The Wildwood Tribe - Raise the Lantern High

V6-WILD

[Intro – Irish wooden transverse flute solo, ancient modal hook; low drone, frame drum, fiddle and cittern gradually enter]

[Verse 1 – Male Lead]
When the western sky is fading,
And the road lies cold and long,
Hear the old hills breathe around us,
Like the shadow of a song.
Through the heather, through the rainfall,
Past the standing stones we roam,
While the lantern burns before us,
Guiding every wanderer home.

[Pre-Chorus – Male Lead, Female Harmonies]
Though the night may rise around us,
Still the flame will mark the way—

[Chorus – Full Band, broad melodic harmonies]
Raise the lantern high,
Let its fire guard the night,
Raise the lantern high,
Till the eastern sky grows bright.

[Female Voices]
Through the mist and through the darkness—

[Male Voices]
Still the ancient road goes on—

[All]
Raise the lantern, raise the lantern,
Bear its fire toward the dawn.

[Flute Break – Irish wooden transverse flute takes full melodic lead; memorable variation of chorus hook; fiddle answers over drone and frame drum]

[Verse 2 – Male Lead]
Weathered stones beside the pathway,
Roots lie deep beneath the ground,
Names forgotten by the living
Still are carried in the sound.
Every mile becomes a memory,
Every scar becomes a sign,
And the footsteps of the vanished
Walk beside this road with mine.

[Pre-Chorus – Male Lead, Female Harmonies]
Though the night may rise around us,
Still the flame will mark the way—

[Chorus – Full Band]
Raise the lantern high,
Let its fire guard the night,
Raise the lantern high,
Till the eastern sky grows bright.

[Female Voices]
Through the mist and through the darkness—

[Male Voices]
Still the ancient road goes on—

[All]
Raise the lantern, raise the lantern,
Bear its fire toward the dawn.

[Instrumental – Irish transverse flute front and center; modal folk melody, cittern ostinato, low bowed drone, fiddle counter-line, restrained medieval percussion]

[Verse 3 – Male Lead, warm and intimate]
When the final fire is fading,
And the moon is pale and thin,
We will hear the road behind us
Like a voice beneath the wind.
For the path is more than distance,
More than earth beneath our feet,
It is every name remembered,
Every soul we chance to meet.

[Build – Alternating Band Voices]
[Male Lead]
Hear the old road calling—

[Male Voices]
Far beyond the stone—

[Male Lead]
When the night surrounds us—

[Female Voices]
Still we are not alone.

[Bridge – Full Band, solemn rising intensity]
For the road,
For the flame,
For the ones who bore our name,
For the lost,
For the known,
For the paths that lead us home.

[Flute Solo – Irish wooden transverse flute takes full melodic lead; soaring modal variation of chorus theme; fiddle joins halfway; band gradually builds]

[Final Chorus – Full Band, widest harmonies]
Raise the lantern high,
Let its fire guard the night,
Raise the lantern high,
Till the eastern sky grows bright.

[Female Voices – soaring]
Through the mist and through the darkness—

[Male Voices]
Still the ancient road goes on—

[All]
Raise the lantern, raise the lantern,
Bear its fire toward the dawn.

[Post-Chorus – layered male and female voices]
Bear the flame,
Guard the light,
Keep it burning through the night.

[All]
Raise the lantern, raise the lantern,
Bear its fire toward the dawn.

[Outro – Irish wooden transverse flute reprises main hook alone; low drone underneath; distant mixed humming; final cittern chord]

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[Intro – Irish wooden transverse flute solo, ancient modal hook; low drone, frame drum, fiddle and cittern gradually enter] [Verse 1 – Male Lead] When the western sky is fading, And the road lies cold and long, Hear the old hills breathe around us, Like the shadow of a song. Through the heather, through the rainfall, Past the standing stones we roam, While the lantern burns before us, Guiding every wanderer home. [Pre-Chorus – Male Lead, Female Harmonies] Though the night may rise around us, Still the flame will mark the way— [Chorus – Full Band, broad melodic harmonies] Raise the lantern high, Let its fire guard the night, Raise the lantern high, Till the eastern sky grows bright. [Female Voices] Through the mist and through the darkness— [Male Voices] Still the ancient road goes on— [All] Raise the lantern, raise the lantern, Bear its fire toward the dawn. [Flute Break – Irish wooden transverse flute takes full melodic lead; memorable variation of chorus hook; fiddle answers over drone and frame drum] [Verse 2 – Male Lead] Weathered stones beside the pathway, Roots lie deep beneath the ground, Names forgotten by the living Still are carried in the sound. Every mile becomes a memory, Every scar becomes a sign, And the footsteps of the vanished Walk beside this road with mine. [Pre-Chorus – Male Lead, Female Harmonies] Though the night may rise around us, Still the flame will mark the way— [Chorus – Full Band] Raise the lantern high, Let its fire guard the night, Raise the lantern high, Till the eastern sky grows bright. [Female Voices] Through the mist and through the darkness— [Male Voices] Still the ancient road goes on— [All] Raise the lantern, raise the lantern, Bear its fire toward the dawn. [Instrumental – Irish transverse flute front and center; modal folk melody, cittern ostinato, low bowed drone, fiddle counter-line, restrained medieval percussion] [Verse 3 – Male Lead, warm and intimate] When the final fire is fading, And the moon is pale and thin, We will hear the road behind us Like a voice beneath the wind. For the path is more than distance, More than earth beneath our feet, It is every name remembered, Every soul we chance to meet. [Build – Alternating Band Voices] [Male Lead] Hear the old road calling— [Male Voices] Far beyond the stone— [Male Lead] When the night surrounds us— [Female Voices] Still we are not alone. [Bridge – Full Band, solemn rising intensity] For the road, For the flame, For the ones who bore our name, For the lost, For the known, For the paths that lead us home. [Flute Solo – Irish wooden transverse flute takes full melodic lead; soaring modal variation of chorus theme; fiddle joins halfway; band gradually builds] [Final Chorus – Full Band, widest harmonies] Raise the lantern high, Let its fire guard the night, Raise the lantern high, Till the eastern sky grows bright. [Female Voices – soaring] Through the mist and through the darkness— [Male Voices] Still the ancient road goes on— [All] Raise the lantern, raise the lantern, Bear its fire toward the dawn. [Post-Chorus – layered male and female voices] Bear the flame, Guard the light, Keep it burning through the night. [All] Raise the lantern, raise the lantern, Bear its fire toward the dawn. [Outro – Irish wooden transverse flute reprises main hook alone; low drone underneath; distant mixed humming; final cittern chord]

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