PEARL
The Mediaeval Baebes Lyrics
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Of wode and water and wlonk plaines
Bilde in me bliss, abated my bales
Forbidden my stress, destroyed my paines
Down after a strem that drightly hales
I bowed in bliss, bredful my branes
The firre I folwed those floty vales
The more strength of joye myn herte straines
Whether solace ho sende other elles sore
The wye to wham hir wille ho waines
Hittes to have ay more and more
More of wele was in that wise
Than I couth telle thagh I tom hade
For erthly herte might not suffise
To the tenthe dole of tho gladness glade
For thy I thoght that paradise
Was there other gain tho bonkes brade
I hoped the water were a devise
Between mirthes by meres made
Beyonde the brook, by slent other slade
I hoped that mote inerked wore
Bot the water was depe, I dorst not wade
And ever me longed ay more and more
More and more and yet well mare
Me liste to see the brook beyonde
For if hit was fair there I can fare
Well loveloker was the firre londe
Aboute me con I stote and stare
To finde a forth faste con I fonde
Bot wothes mo ywis there ware
The firre I stalled by the stronde
And ever me thoght I shokle not wonde
For wo there weles so winne wore
Thenne newe note me com on honed
That meved my minde more and more
These lyrics from The Mediaeval Baebes' song "Pearl" describe the experience of the singer as they wander through the countryside, finding happiness and release from their worries in the beauty of nature. The "dubberment" or dense growth of trees and waterways in the mountains and plains brings the singer immense joy, easing their "bales" or troubles and pains. Following a stream that glimmers in the light, the singer feels their mind clear and their heart fill with happiness. Even when they hope to find even greater beauty and joy on the other side of the stream, they find they cannot cross, but their desire for more only grows stronger. In the end, the singer is moved by a "newe note" or fresh inspiration that increases their desire for more beauty and peace in their life.
The language used in these lyrics is deliberately archaic and romantic, evoking the beauty and simplicity of a bygone era. The use of alliteration in lines like "dubberment dere of down and dales" and "wode and water and wlonk plaines" creates a lyrical quality to the words, emphasizing the beauty of the poet's surroundings. The words "bliss," "bredful," "straines," "fraines," and "wonnde" all reflect the poet's desire to use language in a way that is both musical and beautiful.
Overall, these lyrics remind the listener of the importance of taking time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, to find moments of joy and escape from the worries of our daily lives.
Line by Line Meaning
The dubberment dere of down and dales
The beautiful scenery of hills and valleys
Of wode and water and wlonk plaines
With forests, streams and lush fields
Bilde in me bliss, abated my bales
It brought joy and lessened my sorrows
Forbidden my stress, destroyed my paines
Removed all my anxiety and alleviated my suffering
Down after a strem that drightly hales
Following a stream that flows vigorously downhill
I bowed in bliss, bredful my branes
I felt grateful and my mind was full of wonder
The firre I folwed those floty vales
The further I followed those flowing valleys
The more strength of joye myn herte straines
The more intense the joy that filled my heart
As fortune fares theras ho fraines
Whatever fate brings her way
Whether solace ho sende other elles sore
Whether she sends comfort or pain
The wye to wham hir wille ho waines
The path she chooses to follow
Hittes to have ay more and more
Always seeking more happiness
More of wele was in that wise
More happiness than I could describe
Than I couth telle thagh I tom hade
Beyond what words could express
For erthly herte might not suffise
Because human hearts cannot contain it all
To the tenthe dole of tho gladness glade
Even a small part of that joy was overwhelming
For thy I thoght that paradise
I felt like I was in a heavenly place
Was there other gain tho bonkes brade
Though the area was just a broad bank
I hoped the water were a devise
I wished the stream was a man-made creation
Between mirthes by meres made
A pathway connecting different cheerful places
Beyonde the brook, by slent other slade
Beyond the stream, on one side or the other
I hoped that mote inerked wore
I hoped the water was shallow enough to cross
Bot the water was depe, I dorst not wade
But the water was too deep, I didn't dare to cross
And ever me longed ay more and more
And I continued to yearn for more
More and more and yet well mare
More and more, and even more than that
Me liste to see the brook beyonde
I was eager to see what lay beyond the stream
For if hit was fair there I can fare
If it was beautiful there, I can go there
Well loveloker was the firre londe
The further I went, the more beautiful the land became
Aboute me con I stote and stare
I looked around and stared in awe
To finde a forth faste con I fonde
I searched for a path that would take me further
Bot wothes mo ywis there ware
But there was more trouble ahead
The firre I stalled by the stronde
I stopped by the stream for a while
And ever me thoght I shokle not wonde
I started to think that I couldn't continue
For wo there weles so winne wore
Because there was so much pain and difficulty
Thenne newe note me com on honed
But then a new hope emerged
That meved my minde more and more
That inspired me to keep going and seek more happiness
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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