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Our journey took us through the dark, a long and winding road;
Our caravan was weary, and right heavy was our load;
We saw the light, we found the gate, we made our way within;
No words can tell our thankfulness, when greeted by our kin:
Welcome home.
CHORUS:
Welcome home from near and far,
Welcome home whoe'er you are,
Welcome home again, wherever you may roam,
From north and south, east and west,
To the place we love the best,
Where the heart may find its rest: welcome home.
We stumbled and we staggered, for we had travelled long;
Our eyelids they were heavy, and our bodies far from strong.
But through the gate we entered, and from every friendly face
Came words that gave us strength again, like herbs of healing grace:
Welcome home. (CH)
Each time I walk those lands again, returned on pilgrim feet,
I almost kneel and kiss the ground, the grass so green and sweet;
The sky so fair, the stars so bright, the fires and friendships dear,
And sweet as any song to me, the words I love to hear:
Welcome home. (CH)
So all you joyful pilgrims, who once a year are found
Upon the shores of Cooper's Lake, that well-beloved ground,
Pass on the words that welcome you, in early times or late,
And greet the weary traveler who enters through the gate:
Welcome home. (CH)
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Now the days are growing longer
Soon the war will be at hand.
From all corners of our kingdom
Rise the stalwarts of our land.
Come you shires, come you cantons
Hear the Northern warriors cry!
Come you baronies and ridings
See the Southern banners fly!
CHORUS:
Gathering for love and honor
Standing for our king and land!
Off to battle, off to splendor
Glory to our Eastern band!
Glory to our Eastern band!
Knights in armor, keeneyed archers,
Lancers fierce on horses tall.
Nimble fencers, mighty axemen,
None afraid, courageous all.
Heralds cry with ringing voices,
Marshals stand to hold the line.
Steadfast helpers bear the water,
Surgeons wait to mend and bind. (CH)
Needleworkers, clever craftfolk
Laboring throughout the night,
Scribes and chroniclers with quills
Make ready for the coming fight.
Ministers_and loyal councillors,
Seneschals and castellans,
Widefamed peers and worthy nobles
All to battle set their hands. (CH)
‘Neath the Tyger passant azure
Gathers now the thronging crowd.
All distinct and yet united,
Singing Eastern praises loud.
Pipes and drums now call us onward,
Trumpets sound a thunderous roar!
Music sets our feet to marching
As we make our way to War! (CH)
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3. |
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CHORUS:
Now heed the call of Queen and King
As war drums thunder and battle rings.
Raise your voices and lift your swords;
The Eastern Tyger is called to war.
Beat your plowshares into swords,
Black the fields from battle scars.
Guided by our eastern star,
Hear the Tyger's mighty roar.
The Eastern Tyger roars! (CH)
Bowman loose your arrows swift.
Foes will shake at blackened sky.
Sky will sing with fatal gift.
Guard us with your deadly eye.
The Eastern Tyger roars! (CH)
Swear on chain of honor bright.
Kneel before your Tyger King,
Rise! the host of eastern knights.
Courage stands through anything.
The Eastern Tyger roars! (CH)
Blood of heroes runs through our veins.
Blood, the price of honor and pride.
Blood that's shed by battle slain,
Blood that cannot be denied.
The Eastern Tyger roars! (CH)
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4. |
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In the sunrise, we march through the fog on the field
’Til your eye sees the bold Eastern banner revealed.
There’s a clamor arising from each sword and shield,
And we roar as we enter the fray.
Though on this day our forces are dwarfed by the foe,
We are Tygers united with valor to show,
Every warrior defending our realm, blow for blow.
Win or lose, they’ll remember this day.
CHORUS:
We are the fighters. We are the makers.
We are in service, preparing the feast.
We are the elders. We are the children.
We are all family, for we are the East.
In the work of our hands, and the work of our hearts,
Shaping glass, shaping metal and thread to our arts.
We are learning, then teaching, all playing our parts
To bring all of our crafts to new heights.
As we sit round the fire, singing old songs and new
And our voices combine, whether many or few,
There’s a bond we create that feels hallowed and true
To sustain us on long winter nights. (CH)
For the long months we plan, putting work before fun,
For each pot that we scrub, for each list that we run,
Be we cook, be we Royal, we do what needs done
For the splendor that must be arrayed.
We researched our designs: are the letters just right?
Scratching ink into scroll, working late in the night,
’Til the gasp from the court as it catches the light
Marks a memory that won’t ever fade. (CH)
We remember the times we each felt so alone
Though we lived in a kingdom that we’d never known.
Now we’ve found it, embraced it, and made it our own,
And we’re bound here by so many ties.
It’s remarkable now to discover that we’re
Each a part of this tapestry, that much is clear.
In these moments of joy, we fly back through the years
And the centuries fade from our eyes. (CH)
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5. |
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CHORUS:
Here comes the East with banners raised
Join your voices sing her praise
Shout to the sky in proud displays
Oriens Victoriosus!
Look to the throne, the Eastern light
Crowning brilliance fills our sight
Beneath their rays our hearts ignite
Oriens Victoriosus! (CH)
Look to our kin at battle’s call
Eastern love holds each in thrall
Some will stay raisèd some will fall
Oriens Victoriosus! (CH)
Look to our homes to fields and plows
Think on them while time allows
Ere we come to fill our vows
Oriens Victoriosus! (CH)
Look to the kith of Eastern Lands
All created by their hands
This is why she strongly stands
Oriens Victoriosus! (CH)
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6. |
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Tyger's army onto the field
To contend with sword and shield
With the foe they quickly deal:
Tyger's army shall never yield!
CHORUS:
AVE TIGRIS REGIA
PETAMUS PRO VICTORIA!
Tyger's archers, prowess show;
Take the field with shaft and bow.
Arrows fall like iron snow;
Swift and silent fall the foe. (CH)
Feline grace and Tyger's sense,
Sharpened blade and muscles tense;
Execute the art of fence
For Honor, let the duel commence! (CH)
Valor, Honor, Courtesy
Raise the arm of Chivalry
Dangerous in enmity
Follow the Tyger to victory! (CH)
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7. |
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I'll tell you a tale of an Everyman brave
Who wandered the earth on a quest for the grail
While many gave shelter and rest from the storm
Like Galahad's story was Everyman's tale
Everyman's travels brought him to the oracle
Asking her desperately, "How shall I fare?
I've traveled so long and I've traveled so lonely."
She posed him a riddle to solve if he dared.
CHORUS:
Where is the light of the East?
Where is the beauty of the dawn?
We walk through the night without lantern or guide
And a man walks beside us sword drawn.
His feet took him next to a fair and great city
The buildings were taller than any he'd seen
He asked for the grail, but they said it was taken
A long time ago; they were better days then.
The tavern he stood in was suddenly shaken
Shutters and tavern door both were blown in
As dust and debris turned the day into night
He could just barely see where a building had been. (CH)
A gentle hand fell on his sorrowing shoulder
He looked up to see a cup filled with sweet mead
He took a deep drought and felt strength everlasting
When the call came for helpers he turned to take heed.
May all of us turn when we hear that great call
In service we find what we often most need
There's help in your own special search for your grail
And a prayer for those who would lead.
Where is the light of the East?
And where is the beauty of the dawn?
We'll follow a Queen whose strength is our guide
And a King who will lead us sword drawn.
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8. |
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CHORUS:
Regnum Orientalis in caelum oriens
Regnum Orientalis aeternum oriens
As I rode weary and low to my homeward bound
The mountains, forests, fair meadows and beaches all around
Seemed to unite in a mingled song, a vast and ringing sound
By their voices sweet and strong, I knew at last I'd found. (CH)
Blazing sun that beamed on high, my eye beheld our King
Within his golden light I espy lands broad and prospering
The shining star of heaven's shroud, the jewel amongst their crowd
Luminous Queen both wise and proud, her honor we proclaim loud. (CH)
Warriors fight brave and true in service to our land
Defending all that we hold dear, it's here we make our stand.
From all lands fair lord and dame bend down before the crown
Vivat the East! Our glorious flame, long life and great renown. (CH)
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9. |
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CHORUS:
East Realm my heart,
East Realm my home,
The East I'll defend forever.
Gregor von Heisler, King of the East,
Christence his queen fair and true.
Together they reign o'er the fairest realm
The Knowne World ever knew. (CH)
Strength of arm, courage of heart,
Chivalry, wisdom, and majesty.
These are the things which make our king
Renowned from sea to sea. (CH)
Honor and beauty, gentle and kind,
Famed in grace and courtesy.
In battle, in arts, in service to the Realm,
Our queen inspires us to quality. (CH)
Be ye warned, enemies to peace,
Our warriors are mighty and courageous.
A call to arms from our king
Brings retribution full righteous. (CH)
(N.B. it is acceptable to substitute the names of the reigning Royalty for Their Graces Gregor and Christence.)
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10. |
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Twilight falls across the land
And a pain strikes me as I understand
It's the last night of Pennsic, it's soon time to go,
And I wish, oh, I wish, that it were not so.
But all stories must end, all songs fade away,
Like the sun going down at the ending of day.
So tomorrow we pack up our gear and we leave
Even though in our hearts we surely will grieve.
CHORUS:
Pennsic, farewell! Adieu and good-bye!
Rest in our hearts as we pass the year by.
Many a time we'll remember and smile,
Oh, glad was the heart that could stay here a while.
For two weeks we have lived as folks long ago.
We've seen battles and courts and campfires a-glow.
All the riches of the ages were ours for a song,
In a place where so briefly we truly belong.
But we know in our hearts, our time here must end.
To our lives and our work our paths now must wend.
So I ask you to join me, as with a sad sigh,
I bid these fair hills so fondly good-bye. (CH)
Well, the firelight shines on each smiling face,
Like the warm love I feel for this hallowed place.
Yet, I know it's not classes nor courts that I'll miss
Not the archery nor merchants that give such sweet bliss.
What we'll miss is the lake shining torch-lit through trees,
Sound of laughter and drums carried soft on the breeze,
The stars blazing brightly in dark skies above,
The dreams that we live, the people we love. (CH)
Oh, glad is this heart that could stay here a while.
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This collection contains songs celebrating the East Kingdom of the Society for Creative Anachronism, by some of the kingdom's pre-eminent bards, past and present. These are all-new productions of songs in the "Sing for the East" songbook, Vol 1 & 2, with the help of several other talented performers.
All profits from "Sing for the East" will be donated to the East Kingdom Royal Travel Fund.