• The Ecchoing Green

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE ECCHOING GREEN

    The Sun does arise
    And make happy the skies.
    The merry bells ring
    To welcome the Spring.
    The sky-lark and thrush,
    The birds of the bush,
    Sing louder around,
    To the bells’ chearful sound,
    While our sports shall be seen
    On the Ecchoing Green.

    Old John with white hair
    Does laugh away care,
    Sitting under the oak,
    Among the old folk.
    They laugh at our play,
    And soon they all say:
    "Such, such were the joys
    When we all, girls and boys,
    In our youth-time were seen
    On the Ecchoing Green."

    Till the little ones, weary,
    No more can be merry;
    The sun does descend,
    And our sports have an end.
    Round the laps of their mothers
    Many sisters and brothers,
    Like birds in their nest,
    Are ready for rest;
    And sport no more seen
    On the darkening Green.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Innocence" (1789)

    Music: Finn Coren (1983)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals
    Kyrre Sætran: bass, guitars
    Anders Engen: drums
    Jon-Willy Rydningen: el.piano

    Recorded at Lydlab Studio and
    Bard Studio, Oslo 1995-96
    Engineered by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren

  1

• The Garden of Love

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE GARDEN OF LOVE

    I went to the Garden of Love,
    And saw what I never had seen:
    A Chapel was built in the midst,
    Where I used to play on the green.

    And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
    And 'Thou shalt not' writ over the door;
    So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
    That so many sweet flowers bore.

    And I saw it was filled with graves,
    And tomb-stones where flowers should be;
    And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
    And binding with briars, my joys and desires.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Experience" (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1990)
    Flutearr. by F.C
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, electric guitar, tapes
    Fredrik Pfefferkorn Sager: electric guitar
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Anders Engen: drums
    Kjell-Asbjørn Bunæs: flute
    Frode-André Kristiansen: effects

    Recorded at Lydlab Studio and
    Bard Studio, Oslo 1995-96
    Engineered by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren & Ulf W.Ø. Holand

  2

• Spring

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    SPRING

    Sound the Flute!
    Now it's mute.
    Birds delight
    Day and Night;
    Nightingale
    In the dale,
    Lark in Sky,
    Merrily,
    Merrily, Merrily, to welcome in the Year.

    Little Boy
    Full of joy,
    Little Girl
    Sweet and small,
    Cock does crow,
    So do you;
    Merry voice,
    Infant noise,
    Merrily, Merrily, to welcome in the Year.

    Little Lamb
    Here I am,
    Come and lick
    My white neck,
    Let me pull
    Your soft Wool,
    Let me kiss
    Your soft face;
    Merrily, Merrily we welcome in the Year.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Innocence" (1789)
    Music: Finn Coren (1984/91)
    Strings by F.C
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, acoustic guitar, Mellotron
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: electric guitar
    Kyrre Sætran: bass, synth
    Lars Pedersen: drums, percussion
    Tov Ramstad: cello
    Eystein Hopland: E-bow guitar

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  3

• The Fly

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE FLY

    Little Fly
    Thy summer’s play,
    My thoughtless hand
    Has brush'd away.

    Am not I
    A fly like thee?
    Or art not thou
    A man like me?

    For I dance
    And drink and sing:
    Till some blind hand
    Shall brush my wing.

    If thought is life
    And strenght and breath:
    And the want
    Of thought is death;

    Then am I
    A happy fly,
    If I live
    Or if I die.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Experience" (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1991)
    Fiddlearr. by F.C
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, tape
    Kyrre Sætran: bass, guitar
    Ulf Holand: programming, effects
    Gjermund Kolltveit: Hardanger-fiddle
    Eystein Hopland: bagla-bouzoki
    Lars Pedersen: tablas

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-95
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Ulf W.Ø. Holand

  4

• The Tyger

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE TYGER

    Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
    In the forests of the night,
    What immortal hand or eye
    Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

    In what distant deeps or skies
    Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
    On what wings dare he aspire?
    What the hand dare sieze the fire?

    And what shoulder and what art,
    Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
    And when thy heart began to beat,
    What dread hand ? and what dread feet ?

    What the hammer ? what the chain,
    In what furnace was thy brain ?
    What the anvil ? what dread grasp
    Dare its deadly terrors clasp ?

    When the stars threw down their spears
    And water’d heaven with their tears,
    Did he smile his work to see ?
    Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

    Tyger, Tyger, burning bright
    In the forests of the night,
    What immortal hand or eye
    Dare frame thy fearful symmetry ?

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Experience” (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1991)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, tape
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: guitars
    Kyrre Sætran: bass, additional guitar
    Lars Pedersen: drums, percussion
    Bugge Wesseltoft: organ

    Recorded at Park Studio and
    Lydlab Studio, Oslo 1993
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland and
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Ulf W.Ø. Holand, Finn Coren,
    Nils-Arne Øvergård and Eystein Hopland

  5

• London

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    LONDON

    I wander thro' each charter'd street,
    Near where the charter'd Thames does flow,
    And mark in every face I meet
    Marks of weakness, marks of woe.

    In every cry of every Man,
    In every Infant's cry of fear,
    In every voice, in every ban,
    The mind-forg'd manacles I hear.

    How the Chimney-sweepers cry
    Every black'ning Church appals,
    And the hapless Soldier's sigh
    Runs in blood down Palace walls.

    But most thro' midnight streets I hear
    How the youthful Harlot's curse
    Blasts the new-born Infant's tear,
    And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Experience" (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1991)
    Strings by Tov Ramstad
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, piano, choir
    Sigurd Imsen: violin
    Svein Skretting: violin
    Gunnar B. Hauge: cello

    Recorded at Rainbow Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Bard Studio, Oslo 1995-96
    Engineered by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Produced by Finn Coren

  6

• The Chimney Sweeper

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER

    A little black thing among the snow:
    Crying ‘ weep, weep,’ in notes of woe!
    “ Where are thy father and mother? say? ”
    “ They are both gone up to the church to pray.

    “ Because I was happy upon the heath,
    And smil'd among the winters snow:
    They clothed me in the clothes of death,
    And taught me to sing the notes of woe.

    “ And because I am happy, and dance and sing,
    They think they have done me no injury:
    And are gone to praise God and his Priest and King,
    Who make up a heaven of our misery. “

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Experience" (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1989/93)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, keyboards, choir
    Fredrik Pfefferkorn Sager: electric guitar
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: effects
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Anders Engen: drums

    Recorded at Lydlab Studio and
    Bard Studio, Oslo 1995-96
    Engineered by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren

  7

• The Voice of the ancient Bard

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE VOICE OF THE ANCIENT BARD

    Youth of delight, come hither:
    And see the opening morn,
    Image of truth new born.
    Doubt is fled and clouds of reason,
    Dark disputes and artful teazing.
    Folly is an endless maze,
    Tangled roots perplex her ways,
    How many have fallen there!
    They stumble all night over bones of the dead,
    And feel they know not what but care,
    And wish to lead others when they should be led.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Experience" (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1996)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, acoustic guitar
    Jon-Willy Rydningen: Fender Rhodes el.piano

    Recorded at Bard Studio and
    Lydlab Studio, Oslo 1996
    Engineered by Frode-André Kristiansen and F.C.
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Frode André Kristiansen
    Produced by Finn Coren

  8

• Holy Thursday (Innocence)

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    HOLY THURSDAY (Innocence)

    ‘Twas on a Holy Thursday, their innocent faces clean,
    The children walking two and two, in red and blue and green,
    Grey headed beadles walk’d before, with wands as white as snow,
    Till into the high dome of Paul’s they like Thames' waters flow.

    O what a multitude they seem’d, these flowers of London town!
    Seated in companies they sit with radiance all their own.
    The hum of multitudes was there, but multitudes of lambs,
    Thousand of little boys and girls raising their innocent hands.

    Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice of song,
    Or like harmonious thunderings the seats of heaven among.
    Beneath them sit the aged men, wise guardians of the poor;
    Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Innocence” (1789)

    Music: Finn Coren (1995)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals
    Kyrre Sætran: bass, guitar
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: guitar
    Ulf Holand: programming
    Jon-Willy Rydningen: Fender Rhodes el.piano, harmonium

    Recorded at Lydlab Studio, Oslo 1995-96
    Engineered by Ulf W.Ø. Holand and
    Frode-André Kristiansen
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Ulf W.Ø. Holand

  9

• Holy Thursday (Experience)

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    HOLY THURSDAY (Experience)

    Is this a holy thing to see
    In a rich and fruitful land,
    Babes reduc’d to misery,
    Fed with cold and usurous hand?

    Is that trembling cry a song?
    Can it be a song of joy?
    And so many children poor?
    It is a land of poverty !

    And their sun does never shine,
    And their fields are bleak and bare,
    And their ways are fill’d with thorns:
    It is eternal winter there.

    For where-e’er the sun does shine,
    And where-e’er the rain does fall,
    Babe can never hunger there,
    Nor poverty the mind appall.

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Experience” (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1992)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: acoustic and electric guitars
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums
    Bugge Wesseltoft: Wurlitzer el.piano
    Eystein Hopland: additional guitar
    Tov Ramstad: cello

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  10

• Silent Melancholy

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    SILENT MELANCHOLY

    Memory, hither come,
    And tune your merry notes;
    And, while upon the wind,
    Your music floats,
    I’ll pore upon the stream
    Where sighing lovers dream,
    And fish for fancies as they pass
    Within the watery glass.

    I’ll drink of the clear stream,
    And hear the linnet’s song;
    And there I’ll lie and dream
    The day along:
    And, when night comes, I’ll go
    To places fit for woe;
    Walking along the darken’d valley,
    With silent Melancholy.

    Words: William Blake
    Originally titled “Song” - from “Poetical Sketches” (1783)

    Music: Finn Coren (1993)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, Mellotron
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: guitars, piano
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums, percussion
    Eystein Hopland: Farfisa-organ

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  11

• The Divine Image

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE DIVINE IMAGE

    To Mercy Pity Peace and Love
    All pray in their distress,
    And to these virtues of delight
    Return their thankfulness.

    For Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
    Is God our father dear:
    And Mercy Pity Peace and Love,
    Is Man his child and care.

    For Mercy has a human heart,
    Pity, a human face:
    And Love, the human form divine,
    And Peace, the human dress.

    Then every man of every clime,
    That prays in his distress,
    Prays to the human form divine
    Love Mercy Pity Peace.

    And all must love the human form,
    In heathen, turk or jew.
    Where Mercy, Love and Pity dwell,
    There God is dwelling too.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Innocence” (1789)

    Music: Finn Coren (1992)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: electric and acoustic guitars, effects
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums, percussion
    Bugge Wesseltoft: moog, organ

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio,
    Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  12

• The Little Boy Lost

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE LITTLE BOY LOST

    "Father, father, where are you going?
    O do not walk so fast.
    Speak father, speak to your little boy,
    Or else I shall be lost."

    The night was dark, no father was there;
    The child was wet with dew;
    The mire was deep, and the child did weep,
    And away the vapour flew.

    .....As you walk the deadman-shoes...Your father’s ghost lies
    upon you. But worry no more, you soldier’s son...Just walk
    on by, and you’ll be fine.

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Innocence” (1789)
    Words: Finn Coren (1986)

    Music: Finn Coren (1986)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, piano, organ, Mellotron, bells
    Tov Ramstad: cello

    Recorded at Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1994
    Engineered by Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Eystein Hopland
    Produced by Finn Coren

  13

• The Little Boy Found

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE LITTLE BOY FOUND

    The little boy lost in the lonely fen,
    Led by the wand’ring light,
    Began to cry, but God ever nigh,
    Appear'd like his father in white.

    He kissed the child and by the hand led
    And to his mother brought,
    Who in sorrow pale, thro’ the lonely dale,
    Her little boy weeping sought.

    .....As you walk the deadman-shoes...Your father’s ghost lies
    upon you. But worry no more, you soldier’s son...Just walk
    on by, and you’ll be fine.

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Innocence” (1789)
    Words: Finn Coren (1986)

    Music: Finn Coren (1986)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, synth
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: guitars
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums

    Recorded at Park Studio, Oslo 1993
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  14

• Infant Sorrow

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    INFANT SORROW

    My mother groan’d ! my father wept,
    Into the dangerous world I leapt,
    Helpless, naked, piping loud,
    Like a fiend hid in a cloud.

    Struggling in my father’s hands,
    Striving against my swadling bands,
    Bound and weary, I thought best
    To sulk upon my mother’s breast.

    Words: William Blake
    from ”Songs of Experience” (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1988)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, Mellotron
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: electric guitar
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums, percussion

    Recorded at Park Studio
    and Lydlab Studio, Oslo 1993
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland and Ulf Holand
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  15

• Cradle Song

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    CRADLE SONG

    Sleep, sleep, beauty bright,
    Dreaming in the joys of night;
    Sleep, sleep; in thy sleep
    Little sorrows sit and weep.

    Sweet babe, in thy face
    Soft desires I can trace,
    Secret joys and secret smiles,
    Little pretty infant wiles.

    As thy softest limbs I feel,
    Smiles as of the morning steal
    O’er thy cheek, and o’er thy breast
    Where thy little heart doth rest.

    O the cunning wiles that creep
    In thy little heart asleep !
    When thy little heart doth wake,
    Then the dreadful night shall break.

    Words: William Blake
    from Blake’s notebook (ca 1793)

    Music: Finn Coren (1991)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: electric and acoustic guitars
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums, percussion
    Bugge Wesseltoft: Wurlitzer el. piano, moog
    Berit Lohne: cembalo
    Tov Ramstad: cello

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  16

• A Dream

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    A DREAM

    Once a dream did weave a shade
    O’er my Angel-guarded bed,
    That an Emmet lost its way
    Where on grass methought I lay.

    Troubled, ’wilder’d and folorn,
    Dark, benighted, travel-worn,
    Over many a tangled spray,
    All heart-broke I heard her say:

    “O my children ! do they cry?
    Do they hear their father sigh?
    Now they look abroad to see,
    Now return and weep for me.”

    Pitying, I drop’d a tear;
    But I saw a glow-worm near,
    Who replied: ”What wailing wight
    Calls the watchman of the night?

    “I am set to light the ground,
    While the beetle goes his round:
    Follow now the beetle’s hum;
    Little wanderer, hie thee home.”

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Innocence” (1789)

    Music: Finn Coren (1995)

    Finn Coren: vocals, additional guitar
    Fredrik Pfefferkorn Sager: guitar
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: guitar
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Anders Engen: drums
    Jon-Willy Rydningen: pump organ

    Recorded at Lydlab Studio
    and Bard Studio, Oslo 1995-96
    Engineered by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren

  17

• To Tirzah

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    To Tirzah

    Whate’er is Born of Mortal Birth,
    Must be consumed with the Earth
    To rise from Generation free;
    Then what have I to do with thee?

    The Sexes sprung from Shame and Pride,
    Blow’d in the morn: in evening died;
    But Mercy chang'd Death into Sleep;
    The Sexes rose to work and weep.

    Thou Mother of my Mortal part,
    With cruelty didst mould my Heart;
    And with false self-decieving tears
    Didst bind my Nostrils Eyes and Ears.

    Didst close my Tongue in senseless clay,
    And me to Mortal Life betray:
    The Death of Jesus set me free:
    Then what have I do with thee?

    Words: William Blake
    from “Songs of Experience” (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1987/91)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, acoustic guitar
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: electric guitar-effects
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums, timpani, percussion
    Nils-Petter Molvær: trumpet
    Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen: vibraphone

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  18

• Jerusalem

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    JERUSALEM

    And did those feet in ancient time,
    Walk upon Englands mountains green:
    And was the holy Lamb of God,
    On Englands pleasant pastures seen!

    And did the Countenance Divine,
    Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
    And was Jerusalem builded here,
    Among these dark Satanic Mills?

    Bring me my Bow of burning gold:
    Bring me my Arrows of desire:
    Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
    Bring me my Chariot of fire!

    I will not cease from Mental Fight,
    Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
    Till we have built Jerusalem,
    In England’s green and pleasant Land.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Milton" (1804)

    Music: Finn Coren (1991)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals
    Nils-Arne Øvergård: guitars
    Kyrre Sætran: bass
    Lars Pedersen: drums, timpani
    Bugge Wesseltoft: organ, moog

    Recorded at Park Studio, Lydlab Studio
    and Waterfall Studio, Oslo 1993-94
    Engineered by Eystein Hopland,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Bjørn-Are Rognlid
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Ulf W.Ø. Holand
    Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård,
    Ulf W.Ø. Holand and Eystein Hopland

  19

• The Sick Rose

  Finn Coren  

  • Buy track
  • Lyrics

    THE SICK ROSE

    O Rose, thou art sick.
    The invisible worm,
    That flies in the night
    In the howling storm:

    Has found out thy bed
    Of crimson joy:
    And his dark secret love
    Does thy life destroy.

    Words: William Blake
    from "Songs of Experience” (1794)

    Music: Finn Coren (1983)
    copyright Finn Coren / Bard Records 1997 all rights reserved

    Performers:
    Finn Coren: vocals, acoustic guitar, choir

    Recorded at Bard Studio, Oslo 1996
    Engineered by F.C
    Mixed at Lydlab Studio, Oslo by Frode-André Kristiansen
    Produced by Finn Coren

  20

Produced by Finn Coren, Nils-Arne Øvergård, Eystein Hopland and Ulf W.Ø. Holand
Sleeve: Subtopia/Stein J. Øvre
Paintings by William Blake
Finn Coren Portraits by Jo Michael
Art-direction: Stein J. Øvre and Finn Coren

Lyrics by William Blake

fra presseskrivet 1997:

Finn Coren The Blake Project «SPRING»

– et personlig album med litt hjelp fra William Blake.

Musikeren Finn Coren har endelig fått realisert sitt mangeårige arbeid med tonesetting til dikt av den engelske dikteren, maleren og visjonæren William Blake (1757-1827).

Finn Coren har ikke figurert så mye i media eller opptrådd som artist de senere årene, men har ikke ligget på latsiden av den grunn. Han har reist mye, skrevet en haug med nytt materiale og jevnlig vært i studio. Der har han ikke vært alene. På CD’en medvirker noen av Norges dyktigste musikere og lydkunstnere. Listen av musikere er lang og vi trekker frem navn som:
Nils-Arne Øvergård: gitar, med-produsent (Holy Toy, A Full Moon in March, Lonely Crowd)
Kyrre Sætran: bass, gitar (A Full Moon in March m.fl)
Fredrik Sager: gitar (Unni Wilhelmsen)
Eystein Hopland: tekniker, med-produsent (Sister Rain)
Bugge Wesseltoft: tangenter
Lars Pedersen: trommer (Holy Toy, Last James,When)
Anders Engen: trommer (Lars Bremnes, Morten Harket)
Hans Kristian Kjos Sørensen: vibrafon
Nils-Petter Molvær: trompet
Jon Willy Rydningen: tangenter
Ulf W.Ø Holand: tekniker, med-produsent

Platen beveger seg inn og ut av flere landskaper. Mange medvirkende musikere har gjort “Spring” til en musikalsk smeltedigel med en kollektiv urkraft der Finn Coren er hovedarkitekten. Finn Coren mener musikken taler for seg selv hvis man gir seg tid til å lytte litt mere enn en gangs rask gjennomhøring.Finn Coren er kjent for å omgi seg med et konglomerat av lyd. Han blander elementer fra folkemusikken,samtidsmusikken og den klassiske skole i et pop/rock-format, og slike montasjer av lyd må man ofte lytte til flere ganger. Det musikalske landskapet Finn Coren presenterer via 20 låter på et todelt album er alt fra et futuristisk industrielt uttrykk til den helt nedstrippede og melankolske visesangen. Men lydbildet er allikevel vakkert tvers i gjennom. Når du finner samarbeidspartnere i alle leire, på tvers av musikalske og kunstneriske stilretninger, må du selv ha et unikt kunstnerisk uttrykk.Det har Finn Coren. Det er sjelden i norsk sammenheng at vi har med et slikt helstøpt talent å gjøre.

I tillegg til musikken har designbyrået Subtopia/Stein J. Øvre gjort en fabelaktig jobb med bookleten til CD’en.Det har antaglig ikke vært gjort noe lignende i norsk sammenheng før. Malende,nyansert og utrolig utsøkt har man her klart å ivareta poesien og det sjelfulle i musikken på en tiltalende måte.

Sitater fra anmeldelser 1997:

Beat: Et musikalsk verk av imponerende dybde. Coren har en musikalsk forstand og en kreativ kraft som bærer ‘Spring’ samfulle 70 minutter igjennom – uten et kjedelig øyeblikk .. en liten senasjon på det norske platemarkedet.

Arbeiderbladet. Tordnende flott, og når rockepoetiske høyder det er lenge siden norsk rock har vært i nærheten av. Coren er en av Norges klart beste rockevokalister.

Aftenposten: Modig rockeartist med stort musikalsk repertoir gir overraskende og spenstige Blake-tolkninger. «Spring» er en sann svir.

from «Blake/An Illustrated Quarterly»(USA) on The Blake Project «Spring» (extract)

Finn Coren The Blake Project Spring – «The musical styles range from the quiet, meditative sounds of “The Sick Rose,” “The Voice of the Ancient Bard” or “Little Boy Lost” to hard percussion-driven rock (as in the angry sounds of “The Chimney Sweeper” or “Holy Thursday” from Experience) to a John Lennon-like lyricism (as in “Spring,” “Cradle Song,” or “Holy Thursday” from Innocence) to songs that might be compared with the best of Lou Reed or Elvis Costello. “Jerusalem” has the feel of an operatic chorale, though firmly grounded in rock idiom.» «While there are other rock al- bums that may properly be called song cycles (Lou Reed’s Songs for Drella and Magic and Loss, Elvis Costello’s The Juliet Letters, Sting’s Summoner’s Tales, and others), few have devoted themselves to exploring the possible interaction of music with the poetic complexity of a poet like Blake.»
Fall 1998