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#john barleycorn
popsicle-stick · 6 months
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ÞÆS OFEREODE ÞISSES SWA MÆG
(that was overcome. so too may this.) from Deor, old english poem, c. 9th century.
new riso design! John Barleycorn is a folkloric figure considered the embodiment of the wheat harvest, and the subject of the English and Scottish folk song that describes the cyclical nature of his birth, death, and processing into bread and ale each year. this one was about the comfort in the constancy of things. the world could end. but the wheat field rises anew. the year turns around again.
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littleliongirl16 · 5 months
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I just think there are some interesting parallels we can draw between the character arcs of The Archivist and Actual Barley
Words are from John Barleycorn Must Die by Traffic
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quatermasspitt · 1 year
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‘Old Rye makes a speech’ from Edward Carswell, Temperance Stories and Sketches (New York: The National Temperance Society, 1879)
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jt1674 · 8 days
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peaceinthestorm · 2 years
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Harvey T. Dunn (1884-1952, American) ~ John Barleycorn (The Saturday Evening Post story illustration, April 5, 1913, oil on canvas)
[Source: artvee.com]
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hesy-bes · 7 months
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O' Man of the Barley,
Bringer of the Corn,
You rise up strong,
from young babe to man,
before they come for you.
Sow, grow, reap,
they come for you.
John Barleycorn,
Eternal Yearly Man,
you rise as you fall,
and keep us fed.
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doomedandstoned · 4 months
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London’s CRUEL MOTHER Take on Traditional Song “John Barleycorn”
~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~
By Billy Goate
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Over the course of several generations, the traditions of the past have been largely forgotten. This includes traditional stories, songs, and dances. That's tragic, because these traditions often have valuable insights into what makes us human, where humanity has gone wrong, and the road to felicity.
That's why I'm excited to hear a heavy band from London reviving a traditional song for their premiere single, "John Barleycorn." I remember eating at John Barleycorns in Portland, Oregon and thinking, "Oh that's a quaint name," and sort of left it at that. It wasn't until CRUEL MOTHER reached out to me that I learned of the dark allegory behind the name (see below).
The five-piece band from East London draws inspiration from "the rich tradition of English Murder ballads" and have been at it since 2022, with a fiddle thrown into the stoner-doom mix for good measure. All it took was one listen and I found myself singing the song to myself whilst working. I think they're definitely onto something here.
The single comes out tomorrow and is recommended for fans of Green Lung (get it here). Look for more from Cruel Mother in 2024!
Give ear...
Cruel.mother.doom · John Barleycorn by Cruel Mother
SOME BUZZ
“John Barleycorn” [Roud 164] tells of the brutal murder of its namesake; the personification of barley used to make ale and whisky. Each stage of Barleycorn’s life and death -- being sown and reaped, roasted, crushed and mashed -- corresponds to the brewing process.
The story has traveled through many creative hands, from poet Robert Burns to novelist Jack London to comedy anthology show Inside No. 9, and remains popular among folk revival artists and pub landlords alike. Different versions portray Barleycorn as variously vengeful, intoxicating (much to his killers’ misfortune) or heroic, whose potency brings joy to his drinkers.
The personification invokes the sinister, ritualistic aspect of legendary British folk rituals (the popularly-recognisable ‘wicker man’), but can be interpreted as a joyful drinking song to be sung in the ale house, celebrating the death-and-rebirth cycle of the harvest. Cruel Mother's version infuses the folk tale with their signature doom riffs and driving drums to evoke the bouncing rhythm of classic drinking anthems.
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Although a metaphor rather than strictly a murder ballad, John Barleycorn is one of composer Becky’s favourite folk ballads as it can be adapted and interpreted in many different ways. With its harvest cycle imagery suggestive of ancient rituals, it’s simultaneously fun, joyful, satirical, mysterious, sinister and disturbing.
The artwork for the track was created by Robert Maltby. His design retains the traditional woodcut style that typically accompanies broadside ballads, infused with his own interpretation of the tale. The piece is inspired by idol paintings of Saint Sebastian, who was tied to a tree and shot with arrows only to be healed and later clubbed to death. This draws a parallel between the martyrdom of the saint’s death and the sacrificial reading of John Barleycorn as a necessary death.
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Follow The Band
Get Their Music
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e350tb · 2 months
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John Barleycorn when he sees three dudes walking up to him
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mallary--quinn · 1 year
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John Barleycorn
Made this while rocking out to folk music and messing with some new brushes!
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protoslacker · 2 years
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Steve Winwood // Traffic - John Barleycorn (Must Die)
Steve Winwood
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faeree-layne · 2 years
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(via John Barleycorn Must Die | Matt Rowe Portfolio)
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countesspetofi · 2 years
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I found a stray beer in the back of my fridge! Surely that’s grounds for some sort of religious festival? The living blood of John Barleycorn, hidden away for the night I needed it most!
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Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die
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gbhbl · 13 days
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EP Review: Cruel Mother - Cut Down For The Earth (Self Released)
London-based folk doom band Cruel Mother are due to release their debut EP, Cut Down For The Earth, on the 12th April 2024. Formed beneath the tolling of the Bow Bells in East London, Cruel Mother take their lyrical inspiration from printed broadsides and the folk song corpus, particularly the rich tradition of English murder ballads. The band was first conceived in 2022 and has existed in its…
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wherekizzialives · 7 months
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Singing an Autumn Tune
 In the Witch’s cottage autumn, and all its attendant work, had well and truly arrived. In the cellar, carefully placed in the slatted shelves so that none were touching, sat the blemish free apples and pears from her portion of the Orchard’s harvest. The scullery contained gleaming jars and demijohns, cleaned and ready for filling. In still room the curtained shelves were already half filled…
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darth-azrael · 8 months
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Brevard Renaissance Fair 2020: Music The Gathering (8) - John Barleycorn
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