The Twelfth Dance of Christmas: A Carol for Star-Struck Pilgrims

The Twelfth Dance of Christmas: 

A Carol for Star-Struck Pilgrims (in the spirit of Fairport Convention, composed for hurdy-gurdy, gut strings, hand clap, whistle, and the late Sandy Denny)*

The first step out your doorway
is the longest one you'll take,
they say the goal will find you
if the pilgrimage you make,
some come to hear an angel song
and some just wonder why
the star's up in the sky,
the star's up in the sky. 

You travel to a different world
where beats a different drum,
your power means but little now
for this is kingdom come,
so learn the lesson of the road
and the frozen tears you cried,
with the star still in your eyes, 
the star still in your eyes.

You saw the signs or thought you did
and studied what you know,
but glory in the sky my friends
won't lead you any more,
you'll find out why you've come this way
when the poorest infant's cry
finds mercy in your eyes, 
finds mercy in your eyes. 

So treat your camel like a friend
and put no trust in gold,
I know you think it's precious
for so you have been told,
but the child wants something else from you,
and you will soon know why
you've come this far to die,
yes all this way to die. 

On the Twelfth Night of this Christmastide
the wise men they draw near
to the mother and the darling child
bearing frankincense and fear;
with wonder and with doubts no doubt
they make their sacrifice
and heaven in their eyes,
with heaven in their eyes,
in their eyes. 

Now masters help us keep the feast
with cake and ale and wine,
and mistress lead us in a dance
to keep the kings in time,
there's been enough of darkness,
we will make it through this night
with the star still in our eyes,
the star still in our eyes. 

ooh-ooh (hand clap)
ooh-ooh (sans hand clap)

God bless the three who traveled far,
God bless their beasts also,
and all those good folk on the path
who charity to them showed,
God bless the singer and the song
who keep the season bright
and the star still in our eyes,
the star still in our eyes. 

They journeyed for a miracle,
they journeyed for a sign,
they journeyed for to see a king
for such was their design
but miracles mislead the wise
and signs will fade and die
right before our eyes, 
right before our eyes. 

Now masters help us keep the feast
with cake and ale and wine,
and mistress lead us in a dance
to keep the kings in time,
there's been enough of darkness,
we will make it through this night
with the star still in our eyes,
the star still in our eyes.

Some keep their eyes on heaven above
for that is what they need,
but the message heaven sent that day
was something else indeed,
friends look around you when you pray,
the answers you will find
right before your eyes,
oh, right before your eyes.
 
We journey into mystery
like the kings so long ago,
and when we reach our journey's end
we'll know what we must know,
but ending is beginning
and you'll know the truly wise
by the star still in their eyes,
the star still in our eyes.
Yes, ending is beginning
and you'll know the truly wise--
the star still in their eyes,
the star still in our eyes. 

* Here is the original recording of this piece, rough as it is. I tried to record a new version, one that sounds less pretentious. But I couldn't get the phone recording to link up here. Just imagine I'm less pretentious than this sounds. And enjoy the carol as a tribute to those with the star in their eyes AND to great British folk-rock.  Happy Twelfth Night and Epiphany.  Listen to it here:  Star song. 

For those of you who stayed for the final credits:  

Take care of your camels. And your asses. Because it's cold out there.