Born in 1933, Paul Giovanni was an American folk singer/songwriter best kno… Read Full Bio ↴Born in 1933, Paul Giovanni was an American folk singer/songwriter best known for his soundtrack to the legendary 1973 British horror film The Wicker Man, a score he researched, wrote and recorded within seven weeks. Using a more ethnomusicological approach, the soundtrack (voted second best soundtrack ever in MOJO Magazine September 2006 after it's eventual 2002 release) uses Celtic musical themes, traditional instrumentation played by folk-rock group Magnet and a combination of ancient pagan verse and Giovanni's own lyrics.

His first album was a self-titled LP in the band Side Show (with Greg Kreutz). It was released through Atlantic Records in the 1970s.

After The Wicker Man, Giovanni returned to New York and produced a play "The Crucifier Of Blood" which was filmed for TV, and a musical entitled Shot Through The Heart which has yet to be performed, before dying of HIV-AIDS in June 1990.

the Ruined Church
Paul Giovanni Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Paul Giovanni:

Appointment With the Wicker Man And now... for our more dreadful sacrifice. Welcome fool. Y…
Corn Rigs It was upon a lammas night When corn rigs are bonnie Beneath…
Gently Johnny I put my hand all on her knee She says to…
Maypole In the woods there grew a tree And a fine fine…
Procession [Although not a song, the music played by the the…
Summer Is A Coming In Summer is icumen in Loudly sing cuckoo Grows the seed and bl…
The Landlord's Daughter Much has been said of the strumpets of yore Of wenches…
The Tinker of Rye A maiden did this tinker meet and to him boldly…
Willow's Song Heigh ho Who is there? No one but me my dear. Please come S…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Comments from YouTube:

@darkpassenger789

3y↑30

When this song and theme started I know this movie is gonna be masterpiece.

@dashcammer4322

3y↑3

My heart sang with joy when I saw this was released (in 94 min cut) on bluray.

@michaelemory552

1y↑5

Very glad to find this piece. The drone of the plane engine goes to drone of pipes to women’s voices beautifully with atmosphere of thing’s primordial. This matches the imagery of rugged, ancient volcanic rock islands. Gives me chills.

@Kementiri

13y↑37

The opening song from this movie is my favorite song from the entire soundtrack:)

@cockfart69

13y↑58

This song , especially the one in the beginning, gives me such a nostalgic feeling i can't really explain. A sort of unconscious feeling. Thanks for the post!

@joaoclaudio923

5y↑1

exactly what i aways feel when i hear the sound of a bagpipe

@terrystewart1973

5y↑7

The opening song is "The Highland Widow's Lament", written by Robert Burns based on songs he collected in the Scottish Highlands. The first versions were based on the massacre of the MacDonalds clan at Glen Coe (1692) which took place in the aftermath of the Jacobite uprising 1689. Later versions were adapted to refer to Charles Edward Stewart who led the Jacobite Uprising in 1745.
There are a number of other good versions out there with the full song. I like the Ian Campbell Folk Group's version

@Tom-kt8lu

4y↑6

A nostalgia for a time you never saw in a land that never really was.

@franckmarronier130

4y↑2

Its willo the hobbit

@mwellnow5016

3y↑2

It bc u white

@simonmarks1545

18w

One of the most underrated movie soundtracks of all time especially since its a musical. A true masterpiece of folk horror

@humbertoquintanilha4797

5y↑17

I really love this movie. My favorite.

@kristianyrjola

Same to me!!!

@danielmarshall4587

24w

THANK YOU for posting this.

@markbradleyf1

11y↑15

simply put.....pure magic

@thetreesify

13y↑15

love this, theres something both creepy and beautiful about it :)

@onetruemoody5556

7y↑9

Oh thank you for uploading this soundtrack! Hauntingly beautiful x

@TheDEATHSTARIII

6y↑16

I once had a 100 sheep

@ghughesarch

5y↑7

But did they still respect you the morning after?

@masterzombie161

4y↑4

A man of God travels onto a Pagan land, for he would’ve been treated like a king. However his strength in his belief was amenable, and is now one with the wicker man.

@livee89

13y↑2

Brilliant film

@nicolasflamel8969

3y↑3

The Highland Widow's Lament

@stephen1137

33w

That is exactly what I was hoping for! The title of the song!

@BROOKS39

11y↑4

I think Australian actress Diana Cilento sung on one of the songs from this movie...

@Myndir

15y↑1

I'm a big metal fan and a big Celtic music fan. It certainly doesn't sound out of place when a band like Blind Guardian or Grave Digger pull out the bagpipes.

@cassandraramsey6023

This movie is a must see i love watching this movie.bthe music is lovely and who doesnt love Christopher Lee and the equalizer guy original movie.

@killerdude35

15y↑5

You know, I am primarily a listener of metal music but you know, I really dig this soundtrack! I love Celtic music as well. Hmmm, I wonder if there are any parallels?

@jodie1424

6y↑2

killerdude35 there definitely has to be because I agree with both of you

@marcomartins3563

6y↑3

Listen to Sangue de Cavallum, you'll like it. There is a whole genre called neofolk that draws a lot from this film.

@carlos66649

12y↑4

A clearing in the forest where the sun shines among the trees we're stuck with this clearing of God, scorches, burns, When the light licks our flesh. Go through the sky a smoke, a cloud on our way. Prisoners buried, tormented by the goodness of God. No flames, no hate, they were right, we came to Hell ... by; Carlos666 ...

@thatsmctarded

15y↑1

amazing song! it reminds me a little of Titanic with the bagpipes :)

@seanfh11

Song I want played at my funeral

@BlytheWorld1972

13y

@ventricleTiger true

@Zothaqqua

8y↑2

What kind of pipes are those in the opening music?

@netzahuacoyotl

8y↑5

Zothaqqua sound like Nothumbrian pipes

@MikeL-7

Northumbrian

@aufheben555

14y

@killerdude35 Same here.

@VANILLAZILLA

2:54

@mandyno5328

5y↑3

I think this song was sang by the actress who play the teacher isnt it?

@UncleFeedle

4y↑4

It was sung by Lesley Mackie, who played Daisy, the girl in the classroom with the beetle.

@RedTheVanquisher

12y↑10

If you're into Celtic music, I recommend the 'Braveheart' soundtrack, and the soundtrack for 'How to Train Your Dragon.' They aren't quite as good as 'The Wicker Man,' but they are very good.