Song Lyrics: Vale Decem (Farewell, Ten) Part II

In this post, I jotted down some lyrics for "Vale Decem", the Tenth Doctor's swan song in Doctor Who "The End of Time, Part II). It seems that there are several different versions of the lyrics are floating around out there. Here's another one:

Vale Decem (Farewell, Ten)
Ad Aeternam (On to Eternity)
Di Meloria (The Fates be with You)
Ad Aeternam (On the Eternity)
Vale Decem (Farewell, Ten)
Di Meloria (The Fates be with You)
Beati (Oh, Blessed)
Pacifici (He Who Brought Us Peace)
Vale Decem (Farewell, Ten)
Alis Grave (Lay Down Your Burden)
Ad Perpetuam (We Will Remember)
Memoriam (Forever)
Vale Decem (Farewell, Ten)
Gratis Tibi Ago (We Give You Thanks)
Ad Aeternam (On to Eternity)
Numquam Singularis (You Are Never Alone)
Numquam (Never)
Vale (x10)  (Farewell...x10)
All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011

Song Lyrics: Vale Decem (Farewell, Ten)

This song was composed and conducted by Murray Gold, one of my favorite composers. He does the music for the Doctor Who series. This particular song accompanied the regeneration scene in "The End of Time, part II" when the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) turns into the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith). The words are in Latin.

Vale Decem                                                                         Farewell, Ten

Honore res quara                                                  Because of (your) honor
Emerio                                                                         (It is) well deserved
Alter altera                                                                      This other (one)...

Vale Decem                                                                         Farewell, Ten
Emerio                                                                        (It is) well deserved
Alter...                                                                               This other (one)
Alteri ti                                                                          Other one of you...

Vale Decem                                                                         Farewell, Ten
Vale Stragem                                       Farewell (to) Carnage (destruction)
Valde Tempetua                                                               (to) intense trials
De glorio...                                                              (of) concerning pride...

Vale Decem                                                                         Farewell, Ten
Vale Decet                                                         (farewell) in a proper way
Honore res quara                                                  because of (your) honor
Alter cerna                                                     The next separation (change)
Armis                                                                             (by) force of arms
Grata tunc, usquera, emani                            flow out, all the way, with joy.
Vale (x12)                                                                                  (Farewell)

("I don't want to go...")

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010

Song Lyrics: Two Hanukkah Songs

In honor of Hanukkah, I'd like to share two of my favorite songs of the season. I'm not Jewish, but I have friends who are, so this is dedicated to them.


Dreidel Song (I am a Little Dreidel. Yiddish: Ikh bin A Kleyner Dreidel)
I have a little Dreidel
I made it out of clay,
And when it's dry and ready
O Dreidel I shall play.


A dreidel ("Sevivon" in Hebrew) is a 4-sided top. Each side has a Hebrew letter: Nun, Gimel, Hei, Shin, which is short for "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham", "A Great Miracle Happened There." Each player starts with the same number of tokens (like chocolate coins, or 'gelt') and spin the dreidel during their turn. 


If Nun comes up, nothing is done
   gimel,              , the player takes the entire pot in the middle.
   hei                   , the player takes half (or half plus one, if there's an odd number)
   shin                 , the player puts one token in the middle.


The few times I've played the Dreidel game, I've always been the first one to run out of money. I'm the first to admit I have lousy luck in games of chance.


Oh, Chanukah! (Chanukah is another spelling of Hanukkah. It's the same thing.)


Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah

Come light the menorah
Let's have a party
We'll all dance the horah
Gather round the table, we'll give you a treat
Dreidels to play with, and latkes to eat

Menorah: A candleholder with nine branches. The ninth candle is the "shamash" (helper) from which the other eight are lit, one candle per day of Hanukkah.

Horah: A circle dance

latke: Potato pancake

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010

Song Lyrics: Dark Island

I haven't done one of these in a while, but I recently heard this traditional Scottish song again and fell in love with it. I remember the first time I heard it: an episode of Stargate Atlantis, during the funeral scene in "Sunday". This is the song the piper played on the bagpipes. I couldn't remember the name of the song, although it was familiar. So I looked up the lyrics.

Like many Celtic songs, there are many variations of the lyrics. Here is one variation by Stewart Ross (Inverness, Scotland). There's another one by David Silver, here. The tune itself was originally by Ian McLaughlan. It was written for the 1970's BBC series "The Dark Island"

In the years, long ago
When I first left my home,
I was young and I wanted
the whole world to roam.
But now I am older
and wiser, you see,
for that lovely Dark Island
is calling to me.

O, I've wandered away
from the land of my birth
and been roaming around
to the ends of the earth.
Still my heart is at home
in that land far away,
That lovely Dark Island
where memories stray.

One day, I'll return
to that far distant shore,
and from that dear Island
I'll wander no more.
'Till the day that I die
I will no longer roam,
for that lovely Dark Island
will be my last home.

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010

O Canada!

Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends!

In honor of Canada, here are the lyrics to the national anthem:

O Canada! (English Lyrics by Robert Stanley Weir, 1908)

Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

French Lyrics by Adolphe-Basile Routhier, 1880)

Ô Canada!Terre de nos aïeux,

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

*****

And an original poem by me in French:

Le Canada est plus:

nettoyer les rues

pas de graffites

gens polis.

Est plus:

sirop d'érable

bacon

neige.

Est plus:

Hockey

Gendarmerie royal du Canada

et de ceux qui disent "Eh?"

Un pays est plus que le stéréotype

C'est un peuple de beaucoup de coleurs,

de nombreuses langues,

et le coeur.

All writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010

Favorite Song Lurics: Siuil a Ruin

I love listening to Celtic music when I write. Here are they lyrics to an Irish traditional song called "Siuil a Ruin". ("Go, my Love")

I wish I was on yonder hill

'Tis there I'd sit and cry my fill

And every tear would turn a mill

Is go dté tú mo mhuirnín slán

Chorus

Siúil, siúil, siúil a rúin

Siúil go socair agus siúil go ciúin

Siúil go doras agus éalaigh liom

Is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán

I'll sell my rock I'll sell my reel

I'll sell my only spinning wheel

To buy my love a sword of steel

Is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán

I'll dye my petticoats, I'll dye them red

And round the port I'll beg my bread

Until my parents shall wish me dead

Is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán

I wish, I wish, I wish in vain

I wish I had my heart again

And vainly think I'd not complain

Is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán

And now my love has gone to France

to try his fortune to advance

If he e'er comes back 'tis but a chance

Is go dté tú mo mhúirnín slán

One translation of the Irish chorus is

Go, go, go my love

Go quietly and peacefully

Go to the door and flee with me

And may you go safely my dear.

l

All writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2010