The Bæbes's first album, Salva Nos (1997), shot straight to No 2 in the classical charts, a silver disc. Subsequent albums include Worldes Blysse (which went straight to No 1), Undrentide, (co-produced by John Cale), The Rose, and the Christmas-themed album Mistletoe & Wine.
Mirabilis (2005), was launched at a concert and party in London, August 2005. A self-titled DVD was released in July 2006. The first 300 preorders were autographed by the band and received a special mention in the DVD credits.
A live album was be released in December 2006 and featured two bonus studio tracks, An Itunes exclusive was also launched which added tracks not featured on the cd release and at this time still remain exclusive so is well worth tracking down.
The new album entitled Illumination was released via preorder on the bands website in Oct 2008 and as an added incentive to fans features two bonus tracks not included on the regular wholesale edition which has a Spring 2009 official release date. There has been concerns over the mastering of the album from fans which could account for the delayed release dates.
Each album features traditional medieval songs and poetry set to music, mostly arranged by Blake specifically for the ensemble, alongside varying numbers of original compositions. They sing in a variety of languages, including Latin, Middle English, French, Italian, Russian, Middle High German, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, modern English, Swedish and the nearly extinct Cornish. Their vocals are backed by medieval instruments, including the recorder and cittern, played by the singers or fellow musicians.
One of the group's founding musicians, Dorothy Carter, died of a stroke in 2003 at the age of 68. In addition to playing autoharp, hurdy gurdy, and dulcimer with the group, she performed the lead vocals on So Spricht Das Leben (Worldes Blysse) and L'Amour de Moi (The Rose).
Emily Ovenden, who sings with the group, is the daughter of artist Graham Ovenden.
The Bæbes' musical pieces run the gamut from extremely traditional, such as their version of The Coventry Carol on Salva Nos, to songs that feel traditional but are much more modern, such as their rendition of Summerisle, a song written for Robin Hardy's 1973 cult film Wicker Man. John Cale added non-medieval instruments, including saxophone and electric guitar, to some of the arrangements on Undrentide, although with subsequent albums the band returned to more traditional instruments. Even with these instruments, however, the band's current style is quite different from medieval authentic performance groups, as it displays significant modern influence.
Current Band Members:
Katharine Blake (Contralto, Recorders, Violin, Piano), Emily Ovenden (Soprano, Recorders, Concertina, Percussion), Ester Dee (Soprano), Claire Rabbitt (Contralto, Piano), Bev Lee Harling (Alto, Violin, Citern, Recorders, Guitar), Melpomeni Kermanidou (Mezzo Soprano, Piano)
former Band Members:
Dorothy Carter, Karen Lupton, Nicole Frobusch, Nichole Sleet, Carmen Schneider, Claire Ravel, Ruth Galloway, Teresa Casella, Rachel Van Ash, Audrey Evans, Marie Findley, Cylindra Sapphire, Sophie Evans, Maple Bee, Sofia Escobar, Maxine Fone
Official website: www.mediaevalbaebes.com
Summerisle
Mediæval Bæbes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A fine, fine tree was he
On that tree there was a limb
And on that limb there was a branch
On that branch there was a nest
And in that nest there was an egg
In that egg there was a bird
Of that feather was a bed
On that bed there was a girl
And on that girl there was a man
From that man there was a seed
And from that seed there was a boy
From that boy there was a man
And for that man there was a grave
From that grave there grew a tree
In Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle
On that tree there was a limb
And on that limb there was a branch
On that branch there was a nest
And in that nest there was an egg
In that egg there was a bird
And from that bird a feather came
Of that feather was a bed
In Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle
On that bed there was a girl (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
And on that girl there was a man (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
From that man there was a seed (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
And from that seed there was a boy (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
From that boy there was a man (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
And for that man there was a grave
From that grave there grew a tree
The lyrics of "Summerisle (The Maypole Song)" by Mediæval Bæbes are rich in metaphorical and allegorical meanings. The song is about the cyclic nature of life, death, and rebirth, and is set in the idyllic and mystical land of Summerisle. The tree that grows in the woods represents the cycle of life and death, as it grows, dies, and grows again. The egg in the nest on the branch of the tree represents the potential for new life, while the bird and feather symbolize rebirth and transformation. The tree also represents the continuity of life, as it grows from the earth that holds the remains of the dead.
The verses of the song trace the cycle of life from birth to death and back to life. The girl on the bed represents birth and potential for new life, while the man represents procreation and the continuation of the cycle. The seed from the man, the boy, and the man again represent the continuation of the cycle of life. However, the final image of the song, the tree growing from the grave, is a symbolic representation of the continuity of life and the cycle of rebirth.
Line by Line Meaning
In the woods there grew a tree
Once upon a time, there was a tree in the woods.
A fine, fine tree was he
This was a very beautiful and stunning tree.
On that tree there was a limb
This tree had a large branch.
And on that limb there was a branch
On that large branch there was a smaller branch.
On that branch there was a nest
A bird had built a nest on that smaller branch.
And in that nest there was an egg
The bird had laid an egg in that nest.
In that egg there was a bird
A baby bird was growing inside the egg.
And from that bird a feather came
When the baby bird grew up, it molted and produced a feather.
Of that feather was a bed
Someone used that feather to make a bed.
On that bed there was a girl
A girl was laying on that bed made of feathers.
And on that girl there was a man
A man was with the girl on the bed.
From that man there was a seed
The man had produced a seed.
And from that seed there was a boy
The seed had grown into a baby boy.
From that boy there was a man
The baby boy had grown up into a man.
And for that man there was a grave
Eventually, the man died and was buried in a grave.
From that grave there grew a tree
A new tree grew from where the man was buried.
In Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle, Sumerisle
This story takes place in Sumerisle, a place with a lot of trees.
On that tree there was a limb
The new tree that grew had a large branch.
And on that limb there was a branch
On that large branch there was a smaller branch.
On that branch there was a nest
A bird had built a nest on that smaller branch.
And in that nest there was an egg
The bird had laid an egg in that nest.
In that egg there was a bird
A baby bird was growing inside the egg.
And from that bird a feather came
When the baby bird grew up, it molted and produced a feather.
Of that feather was a bed
Someone used that feather to make a bed.
On that bed there was a girl (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
There was another girl on this feather bed, in Sumerisle.
And on that girl there was a man (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
A man was with the girl on the bed, in Sumerisle.
From that man there was a seed (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
The man in Sumerisle produced a seed.
And from that seed there was a boy (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
The seed in Sumerisle grew into a baby boy.
From that boy there was a man (Sumerisle, Sumerisle)
The baby boy in Sumerisle grew up into a man.
And for that man there was a grave
Eventually, the man died and was buried in a grave.
From that grave there grew a tree
A new tree grew from where the man in Sumerisle was buried.
Writer(s): Paul Giovanni
Contributed by Samuel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.