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Dec. 8th, 2007 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
miko2Today's Song: Gaudete by Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span is one of the first -- and still one of the only -- bands to turn a Medieval (16th century, with lyrics likely dating to Medieval t imes) Latin hymn into a top 40 hit song. The song made it to No. 11 on the UK singles chart in 1974. It is one of only three songs sung in Latin to hit the charts (two different versions of Pie Jesu, by Sara Brightman and Pual Miles-Kingston in 1986, and again by 12-year-old Charlotte Church in 1998. The Church version was recorded for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem.) Wikipedia also notes that Mike Oldfield had a top 10 hit with In Dulci Jubilo but it was performed as an instrumental, and Steeleye Span is also one of only a few to score hit singles with an a capella performance.
I've always liked their version, and it is a Christmas tune. It's been recorded by others -- The Medieval Babes, Anuna, the Boston Camerata -- and you could argue that all of those are better, vocally, than Steeleye Span is. But Maddy Prior's voice is unlike any other, so they're still my favorite. ^_^
Steeleye Span - Gaudete (live)
Steeleye Span - Gaudete (original version)
Libera -- Gaudete
Anuna -- Gaudete
