I Am Stretched on Your Grave
Encyclopedia
"I Am Stretched on Your Grave" is a translation of an anonymous
17th-century Irish poem
titled "Táim sínte ar do thuama". It was translated into English several times, most notably by Frank O'Connor
.
It was put to music by musician Philip King
in 1979.
The tune had existed since at least 1928 and been associated with the poem as a song, since it is to the tune of "Taim Sinte ar do Thuamba" that Hymn #47 in Danta De: Idir Sean agus Nuad (the Trinity Sunday hymn "Dia an t-Athair do shealbhaig flaitheas naomhtha") is set. The hymnal says the tune is from Munster.
While the translation and tune had both existed prior to its first recording as a whole, and in various versions of melody and lyric (and all or most likely possessing a strong similarity), the popular and current versions are influenced or rely heavily on the adapted version by King, which was recorded on the group Scullion's
first album from 1979 on the Mulligan Records label (called Scullion
), and titled "I Am Stretched on Your Grave."
Since then it has been played on recordings and in performances by many professional, semi-professional, and amateur musicians, students, and hobbyists.
Anonymous work
Anonymous works are works, such as art or literature, that have an anonymous, undisclosed, or unknown creator or author. In the United States it is legally defined as "a work on the copies or phonorecords of which no natural person is identified as author."...
17th-century Irish poem
Irish poetry
The history of Irish poetry includes the poetries of two languages, one in Irish and the other in English. The complex interplay between these two traditions, and between both of them and other poetries in English, has produced a body of work that is both rich in variety and difficult to...
titled "Táim sínte ar do thuama". It was translated into English several times, most notably by Frank O'Connor
Frank O'Connor
Frank O’Connor was an Irish author of over 150 works, best known for his short stories and memoirs.-Early life:...
.
It was put to music by musician Philip King
Philip King (musician)
Philip King is a musician, film maker, and broadcaster. A founding member of the band Scullion, he is noted for his knowledge of the roots of Irish music and culture and its cross-fertilisation with those of the US in particular, he is a popular figure in Irish music circles...
in 1979.
The tune had existed since at least 1928 and been associated with the poem as a song, since it is to the tune of "Taim Sinte ar do Thuamba" that Hymn #47 in Danta De: Idir Sean agus Nuad (the Trinity Sunday hymn "Dia an t-Athair do shealbhaig flaitheas naomhtha") is set. The hymnal says the tune is from Munster.
While the translation and tune had both existed prior to its first recording as a whole, and in various versions of melody and lyric (and all or most likely possessing a strong similarity), the popular and current versions are influenced or rely heavily on the adapted version by King, which was recorded on the group Scullion's
Scullion (group)
Scullion is an Irish folk rock band that came into being in the mid 1970s. They were quite popular in Ireland, and released several LPs, but only two CDs have been released to date - the compilation Ghosts And Heroes on the Kitten label in 1992 and another compilation Eyelids into Snow - A...
first album from 1979 on the Mulligan Records label (called Scullion
Scullion (album)
Scullion is the first studio album by Irish band Scullion. It was released in 1979 by Mulligan Music and produced by P.J. Curtis.-Track listing:-Personnel:Scullion*Sonny Condell — vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, percussion...
), and titled "I Am Stretched on Your Grave."
Since then it has been played on recordings and in performances by many professional, semi-professional, and amateur musicians, students, and hobbyists.
Album recordings
- ScullionScullion (group)Scullion is an Irish folk rock band that came into being in the mid 1970s. They were quite popular in Ireland, and released several LPs, but only two CDs have been released to date - the compilation Ghosts And Heroes on the Kitten label in 1992 and another compilation Eyelids into Snow - A...
, on their self-titled first albumScullion (album)Scullion is the first studio album by Irish band Scullion. It was released in 1979 by Mulligan Music and produced by P.J. Curtis.-Track listing:-Personnel:Scullion*Sonny Condell — vocals, guitar, piano, saxophone, percussion...
in 1979 - Sinéad O'ConnorSinéad O'ConnorSinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
, crediting King, on the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't GotI Do Not Want What I Haven't GotI Do Not Want What I Haven't Got is the second album by Sinéad O'Connor. It was released in 1990 on Chrysalis Records.-Description:The critically acclaimed album contains her most famous single, "Nothing Compares 2 U", and was one of the best selling records in the world in 1990, topping the charts...
, 1990 - The Voice SquadThe Voice SquadThe Voice Squad are a traditional Irish singing group from Ireland. The members include Gerry Cullen, Phil Callery and Fran McPhail. They have recorded two albums and have toured Ireland, the UK and the US....
, on the album Holly Wood (TARA 4013), 1992 - Dead Can DanceDead Can DanceDead Can Dance are an ethereal neoclassical duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1981, by Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. The band relocated to London in May 1982 and disbanded in 1998. Their 1996 album Spiritchaser reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top World Music Albums Chart...
, on the album Toward the WithinToward the WithinToward the Within is the only official live album of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard's group Dead Can Dance. It contains 15 songs, of which only four appeared on their previous albums, and two of which were later re-recorded and included on Lisa Gerrard's first solo album, The Mirror Pool...
, 1993 - The Lennon Family, on their album Dúchas Ceoil (CEFCD 167), 1995
- The band Eden, on the album Fire and Rain, 1997
- Kate RusbyKate RusbyKate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
, crediting King/O'Connor but altering it melodically, on the album HourglassHourglass (Kate Rusby album)Hourglass is the debut studio album by English contermporary folk musician Kate Rusby, released on March 1, 1997, on Pure Records.-Track listing:#"Sir Eglamore" #"As I Roved Out" #"Jolly Ploughboys" #"Annan Waters"...
, 1997 - Blood AxisBlood AxisBlood Axis is an American Neofolk/Post-industrial band consisting of journalist and author Michael Moynihan, music producer Robert Ferbrache and musician and author Annabel Lee.-Early Blood Axis :...
and In Gowan Ring, on their live collaborative album Witch-Hunt: The Rites of Samhain, 1999 - Peta Webb (of the band "OakOak (band)Oak were an English folk band in the early 1970s which had a major influence on the folk revival in the UK, despite being together for only two years.Oak were:* Tony Engle * Danny Stradling...
") and Ken Hall, crediting P.King/F.O'Connor/Trad, on the album As Close As Can Be (Fellside Records), 2000 - Iarla Ó LionáirdIarla Ó LionáirdIarla Ó Lionáird is an Irish singer and producer well known for his involvement with the Afro Celt Sound System. He is one of the most prominent artists of the Irish Sean nós singing tradition, and has released three solo albums through Real World Records, the third being Invisible Fields,...
, on his soundtrack to the film I Could Read the Sky, 2000 - Charlotte MartinCharlotte MartinCharlotte Ann Martin is an American singer-songwriter, who performs predominantly on the piano. She has written several studio albums, two of which have received mainstream commercial releases, 2004's On Your Shore and 2006's Stromata...
, on her album ReproductionsReproductionsReproductions is a studio album of cover versions by Charlotte Martin.-Track listing:# "Angel" # "Obstacle 1" # "Constant Craving" Reproductions is a studio album of cover versions by Charlotte Martin.-Track listing:# "Angel" (Massive Attack)# "Obstacle 1" (Interpol)# "Constant Craving"...
, 2007 - Abney ParkAbney Park (band)Abney Park is a band based in Seattle that mixes elements of industrial dance, world music, and steampunk influenced lyrics in their work. Their name comes from Abney Park Cemetery in London...
, on the album Lost HorizonsLost Horizons (Abney Park album)Lost Horizons is the 8th studio album by Abney Park, subtitled The Continuing Adventures of Abney Park.-Track listing:#""#"The Emperor’s Wives"#""#"She"#""#"This Dark and Twisty Road"#"Herr Drosselmeyer's Doll"#"Virus"...
, 2008 - City of The Asleep, on their album Transcendissonance, 2011