The House of the Rising Sun- in Conques

[shefollowsshells]

I know this has been mentioned before, in fact I might have started the thread.
The connection of Le Puy route to the song The House of the Rising Sun.
But a strange coincidence, like so many things Camino...
I, like everyone else here, am licking my wounds with overseas travel halted for 18 months if not more.
A trip to Barcelona with hubby, but mostly a Portugal trip where I was leading 14 hikers, all dear friends to commence in March. I had planned every detail, and the canceling of it has been pretty depressing. A First World Problem I have to keep telling myself, with the guilt of course. I am a frontline worker, in an Emergency Room with four of my six kids just coming out of quarantine with a positive Corona Virus result. So I'm so over this...
So yesterday, amazingly, I was drawn to my blog. I have no social medial, no twitter,instgram, no facebook .( I had facebook for four days when a new dog 20 minutes after arriving to my home, stray-shelter-to my home, ran away, we got him back four days later). But I have my travel blog, which personally I felt is just ramblings and of little interest to anyone. Most entries typed quickly over a coffee break when I had wifi, never proofread, filled with misspellings and fat finger typos. BUT yesterday I found myself reading my Le Puy, GR10 to connect to the Norte blog. I've never read my blog. This is a hike I did with five of my six children, why only five? One has some pretty severe special needs so he stayed home with daddy, who thankfully works from home and allowed us to do this trip. This trip was four years ago, and was a four-month trip, hiking I think exactly three months and sleeping outside about 80 percent of the time. My youngest was 9, with a pack that weighed what mine did (if not more)... I was slightly in awe over this trip re-reading it yesterday, and pretty emotional at times.
I had just read my entry of Conques, where I sat with Jean Michel, another pilgrim, listening to the monk play the organ in the evening. Jean Michel would share he had cancer, with a prognosis that was not good while we sat in that pew. He also complimented my kids in that pew and his words were "they get it", words I have comfort in as I remember him saying it way back when. Then totally unexpected the monk ends with a thunderous version of the House of the Rising Sun!!!
While vacationing in Croatia, with kids, right before covid, I got a text from Jean Michel's number, it was his wife, who I had never met and knew little about, telling me he thought a lot about my family, the kids especially, that he spoke of us often, and she wanted me to know that he had just passed.
So reliving Conques last night was especially emotional.
So within minutes, I get over my newsfeed that Valentine of The Animals had died yesterday.
I am sharing this so other Le Puy lovers might want to ask Alexa to play, "The House of the Rising Sun, by the Animals, Volume Ten".... today...
wishing I was sitting in a pew in Conques...
Much love fellow Camino lovers,
...assured our paths will be there when the World is ready for us...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/the-animals-guitarist-hilton-valentine-dies-at-77/2021/01/31/49f67806-632d-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html

Neve
my blog is shefollowsshells.blogspot.com, with specific tabs for all things camino

 

[mspath]

Much love to you.
Thank you for sharing your precious memories.
May we all find the strength to persevere until better times.

MM

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I know this has been mentioned before, in fact I might have started the thread.
The connection of Le Puy route to the song The House of the Rising Sun.
But a strange coincidence, like so many things Camino...
I, like everyone else here, am licking my wounds with overseas travel halted for 18 months if not more.
A trip to Barcelona with hubby, but mostly a Portugal trip where I was leading 14 hikers, all dear friends to commence in March. I had planned every detail, and the canceling of it has been pretty depressing. A First World Problem I have to keep telling myself, with the guilt of course. I am a frontline worker, in an Emergency Room with four of my six kids just coming out of quarantine with a positive Corona Virus result. So I'm so over this...
So yesterday, amazingly, I was drawn to my blog. I have no social medial, no twitter,instgram, no facebook .( I had facebook for four days when a new dog 20 minutes after arriving to my home, stray-shelter-to my home, ran away, we got him back four days later). But I have my travel blog, which personally I felt is just ramblings and of little interest to anyone. Most entries typed quickly over a coffee break when I had wifi, never proofread, filled with misspellings and fat finger typos. BUT yesterday I found myself reading my Le Puy, GR10 to connect to the Norte blog. I've never read my blog. This is a hike I did with five of my six children, why only five? One has some pretty severe special needs so he stayed home with daddy, who thankfully works from home and allowed us to do this trip. This trip was four years ago, and was a four-month trip, hiking I think exactly three months and sleeping outside about 80 percent of the time. My youngest was 9, with a pack that weighed what mine did (if not more)... I was slightly in awe over this trip re-reading it yesterday, and pretty emotional at times.
I had just read my entry of Conques, where I sat with Jean Michel, another pilgrim, listening to the monk play the organ in the evening. Jean Michel would share he had cancer, with a prognosis that was not good while we sat in that pew. He also complimented my kids in that pew and his words were "they get it", words I have comfort in as I remember him saying it way back when. Then totally unexpected the monk ends with a thunderous version of the House of the Rising Sun!!!
While vacationing in Croatia, with kids, right before covid, I got a text from Jean Michel's number, it was his wife, who I had never met and knew little about, telling me he thought a lot about my family, the kids especially, that he spoke of us often, and she wanted me to know that he had just passed.
So reliving Conques last night was especially emotional.
So within minutes, I get over my newsfeed that Valentine of The Animals had died yesterday.
I am sharing this so other Le Puy lovers might want to ask Alexa to play, "The House of the Rising Sun, by the Animals, Volume Ten".... today...
wishing I was sitting in a pew in Conques...
Much love fellow Camino lovers,
...assured our paths will be there when the World is ready for us...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/the-animals-guitarist-hilton-valentine-dies-at-77/2021/01/31/49f67806-632d-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html

Neve
my blog is shefollowsshells.blogspot.com, with specific tabs for all things camino

I am a Le Puy lover and was in Conques on the Le Puy route in June 2018 and absolutely loved the "House of the Rising Sun" being played loudly in the cathedral on the organ and will never forget the experience. Thank you for the reminder of this special evening and I will listen to it in memory of your camino friend.
I carry a similar disappointment as you as I was to walk the Norte with four others and had all plans in place for April-May 2020 and was also hoping to walk the Le Puy again in the fall. My plans are on hold...but not forgotten.

 

[josephmcclain]

I know this has been mentioned before, in fact I might have started the thread.
The connection of Le Puy route to the song The House of the Rising Sun.
But a strange coincidence, like so many things Camino...
I, like everyone else here, am licking my wounds with overseas travel halted for 18 months if not more.
A trip to Barcelona with hubby, but mostly a Portugal trip where I was leading 14 hikers, all dear friends to commence in March. I had planned every detail, and the canceling of it has been pretty depressing. A First World Problem I have to keep telling myself, with the guilt of course. I am a frontline worker, in an Emergency Room with four of my six kids just coming out of quarantine with a positive Corona Virus result. So I'm so over this...
So yesterday, amazingly, I was drawn to my blog. I have no social medial, no twitter,instgram, no facebook .( I had facebook for four days when a new dog 20 minutes after arriving to my home, stray-shelter-to my home, ran away, we got him back four days later). But I have my travel blog, which personally I felt is just ramblings and of little interest to anyone. Most entries typed quickly over a coffee break when I had wifi, never proofread, filled with misspellings and fat finger typos. BUT yesterday I found myself reading my Le Puy, GR10 to connect to the Norte blog. I've never read my blog. This is a hike I did with five of my six children, why only five? One has some pretty severe special needs so he stayed home with daddy, who thankfully works from home and allowed us to do this trip. This trip was four years ago, and was a four-month trip, hiking I think exactly three months and sleeping outside about 80 percent of the time. My youngest was 9, with a pack that weighed what mine did (if not more)... I was slightly in awe over this trip re-reading it yesterday, and pretty emotional at times.
I had just read my entry of Conques, where I sat with Jean Michel, another pilgrim, listening to the monk play the organ in the evening. Jean Michel would share he had cancer, with a prognosis that was not good while we sat in that pew. He also complimented my kids in that pew and his words were "they get it", words I have comfort in as I remember him saying it way back when. Then totally unexpected the monk ends with a thunderous version of the House of the Rising Sun!!!
While vacationing in Croatia, with kids, right before covid, I got a text from Jean Michel's number, it was his wife, who I had never met and knew little about, telling me he thought a lot about my family, the kids especially, that he spoke of us often, and she wanted me to know that he had just passed.
So reliving Conques last night was especially emotional.
So within minutes, I get over my newsfeed that Valentine of The Animals had died yesterday.
I am sharing this so other Le Puy lovers might want to ask Alexa to play, "The House of the Rising Sun, by the Animals, Volume Ten".... today...
wishing I was sitting in a pew in Conques...
Much love fellow Camino lovers,
...assured our paths will be there when the World is ready for us...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/the-animals-guitarist-hilton-valentine-dies-at-77/2021/01/31/49f67806-632d-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html

Neve
my blog is shefollowsshells.blogspot.com, with specific tabs for all things camino

Thanks so much for posting this. Thanks for writing without your ego sticking our around the edges!!.....assured all our paths will cross when the World is ready for us! thanks!!

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

I too was surprised and delighted to hear The House of the Rising Sun as the finale to the organ concert in Conques. I recently learned that soon after the Animals recorded their version, the French star Johnny Hallyday recorded his version called Le Pénitencier. The French lyrics tell a completely different story from the English lyrics. So now I wonder if the organist was playing the french or English version!!! Either rendition, it was still a memorable experience.

 

[Felice]

Conques Abbey, May 2019. A wonderful unforgettable start to the second part of my Le Puy pilgrimage.
Some music takes me immediately to a point in time sometimes long past. The House of the Rising Sun is now one of those pieces. So when I saw that Hilton Valentine had died, I played it at full volume at least twice in tribute.
Thank you taiji for telling me about Jonny Hallyday's recording of the track. Further along the Le Puy route in May 2019, I stayed at a farmhouse in the Célé valley, above the caves. During supper, my host had music on, and the track came up, by The Animals. Later, he told me all about Jonny Halliday, the most famous singer that most English people had never heard of. How true that is. So I've just listened to Jonny's version, and the song has gone full circle!

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

Conques Abbey, May 2019. A wonderful unforgettable start to the second part of my Le Puy pilgrimage.
Some music takes me immediately to a point in time sometimes long past. The House of the Rising Sun is now one of those pieces. So when I saw that Hilton Valentine had died, I played it at full volume at least twice in tribute.
Thank you taiji for telling me about Jonny Hallyday's recording of the track. Further along the Le Puy route in May 2019, I stayed at a farmhouse in the Célé valley, above the caves. During supper, my host had music on, and the track came up, by The Animals. Later, he told me all about Jonny Halliday, the most famous singer that most English people had never heard of. How true that is. So I've just listened to Jonny's version, and the song has gone full circle!

Felice, I too walked on the LePuy in May 2019, and I wonder if you are the Englishwoman we walked with for about 3 days?

 

[shefollowsshells]

I too was surprised and delighted to hear The House of the Rising Sun as the finale to the organ concert in Conques. I recently learned that soon after the Animals recorded their version, the French star Johnny Hallyday recorded his version called Le Pénitencier. The French lyrics tell a completely different story from the English lyrics. So now I wonder if the organist was playing the french or English version!!! Either rendition, it was still a memorable experience.

WOW!!!!
I had no idea, thank you guys for sharing.
Here are the lyrics...in link
I too am wondering if this is what the organist was referencing now...

le penitencier lyrics - Google Search

 

[Deleted member 73526]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4082151995182066

 

[Felice]

Thanks Raggy, shame it is such a short clip.
Note how he checks his watch - that's because he stops for 10 o'clock to strike.

 

[cathietherese]

I am a Le Puy lover and was in Conques on the Le Puy route in June 2018 and absolutely loved the "House of the Rising Sun" being played loudly in the cathedral on the organ and will never forget the experience. Thank you for the reminder of this special evening and I will listen to it in memory of your camino friend.
I carry a similar disappointment as you as I was to walk the Norte with four others and had all plans in place for April-May 2020 and was also hoping to walk the Le Puy again in the fall. My plans are on hold...but not forgotten.

What a wonderful thread! I too loved Conques.In fact, I think it blew my tiny mind. On the way out the following day I received a text from a dear friend at home in NZ that her father had just died. We were standing in the little chapel of Sainte Foy on the hillside and Tim rang the bell for my friend's Dad. It felt right to note this in the book for my friend when she one day visits there. My friend was convinced her Dad would hear the bell, and it warmed her heart from all those kilometres away. Much love to you all.

 

[mark connolly]

I hate to rain on your balloon, burst your parade, or (insert proper metaphor here), but the song being played is Amazing Grace. Listen to it here:

Buen Camino

Mark

@shefollowsshells really loved your blog about the LePuy with you family. Thought is was the best.

 

[shefollowsshells]

WOW Mark!!! I was on a primitive NC island (Bear Island) with limited wifi and battery when I got the notification of your response (raining on my balloons, bursting my parade, drizzling on my cornflakes-lol), and must admit I was devastated and thought you must be wrong. It's not till now I was able to listen to the link and I totally agree with you, am convinced and actually accept that with amazement. What a beautiful rendition.
How did you figure that out?
Such a beautiful link, thank you for sharing!
That needs to be in it's own thread so it is not missed, would you be willing?
I see you're a few weeks behind us on Le Puy this summer, I will be blogging but probably totally different as I only take one kiddo this time and she is now 16 and a young lady... that leaves me a little more change in my pockets for us to eat out and splurge a bit more than the previous (which I wouldn't change the experience for anything)...
Thank you!
Neve

 

[shefollowsshells]

I hate to rain on your balloon, burst your parade, or (insert proper metaphor here), but the song being played is Amazing Grace. Listen to it here:

Buen Camino

Mark

@shefollowsshells really loved your blog about the LePuy with you family. Thought is was the best.

Typing quickly … but from the monk/ brother/ friars mouth who played the organ in conques five years ago and tonight… he is playing the French song by Johnie Halliday (sp?) and knew nothing of the Ava Maria song put to the same music. I personally found comfort in that suggestion just sharing what he told me tonight…

 

[mark connolly]

Sorry I have not gotten back to you sooner. Hope all is well on the Norte. This Ca Stevevns song......

.......is based on a Welch hymm.

Buen Camino

Mark

 

[Kanga]

Hymns use different tunes all the time.

From Wikipedia: "Morning Has Broken" is a hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and was inspired by the village of Alfriston in East Sussex, then set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan". It is often sung in children's services and in funeral services."

So, it was written as a hymn and published long before it was sung by Cat Stevens.

The tune "Bunessan" has been used for many tunes, the earliest probably as a Christmas carol. Here is the Wikipedia entry for it.

Morning Has Broken is a favourite hymn in our family, was sung and played at my wedding, and my mother and father's funeral.

 

[Kathar1na]

he is playing the French song by Johnie Halliday (sp?) and knew nothing of the Ava Maria song put to the same music. I personally found comfort in that suggestion just sharing what he told me tonight…

The spelling of the name is Johnny Hallyday - hugely popular in France with a career of over 50 years, and the title of the song in French is Le Pénitencier, one of his greatest successes. And while I could not tell the difference between any of these songs, not having an ear for it, it seems indeed that Brother Jean-Daniel of Conques has been playing Le Pénitencier and variations on other worldly songs for a good twenty years now and Le Pénitencier is what the French pélerins hear, too. The French text has no similarity with the English version.

There are recordings of Frère Jean-Daniel on the organ on YouTube and in particular on the Facebook page of Conques Abbey. I doubt that I will ever walk Le Puy but this makes me want to visit Conques one day - the music, and the tympanum of course.

Thank you for sharing and bon chemin! And ... you chatted with him? Did you ask why he chooses this music. I guess it's because of the music and not the text?

PS: I think you meant Amazing Grace and not Ave Maria. The French Wikipedia describes Amazing Grace as a famous Christian song in the anglophone world. I don't think that it has been adopted in the same way outside of the USA.

 

[Kathar1na]

Thanks Raggy, shame it is such a short clip.

Here are 4 full minutes of Frère Jean-Daniel playing in June 2018, with some nice views of the Conques abbey church at night, including the stained glass windows created by Pierre Soulages, and the tympanum.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We stayed in Conques at the Abbey on June 11, 2018. That evening hearing "The House of the Rising Sun" being played on the organ, complete with a synchronized light show, was a definite highlight on the Via Podiensis.

 

[shefollowsshells]

Sorry I have not gotten back to you sooner. Hope all is well on the Norte. This Ca Stevevns song......

.......is based on a Welch hymm.

Buen Camino

Here are 4 full minutes of Frère Jean-Daniel playing in June 2018, with some nice views of the Conques abbey church at night, including the stained glass windows created by Pierre Soulages, and the tympanum.

Beautiful!!!!

 

[Felice]

Here's a translation of Le Pénitencier lyrics:

The prison
The prison gates
Are going to close soon
And there I will end my life
Like other guys ended it
For me, my mother gave
Her wedding dress
Can you ever forgive me?
I made you cry too much
The sun is not for us
It's at night that we can cheat
You who lost everything tonight
Tomorrow you can win
O mothers, listen to me
Never let your boys
Hang around the streets alone at night
They would go straight to gaol
You, the girl who loved me
I made you cry too much
You must forget
The tears of shame that you shed
The prison gates
Are going to close soon
And there I will end my life
Like other guys ended it

Source: https://muzikum.eu/en/johnny-hallyday/le-penitencier-lyrics-english-translation

Contrast this with The Animals' House of the Rising Sun.

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I'm one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gambling man
Down in New Orleans
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he is satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
Oh, mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I'm one

 

[shefollowsshells]

Here's a translation of Le Pénitencier lyrics:

The prison
The prison gates
Are going to close soon
And there I will end my life
Like other guys ended it
For me, my mother gave
Her wedding dress
Can you ever forgive me?
I made you cry too much
The sun is not for us
It's at night that we can cheat
You who lost everything tonight
Tomorrow you can win
O mothers, listen to me
Never let your boys
Hang around the streets alone at night
They would go straight to gaol
You, the girl who loved me
I made you cry too much
You must forget
The tears of shame that you shed
The prison gates
Are going to close soon
And there I will end my life
Like other guys ended it

Source: https://muzikum.eu/en/johnny-hallyday/le-penitencier-lyrics-english-translation

Contrast this with The Animals' House of the Rising Sun.

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I'm one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gambling man
Down in New Orleans
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and a trunk
And the only time he is satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
Oh, mother, tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I'm one

I’m a cafe in Fijaec trying to sing both to my daughter. It’s funny how I think I know a song and have sung it for decades to realize when I see the lyrics I really didn’t know them - lol