Men of Harlech

[Benning Boy]

Th rousing Welsh song Men of Harlech has, in one version of the lyrics, a reference to pipes of war. Is this a reference to some sort of Welsh bagpipes, or artistic license, perhaps borrowing on Scottish themes?

[Downunder Kilt]

The only reference to pipipes that Ican find ismartial pipes in the version "Modern words used by theRegimental Band




"Modern Words used by Regimental Band"

Tongues of fire on Idris flaring,
news of foe-men near declaring,
to heroic deeds of daring,
calls you Harlech men

Groans of wounded peasants dying,
wails of wives and children flying,
for the distant succour crying,
calls you Harlech men.

Shall the voice of wailing,
now be unavailing,
You to rouse who never yet
in battles hour were failing,

His our answer crowds down pouring
swift as winter torrents roaring,
Not in vain the voice imploring,
calls on Harlech men

Loud the martial pipes are sounding
every manly heart is bounding
As our trusted chief surrounding,
march we Harlech men.

Short the sleep the foe is taking,
ere the morrows morn is breaking,
They shall have a rude awakening,
roused by Harlech men.

Mothers cease your weeping,
calm may be your sleeping,
you and yours in safety now
the Harlech men are keeping,

ere the sun is high in heaven
they you fear by panic riven
shall like frightened sheep be driven,
far by Harlech men.

[The Q]

The earlier versions do not mention Pipes, but do mention doing nasty things to Saxons, So the above quoted version is probably the sanitized version for Welsh regiments in the British army. Of course the British army have the Great Highland Bagpipe, but it is also possible they are referring to Pipes as in, pipes and drums / Fifes and drums, in which you would be referring to some type of Flute.
The bagpipe was available all over Europe in different forms (there are several types of English / Saxon bagpipe), So a Welsh reference may have been possible.
Just as an example Here in Norfolk there are several churches with bagpipes in Stained glass see here: http://www.norfolkstainedglass.co.uk/angels/angels.shtm

[Benning Boy]

Yes, it is martial pipes, not pipes of war, I "transposed" the music, or something.

I have found older versions that do come down hard on Saxons, and suspected there might be a PC element to the newer lyrics. Once, when I researched the tune, I believe I ran across yet another version of the words that is a little more universal, and a little less Welsh, but I've been unable to find it recently. Perhaps I was just imagining it.

Thanks for the link to the Norfolk glass, that is very interesting.

[MacGumerait]

Benning Boy , I don't know what type of pipes are being referenced in the song . However , THANK YOU for posting a thread about it . This is one of my favorite tunes !!

For those not familiar with the song .... here is a link :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRtnWVvDX6k

Cheers , Mike

[Pleater]

It always gives me goose pimples - I think my favourite rendition is the one in Zulu, with the old words.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[plaid preacher]

Men of Harlech is the regimental march of the Governor General's Horse Guard, with whom I served for a short time back in the 1990s. I also had the opportunity to work in a recreation town in BC for a summer and met Canadian stage actor Bill Hosie who was working there in the theatre. Bill said that he used Men of Harlech as a warm-up each evening. Come to think of it, I do believe there is a photo somewhere around here of me standing next to Bill Hosie wearing a kilt! I must go find that!

[MacGumerait]

It always gives me goose pimples - I think my favourite rendition is the one in Zulu, with the old words.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

I agree Anne .

Here you go :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPtJqlDjZGU

Cheers , Mike

[Pleater]

I have always found this one particularly - evocative.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NuTaQsMNaE

[Benning Boy]

Interesting remarks y'all have made. Robert, do the Horse Guards sing it, or is it just an instrumental with them? Are there Canadian lyrics? I can see how a stage performer might use it as a warm up, it's not too difficult to sing, but getting the words out clearly does give the vocal cords good exercise. Another martial tune of a similar sort I like is the German Panzerlied, or Panzerwagenlied.


The singing scene from Zulu is one of my favorites, too. Early in the Viet Nam war, a small US Special Forces unit was surrounded on a hill top, and for some reason began to sing. It so unnerved the enemy they broke off their attack. Some say the story is apocryphal, but I trained with another SF soldier who said he knew those involved, and it is a true story. I once spent a night surrounded and out numbered, and I couldn't have sung a note if my life depended on it. It takes rock steady nerves to do, I believe. Heck, I've sung a little opera and such, and I find it really hard to get out a tune in the safety of a theater.

This is kinda diverging from the Celtic music theme, but it's been interesting.