Beltane

New 13 Songs for Beltane

I started doing a song playlist for Sabbats at Beltane last year and revisiting the old post made me realize that I needed to shake things up a bit. So here’s a few from the old list and a few new songs to to get you ready to leap bonfires!

I made a vow not to include Merry May Folk for once. Just because I’m obsessed with the song doesn’t mean everyone is. I was really tempted to include a Jonathan Coulton song (you know which one) but decided to keep it PG.

13. Madonna – Like A Prayer

No one exemplifies the intersection of sex and religion in mainstream music better than Madonna.



12. Spiral Rhythm – Freedom

This is such a powerful anthem. I love it.



11. The Wicker Man Soundtrack – Gently Johnny

This should always be performed with Lord Summerisle’s monologue in the midst of it.



10. Divinyls – I Touch Myself

Seriously, no other song reflects the irreverent innuendo of the Beltane season.



9. The Wicker Man Soundtrack – Fire Leap

This scene from the movie is one of my favorites, where Lord Summerisle is explaining the mythic worldview to Sgt. Howie.



8. Damh the Bard- The Worship of Trees

Not only is this a great song, it’s fun to see Damh rock out like this.



7. Emerald Rose – Red Haired Mary

I swore I wouldn’t use Merry May Folk, which is pretty much a perfect song for anything Pagan, so here is another ER song that captures the season.



6. The Wicker Man Soundtrack – Summerisle Song

They do love their divinity lessons.



5. Gaia Consort – Beltane Fires

How can you not want to dance to this?



4. Emerald Rose – Freya, Shakti

This was the first ER song I fell in love with, and it still speaks of the sacred to me.



3. Damh the Bard – Green and Grey

This is one of those songs I could put on repeat for an hour.



2. Green Crown – Witches Reel

The oldest known song associated with Witchcraft, this song was preserved in Scottish Witch trial records. I love Green Crown and hope they re-release their music sometime soon.



1. Loreena McKennit – The Mummer’s Dance (Ever After remix)

I think not absolutely adoring this song might be cause to get your Pagan card revoked.



http://www.patheos.com/community/paganportal/2011/04/29/new-13-songs-for-beltane/


Fire Festival celebrates return of summer

Hundreds of people are expected to turn out to watch the pagan-inspired Beltane Fire Festival.

The annual event on Edinburgh's Calton hill, symbolises the beginning of summer and celebrates an ancient Celtic festival.

Organised by the Beltane Fire Society, the festival includes a torchlight procession, drummers and acrobats.

Since its modern beginnings in the 1980s, the festival has grown to involve about 300 participants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13242772