Songs

The Up Helly Aa Song

(Words by J.J. Haldane Burgess, M.A.)
(Music by Thos. Manson)

From Grand old Viking centuries Up Helly Aa has come,
Then light the torch and form the march and sound the rolling drum.
And wake the mighty memories of heroes that are dumb,
The waves are rolling on.

Chorus:-
Grand old Vikings ruled upon the ocean vast,
Their brave battle songs still thunder on the blast,
Their wild war cry comes a ringing from the past,
We answer it A-Hoy!
Roll their glory down the ages, Songs of warriors and sages,
When the fight for freedom rages, be bold and strong as they.

Of yore our fiery fathers sped upon the Viking path,
Of yore their dreaded dragons braved the ocean in its wrath.
And we their sons are reaping now their glory's aftermath,
The waves are rolling on.

Chorus:-

In distant lands their raven flag flew like a blazing star,
And foreign foemen trembling heard their battle cry afar,
As they thundered oer the quaking earth those mighty men of war,
The waves are rolling on

Chorus:-

On distant seas their dragon-prows went gleaming outward bound,
The storm clouds were their banners and their music ocean's sound.
And we their sons go sailing still the wide earth round and round
The waves are rolling on.

Chorus:-

No more Thor's lurid hammer flames against the northern sky,
No more from Odin's shining halls the dark Valkyrior fly.
Before the Light the heathen night went slowly rolling by,
The waves are rolling on.

Chorus:-

We are the sons of mighty sires whose souls were staunch and strong,
We sweep upon our serried foes the hosts of Hate and Wrong.
The glory of a grander age has fired our battle song,
The waves are rolling on.

Chorus:-

Our Galley is the people's right the dragon of the free,
The right that rising in its might brings tyrants to their knee.
The flag that flies above us is the love of liberty,
The waves are rolling on.

Chorus:-

The Galley Song

(Words by John Nicolson)
(Music Norse Traditional Tune)

Floats the raven banner o'er us, Round our Dragon ship we stand;
Voices joined in gladsome chorus, Raised aloft the flaming brand.
Voices joined in gladsome chorus, Raised aloft the flaming brand,
Every guizer has a duty when he joins the festive throng,
Honour freedom love and beauty, In the feast, the dance, the song.
Honour freedom love and beauty, In the feast, the dance, the song.

Worthy sons of Vikings make us, truth be our encircling fire,
Shadowy visions backward take us, to the Sea-King's funeral pyre.
Shadowy visions backward take us, to the Sea-King's funeral pyre,
Bonds of botherhood in her it, Over strife the curtain draw.
Let our actions breathe the spirit, Of our great Up Helly Aa.
Let our actions breathe the spirit, Of our great Up Helly Aa.

The Norseman's Home

(Words and Music Norse Traditional)
(Arranged by Ronnie Mathewson)

The Norseman's home in days gone by, was on the rolling sea,
And there his pennon did defy, the foe of Normandy.
Then let us ne'er forget the race, who bravely fought and died,
Who never filled a craven's grave, but ruled the foaming tide.

For noble spiprits bold and free, too narrow was their land!
They rov'd the wide expansive sea, and quelled the Norman band.
Then let us all in harmony, give honour to the brave,
The noble, hardy, Northern men, who ruled the stormy wave.