Faerie Queen (song)
Encyclopedia
Faerie Queen is a song performed by Celtic
artist Heather Alexander on her first solo album, Wanderlust. The song credits in the Heather Alexander Songbook are lyrics by Philip R. Obermarck; additional lyrics & music by Heather Alexander.
The heroine challenges the Faerie Queen to a duel with her fiancé as the stake. The queen agrees: they will both play the fiddle, and whichever one plays best will get to keep him. The faeries then hand her a black violin, and she plays an amazing melody. The heroine is disheartened, sure that she can never match the queen's performance, but then looks into her fiancé's eyes and is inspired by her love for him.
Her song, while initially somewhat melancholy, gradually builds in speed and intensity until there can be no doubt as to who is the better fiddler. Shocked, the Faerie Queen concedes that skill alone cannot compare to love and releases the heroine's fiancé.
, a song by the Charlie Daniels Band, although in this case the prize for winning the contest is a person rather than an object. The story of a woman freeing her man from the Queen of the Fairies may be a reference to the legend of Tam Lin
.
debuted a companion song, He of the Sidhe, at Norwescon 30 in 2007. Also called Faerie King, He of the Sidhe uses the same music but a different story and different fiddle solos. The hero of the song encounters the Faerie Queen as well, who references the "red-haired girl" from Faerie Queen.
He of the Sidhe is recorded on Adams' CD Balance of Nature. Alexander James Adams is credited for the lyrics and Heather Alexander for the music.
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
artist Heather Alexander on her first solo album, Wanderlust. The song credits in the Heather Alexander Songbook are lyrics by Philip R. Obermarck; additional lyrics & music by Heather Alexander.
Synopsis
The heroine, a fiddler, is riding home when the song starts. Suddenly her horse becomes spooked and throws her off. As the heroine is trying to get up, she sees a band of faeries returning home from a hunt. Among them is the heroine's fiancé; although he is under the Faerie Queen's spell, she recognizes him by his eyes.The heroine challenges the Faerie Queen to a duel with her fiancé as the stake. The queen agrees: they will both play the fiddle, and whichever one plays best will get to keep him. The faeries then hand her a black violin, and she plays an amazing melody. The heroine is disheartened, sure that she can never match the queen's performance, but then looks into her fiancé's eyes and is inspired by her love for him.
Her song, while initially somewhat melancholy, gradually builds in speed and intensity until there can be no doubt as to who is the better fiddler. Shocked, the Faerie Queen concedes that skill alone cannot compare to love and releases the heroine's fiancé.
Cultural references
The song references the English myth of the Faerie Queen. It is also similar in plot to The Devil Went Down to GeorgiaThe Devil Went Down to Georgia
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1979 album Million Mile Reflections....
, a song by the Charlie Daniels Band, although in this case the prize for winning the contest is a person rather than an object. The story of a woman freeing her man from the Queen of the Fairies may be a reference to the legend of Tam Lin
Tam Lin
Tam Lin is the hero of a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies...
.
He of the Sidhe (Faerie King)
Alexander James AdamsAlexander James Adams
Alexander James Adams is an American singer, musician and songwriter in the Celtic and World music genres. He blends mythical, fantasy, and traditional themes in performances, switching between instrumental fiddle and songs accompanied by guitar, bodhrán, and fiddle playing...
debuted a companion song, He of the Sidhe, at Norwescon 30 in 2007. Also called Faerie King, He of the Sidhe uses the same music but a different story and different fiddle solos. The hero of the song encounters the Faerie Queen as well, who references the "red-haired girl" from Faerie Queen.
He of the Sidhe is recorded on Adams' CD Balance of Nature. Alexander James Adams is credited for the lyrics and Heather Alexander for the music.
See also
- The Devil Went Down to GeorgiaThe Devil Went Down to Georgia"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1979 album Million Mile Reflections....
- Heather Alexander
- Alexander James AdamsAlexander James AdamsAlexander James Adams is an American singer, musician and songwriter in the Celtic and World music genres. He blends mythical, fantasy, and traditional themes in performances, switching between instrumental fiddle and songs accompanied by guitar, bodhrán, and fiddle playing...