In the original Wicker Man was the music original or was it based on old folk ballads?

February 20th, 2008 9:06 pm

MR.OLYMPIA asked:


I just re-watched this film (after many years and much younger age) and was struck by the music as some of it sounded like original music done in a folk style. While other songs could have been old folk ballads such as the Pub scene where the patrons start singing a melody about “Landlords daughter”.

Others where old nursery rhymes such as Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

the common folk

Share and Enjoy:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Tags: Baa Baa Black Sheep, Black Sheep, Folk Style, Melody, Patrons

This entry was posted on February 20, 2008 at 9:06 pm and is filed under Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Response to “In the original Wicker Man was the music original or was it based on old folk ballads?”

1. MystMoonstruck Says:
   February 23, 2008 at 7:50 pm

   Yes, those are folk songs though a couple vary from their original forms. This is a wonderful soundtrack that I’d love to have. Some folk songs are VERY bawdy!

   Sadly, I’ve never found a version of the film that includes both nights Howie stays at the inn. There is a second song for when a man from the village brings his son to be~ahem~deflowered by the “landlord’s daughter”. Back in the Eighties, USA Channel ran that scene instead of the one with nudity, which usually is included. Why they don’t have both scenes I’ll never understand.

   Here’s “The Landlord’s Daughter” on YouTube:=-04rx3I4fcc&feature=related

   Strangely, these are the only songs listed at IMDb:
   Corn Rigs
   Written by Paul Giovanni
   Sung by Paul Giovanni
   NOTE: It may be claiming that he wrote this, but I think he adapted it instead from this: Corn Rigs Ane Bonny.

   Gently Johnny (aka Gently, Johnny, My Jingalo)
   Sung by Paul Giovanni

   I have been a “song catcher” since childhood. I was able to expand my collection when I started attending reenactment events. I play the bowed psaltery and am always looking for folk and ethnic music.

   WOW! I just found out that they might have the music put together in an album! You can read about it here, where they also list all of the songs used in the 1973 film:
   Maybe I can track down a copy after all! So, if you hadn’t asked this question, I might not have thought to look for a soundtrack. Thanks! // If you are interested, I tracked it to Amazon for a variety of prices: