Plethyn are a Welsh band that formed some time back in the 1970s. Lawr y Lôn is the opening track from their 1995 release, Seidir Ddoe. They’re perhaps the only band I’ve stumbled upon that sing in Welsh, and it’s absolutely beautiful. As is the case for a lot of obscure older folk bands that pre-date popular interest in ethnic music, information on them is pretty slight. Here is a copy of an English translation of the lyrics that I found:
They do need men of fifteen stone, down the road, down the road Of muscle flexed and good strong bone, down the road, down the road If you’ve the guts and what it takes They promise you, you’ll get your stakes Gold is what the leprechaun makes, down the road
I’ve given all my life and worked, down the road, down the road I’ve slaved long hours and never shirked, down the road, down the road I’ve lived in dark and dreary huts Collected scars like dustroad ruts And suffered many jibes and butts, down the road
I must go now and give my all, down the road, down the road There’s more to life than mere dole, down the road, down the road I have no hope of a job nearby So I’ll pack my bags and say goodbye I need the brass, I’m not work-shy, down the road
I’ve always given all I had, down the road, down the road But hardship tends to make one sad, down the road, down the road Today the time has come, ’tis true To think dark thoughts ’bout what to do I’ve lived my life away from you, down the road
I must go back to my home and wife, up the road, up the road I know full well there’s a better life, up the road, up the road From oil-rig or from motorway I’d give more than my double pay To see that morning sun and stay, up the road
Alright. Today is the 24th, which means Halloween is a week away. I’m going to get a little more on focus from here on out. Plethyn serves as a pretty little conclusion to my general “if it’s folk it flies” approach. My next seven posts are going to hone in on the really bizarre, haunting, spooky stuff.
