Carol of the Old Ones

"Carol of the Old Ones" is a song originally published in the 1988 HPLHS Solstice Carol Songbook, released by the H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society [http://www.cthulhulives.org/solsticecarol.html] . With lyrics written by Andrew Leman it is sung and performed to the tune of Carol of the Bells by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych [http://www.duke.edu/web/DRAGO/humor/coc-songs.html] (itself sung to the tune of Shchedryk), with soprano lead vocals and four-part harmony at various points in the song. The song is performed by The Dagon Tabernacle Choir; the performers' names are Rebecca Marcotte, Digby Dolmen, J.D. Titan, and Walter Forsythe. It can be found on the "A Very Scary Solstice" record.

The song alludes to the Old Ones in H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, although the exact context is never specified, as Lovecraft himself used several different contexts for the term "Old Ones". The lyrics of the song carry several characteristics of Lovecraftian horror, such as the recurring concept of helplessness and hopelessness, with such lines as:

"They will reclaim all in their name;"

"Hopes turn to black when they come back" and

"Madness will reign, terror and pain"

"Woes without end where they extend."

The audio and sheet music for the song are available for download [http://www.cthulhulives.org/solsticecarol.html here] , along with lyrics.

External links

* [http://www.cthulhulives.org/solsticecarol.html The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society's page for The Carol of the Old Ones]
* [http://www.duke.edu/web/DRAGO/humor/coc-songs.html the Cthulhu Carols page]