Keep Your Name

I stepped into the Herr Mannelig tale tonight: a knock at dawn, a mountain maid with glittering gifts, and a vow that has to hold. Tagelharpa keeps the chill, my cello leads the warning, then we flip into a reel and the floor lifts. Chorus trick again: band tacet for a bar, voice pickup like a heartbeat, then a key lift on the last pass. low-key it’s a temptation song, high-key it’s a spine song - keep your name, walk in day. thanks for riding with me, lovelies. 💜 Tarja. Lyrics: at cockcrow on a midsummer morn a knock like stone on lord mannelig’s door. a mountain maid with frost-bright eyes: “take me to wife and name the ties. i’ll give you twelve white steeds with rings, silver manes and bridal things.” her hands were cold as river glass, the heath went hush to hear her ask. do not dance by the mountain fire, keep your vow and human choir. leave the wreath and leave the wine- walk in day, hold to the line. keep your name - step out alive. “a sword unbroken, sharp with star, a shirt with neither seam nor scar; three mills that grind with windless wings- say yes to me, and all these things.” his gaze was warm, his answer slow: “your gifts are bright, but roots must know.” do not dance by the mountain fire, keep your vow and human choir. leave their harp and silver rhyme- ride for dawn and hold the line. keep your name - step out alive. “if you were born in morning light, i’d take your hand and bind it right; but mountain-kin and river-stone would pull me where no day is known.” mannelig, herr mannelig, trolofva mig… han svarar stilla: håll namn och stig. do not dance by the mountain fire, keep your vow and human choir. hold your breath, hold human time- ride for dawn and cross the line. keep your name - ride out alive.