, this
song-writing narrator, admits to getting old and even talking to himself as he
types this.]
[CHORUS]
D A D D A D
Moon, blood moon, moon, blood moon.
The fact is, that witches are among us. As many as one million Americans profess to
be Wiccan. Wicca is a nature-based, belief system, strongly influenced by
pre-Christian beliefs, and technically classified as a pagan religion, though
not all Wiccans identify as Pagans, and certainly not all Pagans identify as
Wiccan.
Some factoids about witches:
- Anyone can choose to be a witch. Though Wicca does not have an actual formalized structure, anyone choosing to be a witch can either join a local coven or go solo.
- Wicca places more emphasis on experiences and ritual rather than on belief. In this regard, Wicca quite resembles Zen or Phenomenology, a far cry from any recognized religion agitprop.
- The zeitgeist of witches donning goth gear and having tattoos and piercings and pointy hats and magic wands, and riding brooms are traditional but fiction, except for those dressing as witches, during the eddy of Hallowe’en or at costume parties. The witches among us are accountants and teachers and cowboys and even hypnotherapists! (My humour but not me.)
- Wiccan and Witches are synonyms, whereas, Wiccan and Pagan are not synonyms. There are some core beliefs shared between Wiccans and Pagans. Both assemblies are Nature based, and both are lovers and worshippers of Nature. Both groups are polytheistic (multiple gods and goddesses), and both believe that female and male forces have equal sway in the universe.
- Neither Wiccans nor Pagans believe in heaven or hell, and therefore there is no such thing as sin for either sect. Wicca is certainly more ludic than being frightened by a Lucifer! There may be no sin, but there is Karma, the belief that sooner or later the good and bad actions we do will come back around to momentarily enhance or hinder our lives.
Dear readers I could go on and on and on with a rather
esoteric literary analysis, as I am now humble bragging that my first
university degree was in English Literature) but …
Marching in my CHAUCERIAN PARADE this week:
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| BUSKING OCTOBER 30 - 2022 |
 |
| BUSK POT OCTOBER 30 - 2022 |
 |
| BENNETT Q PERFORMING AT THE CURE |
BENNETT Q is our door manager for the CURE AS FOLK FUNDRAISER FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS OF PAKISTAN come NOVEMBER 17TH at THE CURE KITCHEN + BAR here in Regina SK CANADA. (Google BENNETT Q -- He's an awesome performer!)
