The Great Wind Shakes the Breadfruit Leaf (Ghost Song)

"The Great Wind Shakes the Breadfruit Leaf (Ghost Song)" is the second song of Cadman's Idyls of the South Sea, Op. 55 song cycle, with text by Nelle Richmond Eberhart.

Date: 1913Composer: Charles Wakefield CadmanText: Nelle Richmond EberhartSong Collection: Idyls of the South Sea

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Text

The Great Wind Shakes the Breadfruit Leaf (Ghost Song)
by Nelle Richmond Eberhart

The great wind shakes the breadfruit leaf,
The great waves cry on the coral reef,
The great drums sigh with a spirit breath,
For Something here has looked on death.

Turn ye back from the bush tonight,–
Turn ye back from the bush tonight,
Turn ye back!

The ghost tree falls across the trail,
A white crane flies with eerie wail,
A shriek goes up from the bamboo wood,
Where spirits seek for living food.

Turn ye back from the bush tonight,–
Turn ye back from the bush tonight,
Turn ye back!
Burn the rushfires bright, bright!
Turn ye back!

Sheet Music

Idyls of the South Sea, Op. 55 (High Key)

Composer(s): Charles Wakefield Cadman

Song(s): 1. Where the Long White Waterfall (Love Song)
. The Great Wind Shakes the Breadfruit Leaf (Ghost Song)
3. The Rainbow Waters Whisper (Canoe Song)
4. Withered is the Green Palm (Death Song)

Voice Type: High

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Idyls of the South Sea, Op. 55 (Medium Key)

Composer(s): Charles Wakefield Cadman

Song(s): 1. Where the Long White Waterfall (Love Song)
. The Great Wind Shakes the Breadfruit Leaf (Ghost Song)
3. The Rainbow Waters Whisper (Canoe Song)
4. Withered is the Green Palm (Death Song)

Voice Type: Medium

Buy via Recital Publications

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