Traditional pagan songs are an important aspect of pagan culture and rituals. These songs are deeply rooted in ancient traditions and provide a channel for spiritual connection with nature and the divine. They are often used in ceremonies, festivals, and other pagan rituals to invoke the spirits and create a sacred atmosphere. Pagan songs vary across different cultures and regions, but they typically contain elements of nature worship, folklore, and mythology. The lyrics of these songs often depict the beauty and power of the natural world, the cycles of life and death, and the connection between humans and the divine. In many pagan traditions, these songs are passed down through generations orally, ensuring their preservation and authenticity.

Traditional pagan songs

This was a hard list.

Thanks to an explosion in pagan folk groups at home and abroad, and mainstream rock bands dabbling in folk sounding tracks, I could have easily done a top 20 or top 50.

I've limited myself to one track per artist, and disqualified Jethro Tull, Nightwish and the Waterboys for being technically rock not folk-rock, and have had to miss out Telling the Bees, Skyclad, Druidicca, The Dolmen, Mad Magdalen, The Moon and the Nightspirit, Jim Faupel, Wendy Rule, Cernunnos Rising, Seize the Day and Paul Gill (who's Whisper on the Breeze is the best song to come out of the 1990s road protest movement) and many more. Sorry guys.

But what I'm left with are six songs I really love. Curiously only half are by artists that describe themselves as Pagan, which just shows how the zeitgeist works.

You just can't stop a folky being pagan.

You can debate exactly how pagan the Arthurian legends are, but this song about a magical hunting horn, written by John Renbourne, contains the sort of allusions that make the Arthurian tales so enchanting. It is also a fantastic song by one of the great pioneering folk acts at the height of their powers.

Bert Jansch, I hope you're strumming this now in the Otherworld.

For some people Eroll Flynn is the only true Robin Hood, but I suspect for people of my age it's Michael Praed.

Well made, well acted and dark and pagan enough to enrage Mary Whitehouse, it was essential viewing for any teenager who played Dungeons and Dragons. This song, dedicated to Herne the Hunter, sums up the whole thing.

And Clannad's music was sublime. A band from Donegal steeped in Ireland's Trad. scene, at some point they stopped being folk, but it's not entirely clear when, so I'll count them as folk act.

Along the way they lost some of their creative spark and departing member Enya eventually eclipsed them with her own solo career, but they remained a terrific live act up until their eventual semi-retirement.

Saruman the White, alias Count Dooku, alias Christopher Lee thinks The Wicker Man had the best use of music of any film he knew. Not the best music, he qualifies himself, but the best use of it.

Certainly Paul Giovanni sets the tone of Summerisle perfectly. The best song is Gently Johnny, but as it's basically just about shagging its the Maypole song gets the nod for being slightly more pagan.

Really this soundtrack is what started the whole Pagan-folk thing in the first place, and if they'd gone with different music we may now all be Goths instead.

'cos they're Dutch I've never had any close connection with Omnia, who seem to be a bunch of heavy metal headbangers who've forgotten to plug their instruments in.

They certainly take the Pagan thing seriously - perhaps someone should tell them it's only a laugh really?

The only problem with putting them in this list is choosing a favourite track.

Just to show that the Old World doesn't have the monopoly on music for the Old Religion, at number two we have from the land of AC/DC, Spiral Dance.

They've been around for a while and, amongst other songs they have my favourite version of Burning Times - a historically inaccurate but quite catchy tune.

This is the best though, a rare foray into Greek myths.

Well there could only be one winner couldn't there?

What can we say about our greatest living Pagan songsmith?

Well not a lot, but as I'm fairly sure it was him who woke me up one morning years ago at a PF mid-west bash by playing a medley of Fairport Convention songs when I was trying to sleep off a hangover, I suppose I should say I forgive him.

The only problem though, is what song to pick. Sons and Daughters of Robin Hood is the best pagan protest song of this century whilst Pagan Ways pretty much sums up why Romantics like me take up Wicca. Then there's Taliesin's Song, or Green and Grey or numerous others.

But whilst any of those would make a good runner up, there can only be one winner - the Pagan National Anthem, Spirit of Albion.

Beltane / May Eve

Beltane is on April 30th. In this time of abundant growth, we dance around the maypole and crown the May Queen and May King. The Crow Women love Beltane! Our first Beltane composition, Song of Beltane, expresses that joy. Beltane Spirits Come to Us depicts scenes at a Beltane festival. We have two songs about the balefire, a sacred fire pagans leap over on Beltane. Those are I Am Flame and Nine Sacred Woods. Our handfasting songs, Join Together and Chalice to Blade were written for handfastings that happened on Beltane, but could be used for a handfasting at any time of the year.

Check out our Beltane playlist on Spotify

Beltane blog posts:

In many pagan traditions, these songs are passed down through generations orally, ensuring their preservation and authenticity. The melodies and rhythms of the songs are often simple and repetitive, allowing the participants to enter into a trance-like state and connect with the spiritual realm. Some traditional pagan songs are sung during specific seasonal celebrations, such as the solstices and equinoxes, to honor the changing seasons and the cycles of nature.

Celebrating Beltane with Pagan Music

For thousands of years, people have been celebrating life’s cycles by honoring the coming of spring and the start of summer with the Pagan holiday of Beltane. But what does this have to do with music? Well, it turns out that pagan music has been an integral part of Beltane.

Others are sung during rituals for healing, protection, or fertility. These songs are believed to have a transformative and empowering effect on the participants, helping them to connect with their inner selves and the natural world. In recent years, there has been a revival of interest in traditional pagan songs, as modern pagans seek to reconnect with their ancestral roots and incorporate ancient practices into their spiritual lives. Many pagan musicians and artists have emerged, creating new compositions inspired by the traditional songs and adding their own unique interpretations. Overall, traditional pagan songs are a valuable cultural heritage that offer a glimpse into ancient rituals and beliefs. They provide a profound spiritual experience and serve as a bridge between the past and the present, allowing modern individuals to connect with their pagan ancestors and the natural world around them..

Reviews for "Passionate Harmonies: Exploring the Emotional Depths of Traditional Pagan Songs"

1. Sara - 2 stars - I was very disappointed with "Traditional pagan songs". I was expecting a rich and authentic collection of ancient pagan songs, but what I got was a watered-down and commercialized version. The melodies lacked depth and the lyrics felt contrived. It's clear that this album was created with the intention of appealing to a mainstream audience, rather than honoring the true spirit of pagan music. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to showcase the beauty and power of pagan traditions.

2. Mark - 1 star - As someone with a deep appreciation for pagan music, I was extremely let down by "Traditional pagan songs". The album completely missed the mark in capturing the essence of pagan spirituality. The songs seemed to lack the authentic ancient sound that I was expecting, and instead, they were infused with modern influences that diluted their purity. The production was also subpar, with a heavy reliance on electronic beats that clashed with the organic nature of pagan music. It's clear that this album was created to capitalize on the popularity of pagan culture without genuinely understanding or respecting its roots.

3. Emma - 2 stars - I found "Traditional pagan songs" to be a shallow representation of pagan music. The tracks lacked depth and complexity, and the lyrics felt cliché and uninspired. It seemed like the producers took a surface-level approach to pagan music, focusing more on creating a marketable product than on honoring the ancient traditions. Overall, the album failed to evoke the mystical and spiritual atmosphere that I associate with pagan music. I would not recommend it to anyone seeking an authentic pagan music experience.

4. Alex - 3 stars - While "Traditional pagan songs" had some enjoyable moments, it fell short of my expectations. I was hoping for a more diverse collection of songs that explored various pagan traditions and practices. Instead, the album seemed to rely heavily on generic pagan themes, resulting in a lack of originality. Additionally, some of the tracks felt overproduced, with excessive synthesizers and effects that took away from the organic feel of the music. Overall, it was an average attempt at capturing the essence of pagan music, but it lacked the depth and creativity that I was looking for.

5. Jessica - 2 stars - "Traditional pagan songs" disappointed me with its lack of imagination and authenticity. The album seemed to rehash the same pagan tropes and clichés, without adding anything new or interesting to the genre. The melodies were predictable, and the lyrics felt repetitive and uninspired. It felt like a missed opportunity to explore the rich and diverse world of pagan music, instead opting for a safe and generic approach. If you're looking for a truly memorable and unique pagan music experience, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

Melodies of Devotion: Traditional Pagan Songs and their Role in Sacred Practices