FolkCast - Spring Into May: Music and poetry for the Spring to early Summer - a podcast by Phil Widdows

Spring Into May: A FolkCast Seasonal Special

Music and poetry for the Spring to early Summer, from Easter to the Merry Merry month of May.

Produced by Phil Widdows.

1: March Borrowed From April by Hilary James

with Oh Sweet Spontaneous by E.E. Cummings §

2: Spring Song by Waking The Witch

"Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush!"

- Doug Larson *

3: Holding Out For Spring by Jonnie Murphy

4: As I Roved Out by Matthew Ord

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month!"


- Henry Van Dyke *



5: Oh For The Spring by Neil Cousin

6: In Weaving Spring by Sedayne

with Days Too Short, by WH Davies

read by David Barnes via Librivox.org

"Measure your health by your sympathy with morning and spring. If there is no response in you to the awakening of nature—if the prospect of an early morning walk does not banish sleep, if the warble of the first bluebird does not thrill you—know that the morning and spring of your life are past. Thus may you feel your pulse."

- Henry David Thoreau §

"The first day of spring was once the time for taking the young virgins into the fields; there, in dalliance, to set an example in fertility for nature to follow. Now, we just set the clocks an hour ahead…"

- E.B. White *

7: When Spring Comes In by Spriguns

8: The First Rites Of Spring by Simon Fowler's Merrymouth

9: Springtime by Tess

"In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of four-and-twenty hours…"

- Mark Twain *

10: Spring Song by Fairport Convention

11: April Morning by The Ralf Weihrauch Trio

"Come, fill the Cup. And, in the Fire of Spring

the Winter Garment of Repentance fling.

The Bird of Time has but a little way to fly,

and Lo! The bird is on the wing…"

- Omar Khayyam §

12: The Cuckoo by James Findlay

13: Two Giants by Dave Alton

(Music featured: Wintro by Mike Vass; Pan Dance by Jethro Tull; Lights Out by Mike Vass; Winter's Dreaming by Spiral Dance; Melter by Mike Vass )

14: Green Man by Magicfolk

"And Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."


- Percy Bysshe Shelley *

15: Green Jack by Lisa Knapp

16: The Pleasant Month Of May by Jackie Oates

17: Garland Gay by Little Johnny England

18: Maymorning by Runrig

19: Middle Of May by Katriona Gilmore and Jamie Roberts

with Weathers by Thomas Hardy

read by Richard Burton

20: Bonny Black Hare by Steeleye Span

21: Beltane by Jethro Tull

22: Summerisle by The Bailey Sisters

"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."


- Rainer Maria Rilke*

23: Under A Beltane Sun by Damh The Bard

§ = read by Phil Widdows

* = read by Babba

See the ShowNotes at www.folkcast.co.uk

Further episodes of The Festive Selection Box from FolkCast

Further podcasts by Phil Widdows

Website of Phil Widdows