General info on the music of the Wicker Man can be found here. These notes follow the music of the extended version aka the Director's Cut DVD.
Italics are used for instrumental music and info about the song/tune.
Flying in[]
Northumbrian pipes play one verse of The Highland Widow's Lament.
The Lord's My Shepherd[]
Heard as we see Howie in a flashback.
The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll not want, He makes me down to lie
In pastures green, He leadeth me, The quiet waters by
He leadeth me, He leadeth me, The quiet waters by
Mailman whistling[]
What is the mailman whistling? It almost sounds like "Let me call you sweetheart" but not quite.
The Highland Widows Lament[]
Oh I am come to the low Countrie, Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie! Without a penny in my purse, To buy a meal to me.
One time I had a hundred sheep,Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie!, Skipping o'er your narrow creek, And growing wool for me.
It then turns into Paul Giovanni singing...
Corn Rigs and Barley Rigs[]
(As Howie sees the orchards flying over Summerisle.)[]
It was upon a Lammas night when corn rigs are bonny beneath the moon's unclouded light I held awhile to Annie the time went by with careless heed til 'tween the late and early, with small persuasion she agreed to see me through the barley
Corn rigs and barley rigs, And corn rigs are bonny, I'll not forget that happy night among the rigs with Annie
(Chorus repeated after Howie lands.)[]
Corn rigs and barley rigs And corn rigs are bonny I'll not forget that happy night among the rigs with Annie
(As Howie walks away from the group of men with the harbor master.)[]
The sky was blue, the wind was still the moon was shining clearly I set her down with right good will among the rigs of barley I ken't her heart was a' my ain; I loved her most sincerely I kissed her o'er and o'er again among the rigs of barley
The Landlord's Daughter[]
(We hear a few concertina notes outside the pub as Howie comes in the first time.)
[]
(Inside the pub)[]
THE LANDLORD'S DAUGHTER
Much has been said of the strumpets of yore Of wenches and bawdy house queens by the score But I sing of a baggage that we all adore, The Landlord's Daughter
You'll never love another Although she's not the kind of girl to take home to your mother
Her ale it is lively and strong to the taste It is brewed with discretion, never with haste You can have all you like if you swear not to waste The Landlord's Daughter
And when her name is mentioned The parts of every gentleman Do stand up at attention
Now there's Jane of the blossom and Doll of the Crown Pretty Kate of the Garter and Star down in town Fat Dolly who keeps the Red Heart of renown But I'll take the landlord's daughter ===
Oh, nothing can delight so As does the part that lies between Her left toe And her right toe ===
The instrumental break is ended by Howie's banging on the bar.
(Incidental notes on guitar of Corn Rigs as the picture is passed around)[]
(then a few fiddle pizzicato notes of Landlord's Daughter)[]
Flute music as Howie wanders the green and sees orgy (Gently Johnny instrumental)[]
Gently Johnny[]
I put my hand on her knee And she says do you want to see?
I put my hand on her breast And she says do you want a kiss?
Chorus Gently, gently, gently Johnny, Gently, Johnny my jingaloe
Gently, gently, gently Johnny, Gently, Johnny my jingaloe
a few Instrumental notes
(break)
song restarts after a few chaotic notes as Ash walks in
I put my hand on her thigh And she says do you want to try?
I put my hand on her belly She says do you want to fill me?
Chorus
Gently, gently, gently Johnny, Gently, Johnny my jingaloe
Gently, gently, gently Johnny, Gently, Johnny my jingaloe
(instrumental break as Lord Summerisle recites Whitman)
part of the chorus
Gently Johnny my jingaloe
Gently, genty, gently Johnny, Gently Johnny my jingaloe.
Maypole song[]
In the woods there grew a tree and a fine fine tree was he
and on that tree there was a limb and on that limb there was a branch and on that branch there was a nest and in that nest there was an egg and in that egg there was a bird and from that bird a feather came and of that feather was a bed
and on that bed there was a girl and on that girl there was a man and on that man there was a seed and on that seed there was a boy and from that boy there was a man and for that man there was a grave and from that grave there grew a tree
In the Summerisle, Summerisle, Summerisle, Summerisle wood
and on that bed there was a girl, Summerisle and on that girl there was a man, Summerisle and from that man there was a seed, Summerisle and from that seed there was a boy, Summerisle and from that boy there was a man, Summerisle and for that man there was a grave, Summerisle and from that grave there grew a tree
In the Summerisle, Summerisle, Summerisle, Summerisle wood
and on that tree there was a limb, Summerisle and on that limb there was a branch, Summerisle and on that branch there was a nest, Summerisle and in that nest there was an egg, Summerisle and in that egg there was a bird, Summerisle and from that bird a feather came and of that feather was a bed
In the Summerisle, Summerisle, Summerisle, Summerisle wood
Practically inaudible (and on that bed there was a girl
and on that girl there was a man
and on that man there was a seed
and on that seed there was a boy
and from that boy there was a man
and for that man there was a grave
and from that grave there grew a tree)
Beetle[]
Beetle goes round and round incidental music very similar to the Fire Dance music.
Incidental music as Howie walks the graveyard[]
Descending notes on (Nordic lyre?) and brass, gets a little more orchestrated. Same theme as Annointing with Sleep Close and Fast at the end.
A few notes on a (instrument?) inbetween leaving May Morrison's and Dr Ewan and again after that before Howie visits the librarian[]
Corn rigs and barley rigs[]
sung by Giovanni as Howie rides carriage to Summerisle's castle
Corn rigs and barley rigs And corn rigs are bonny I'll not forget that happy night among the rigs with Annie
The Fire Dance[]
Lyrics from http://www.priestessblog.com/?p=44)
Take the flame inside you
Burn and burn below
Fire seed and fire feed
And make the baby grow
Take the flame inside you Burn and burn belay Fire seed and fire feed And make the baby stay
Take the flame inside you Burn and burn belong Fire seed and fire feed And make the baby strong
Take the flame inside you Burn and burn belie Fire seed and fire feed To make the baby cry
Take the flame inside you Burn and burn begin Fire seed and fire feed And make the baby King
The clock chimes in Summerisle's castle[]
What is this theme? It is the same theme the Firesign Theater uses in one of their skits as a musical theme for an ice cream van. I suspect it is a popular British theme. It’s only 4 notes.
Fire dance music heard from outside[]
Summerisle plays a few notes of the fire dance on piano.[]
This is actually played by Gary Carpenter.
Sharp note (Nordic lyre?) as Howie discovers the hare the in grave.[]
Tinker of Rye[]
Sung by Lord Summerisle and Miss Rose
There was a tinker lived of late,
who walked the streets of Rye.
He bore his pack upon his back,
patches and plugs did cry.
Oh I have brass within my bag,
my hammer's full of metal.
And as to skill I weld can plugs
and mend a broken kettle
A maiden did this tinker meet
and to him boldly say
Oh sure my kettle hath much need,
if you will pass my way.
She took the tinker by the hand
and led him to her door.
Says she, my kettle I will show
and you can clout it sure.
Chorus
For patching and plugging is his delight
(interrupted by Howie as he throws the hare next to Miss Rose)
Continuation as Howie leaves. Summmerisle sings this verse.
Fair maid says he, your kettle's cracked,
The cause is plainly told.
There hath so many nails been drove,
Mine own could not take hold.
2 sharp notes (nordic lyre?) as Howie goes in photographer's shop[]
Willow's song[]
Heigh ho. Who is there? No one but me, my dear. Please come say, How do? The things I'll give to you. A stroke as gentle as a feather I'll catch a rainbow from the sky And tie the ends together.
Heigh ho. I am here. Am I not young and fair? Please come say, How do? The things I'll show to you. Would you have a wond'rous sight The midday sun at midnight?
Fair maid, white and red, Comb you smooth and stroke your head umm How a maid can milk a bull! And every stroke a bucketful.
solfegio/vocalise?
The children chanting "We carry death out of the village"[]
(For more info see the Golden Bough!)
Background music as Howie reads about May Day.[]
Mirie It Is
Strings struck and up and down scales as Howie tries to start his plane ending in strings struck altogether[]
Nordic lyre?
Following the hobby[]
1 - Fiddle and flutes (Giovanni)[]
2 - Once inside courtyard familiar sword dance tune on fiddle (Tenpenny Bit - traditional)[]
3 - musical chaos before Summerisle's speech[]
Search music (instrumental medley)[]
(Note that this ends up edited VERY differently in various versions and on CD.)
1- 1st theme on the fiddle w/ gtr and organ (Giovanni)[]
2- Baa Baa Black Sheep[]
3- Drowsy Maggie on fiddle and discordant recorder - short[]
(pause after girl falls out of closet)
4- Drowsy Maggie again[]
5- Robertson’s Rant[]
6- Drowsy Maggie[]
(pause as Howie inspects the undertaker's shop)
7- 1st theme again[]
Hand of Glory[]
Descending notes and wavering strings/winds? Ends with shrill flute.
Procession (instrumental)[]
Chop chop[]
Single note precedes and follows as swords cut off head of hare/Holly.[]
Nordic lyre?
Hail god of the sea... said in unison[]
Rowan is announced[]
Maurice Murphy of the London Symphony Orchestra played "the very long ramshorn note outside the cave (but on a trumpet of course)" - Gary Carpenter, 12/2/15, Facebook Wicker Man group
Chase through the cave[]
Anointment[]
Hum[]
The villagers drone as Howie tries to save himself, more or less one meditative note.
Solo bass drum as Howie is lead to the Wicker Man[]
Summer is icummin in[]
Summer is icumen in Loudly sing Cuckoo Grows the seed and blows the mead And springs the wood anew. Sing Cuckoo!
Ewe bleats harshly after lamb
Cows after calves make moo
Bullock stamps and deer champs
Now shrilly sing Cuckoo ... (Howie begins singing The Lord's My Shepherd here)
... Cuckoo ... Cuckoo.
O wild bird are you ! Be never still Cuckoo !
Summer is icumen in
Loudly sing Cuckoo
Grows the seed and blows the mead
And springs the wood anew.
Sing Cuckoo!
(Hard to hear the next verse, it is an edited jumble as best I can tell)
Ewe bleats harshly after lamb
Cows after calves make moo
Bullock stamps and deer champs
Now shrilly sing Cuckoo ...
... Cuckoo ... Cuckoo.
Wild bird are you ! Be never still Cuckoo !
Loudly sing Cuckoo (end part only of this line)
Grows the seed and blows the mead
And springs the wood anew.
Sing Cuckoo!
Ewe bleats harshly after lamb
Cows after calves make moo
Bullock stamps and deer champs
Now shrilly sing Cuckoo ...
... Cuckoo ... Cuckoo.
Wild bird are you ! Be never still Cuckoo !
Howie sings "The Lord's My Shepherd" as he burns[]
The Lord's My Shepherd I'll not want He makes me down to lie
In pastures...
Credit music[]
Brass as credits roll: "The closing music, which was largely transcribed from a Bulgarian folksong", according to Gary Carpenter, is played by the LSO. Labelled as Sunset on the soundtrack album, it is a Bulgarian folk tune. (See more about it here.)