This was the very first Pagan song I wrote back in 1997. I went to a Druid ceremony that was held around an ancient oak tree that was being threatened by the Newbury bypass. The dedication of the road protestors really moved me, so I wrote this song when I got home. The road was built in the end, but the Middle Oak was spared the chainsaw, it still lives, in the middle of a roundabout...
lyrics
Tomb of the King
(Damh the Bard)
Beneath a mist-capped mountain,
An oaken forest did grow,
Around and ancient trackway,
that led to the old Barrow.
On a starlit night on the dark of the moon,
A torch lights the funeral pyre,
And the iciness in the tribe’s hearts,
Are warmed by the heat of the fire.
Then the Druids move in with the dawn,
As the circle of people they sing,
And the ashes are gathering together,
And taken to the Tomb of the King.
Then down through history they changed,
And the Sacred Grove it came,
On the night of initiation,
An ordeal of terror and pain,
The warriors stood in the forest,
With the herbs rubbed into their brows,
Then they turned to face the darkness,
Of the old Barrow.
Then down through history they changed,
When a woman cold and bare,
Ran into the darkened forest,
And into the Ancestor’s Lair,
Then men on horseback drew near,
And they looked into the mouth of the hill,
Then they left that bitch, that healer, that Witch,
Until all in the forest was still.
In a Parliament House in London town,
A part of our heritage dies,
The road builder’s plan is blessed by a cheque,
as the blood of the signature dries,
Then the monsters move in with the dawn,
As the circle of people they sing,
And the old oaks are cut from the earth,
As they tear down the Tomb of the King.
As I sit in the silence of my car,
I notice that not much has changed,
More cars just use this road now,
And the traffic jam now has three lanes,
Still my dream takes me back to the time,
When in the circles we sing,
Under a moonlit sky,
To heal the Tomb of the King.
Beneath a mist-capped mountain,
An oaken forest did grow,
Around and ancient trackway,
that led to the old Barrow.
Damh the Bard – is a modern-day Bard whose spirituality and love of folk tradition is expressed through his music,
storytelling and poetry. Drawing on the Bardic tradition, his performances are both entertaining and educational, speaking directly to the heart, and never without a good splash of humour....more
Celtic-inspired instrumentation, delicate harmonies, and reflective lyrics abound on the sisterly indie-folk duo's debut album. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 26, 2023
Bright and skipping songs that foreground the sound of the banjo and fingerstyle guitar in music that feels timeless. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 5, 2020
supported by 22 fans who also own “Tomb of the King”
A silky, smooth, sultry voice weaving lyrical imagery upon a canvas of exquisite tonal contours. Immensely pleasurable. The bouncy cheer of " Little Bird" is a delightful contrast to the dusky jazz groove of this truly beautiful album. Much gratitude for you S J ! roddylloyd