Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Trad Tuesday: The Lost Words - Spell Songs


In 2007 the Oxford Junion Dictionary caused a stir by dropping words it felt no longer had a connection with children, words like wren, willow, otter, acorn, ivy, and others. Author Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris created a lovely book The Lost Words to restore those missing words. Macfarlane's words are meant to be read aloud, a sort of spell to bring them back to life.

The book is beyond lovely, and every household should have a copy. Today is John Muir Day which gives the meaning of the book a special emphasis.

 A group of renowned UK musicians got together to write songs as a companion to the book and a way 'to sing nature back to life.' Spell Songs is the result, and a more beautiful tribute can't be imagined. Julie Fowlis and Kris Drever took the word otter and created the lovely song I picked for this Trad Tuesday: Selkie-Boy.


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