© 1997 Ragnar Fyri. All rights reserved.
This song has a rather strange genealogy (?). Several years ago I wrote a little ditty to the tune of King Crimson's "In the Court of the Crimson King". When I first got in touch with Geir Bjørhovde he asked me to send him all the songs I had written so he could get an idea about my style (I've got style??). I sent him a bundle including the crimson ditty. He found that my lyrics scanned a tune he had written, and recorded it on a tape with my words to prove it. By this time I had written the first two verses of this song to the same tune, and after listening to Geir's tune a couple of times I expanded the lyrics to include his pre- and interludes. Which, of course, makes the following rather incompatible with the original tune!
My Lord, this day may be your very last and now it - rather fast - is coming to an end You know, they say the Hound waits on the hill and lest your blood shall spill I'm warning you again For this Hound is the Hound of the Baskervilles and he's very old Aye, this Hound is the Hound of the Baskervilles Can you hear him call? Once long ago there was a wicked, cruel nobleman who ruled his land and people with a hard, unyielding hand (?) He never would be penitent, he never wrote his will He didn't know his bane would be :/:the Hound of Baskerville:/: For this Hound is the Hound of the Baskervilles and the story's true Aye, this Hound is the Hound of the Baskervilles and he waits for you! Once he proposed a lady fair, he promised to be true She said, "No, I would rather die before I marry you!" He turned as if to leave, but when he sat upon his horse he turned around to seize her and :/:abducted her with force:/: For this Hound... (etc. etc., you get the idea) He brought her to his castle where he locked her in a room and left to celebrate his catch and her impending doom A servant brought the news that caused him anger and dismay (?): A door was left unguarded, and :/:the girl had run away:/: The nobleman was furious; this none-too-gentle Sir cried: "Bring the lamps! Prepare my horse! We'll sic the dogs on her! And if the Devil lets me have my way and reach my goal I swear upon the pits of Hell :/:that he shall have my soul!:/:" Two riders were delayed; they asked a shepherd on the moor if he by chance had seen the girl who they were searching for He answered: "I have seen the girl. I saw her captor too A demon Hound was chasing him - :/:I swear to God it's true!:/: They came upon the lady fair a-lying in a dell (?) and, furthermore, their eyes beheld a demon out of Hell The nobleman was under him. He did no longer gloat (?) For lo! The demon Hound had sunk :/:its fangs into his throat:/: My Lord! This lay is old and very true And now it's time for you to look after your soul You know, they say the Hound waits on the Moor and, what is, furthermore (?) you also know his goal (slowly) For this Hound is the Hound of the Baskervilles And the song is true Aye, this Hound is the Hound of the Baskervilles and he waits... for YOU! |
I might as well say a little more about the song. Notice the intricate rhyme pattern in the opening and ending, which I am particularly proud of. I make it an ABBCABBC, which is probably one of the most intricate I've come up with. Of course intricate rhyme patterns do not always work well - particularly if the lines are long it's a long time to wait for each rhyme - but in this case it works quite well, particularly with the original tune. I hope a way can be found to use at least parts of it... (By the way, anyone who isn't well-read enough to recognize my inspiration source can go sit on a gramaphone needle...)