Drowndown by You Are Wolf

BUY at https://youarewolf.bandcamp.com/

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The third track from You Are Wolf's second album, Keld (Firecrest Records). The video was made by Sammy-Jo Tawn.

#folkmusic #alternativerock #folk

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(music by Kerry Andrew, Sam Hall and Peter Ashwell, lyrics by Kerry Andrew)

A song about vengeful rivers, partly inspired by the saying ‘River Dart, River Dart, every year thou claim’st a heart.’ In legend, the river cried out for a human life and lured a young farm boy by calling his name; indeed, it has claimed several over the years. Kerry wrote a chamber opera, Dart’s Love, in 2014 with librettist Tamsin Collison, who drew on the Dart's tendency to flood.

It’s also inspired by the monsters and spirits, from Jenny Greenteeth to the kappa (‘river child’) and kawatora (‘river-tiger’) demons of Japanese folklore, used by adults to warn their children from going too close to the edge.

LYRICS

Do not go down to the water's edge
Do not go down
Do not go down to the water's edge
The children will drown

River man river child
river mother river tiger

I'll carry you away
Look into my eyes
O, children of old England

(lyrics by Kerry Andrew)