Online:Bardic Performances

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Throughout The Elder Scrolls Online are musical performers called Bards that play and sing a number of different songs.  Some of these bards are named, some not, and they can often be found in cities and taverns.  These bards will also play purely instrumental numbers on the flute or the lute in between performances. Players can also perform a random bard song by using the /flute and /lute commands or beat a drum with /drum.

  (Wikipedia), a Youtube musician who came to prominence with her rendition of Skyrim's "The Dragonborn Comes", was invited to write the music for (and perform some of) the bardic songs in the game.
 

Elder Scrolls Online base game
There are ten songs in the base game of Elder Scrolls Online, performed by Malukah, Kari Wahlgren, Crispin Freeman (younger male voice), and Jim Cummings (aged male voice).

The songs can also be played on flute or lute by the player or bards.



Bards and players can play two other unnamed lute performances besides the ones listed above, and they are also able to play a drum.
:Listen to a sample of lute song 1
:Listen to a sample of lute song 2

Lyrics
 


Battle of Glenumbra Moors

:Listen to a sample (Crispin Freeman)

: Who took up arms that winter dawn and to Glenumbra came? 
:To raise their hand 'gainst tyrants, stand and die in freedom's name? 
:Who stood upon the field that hour to answer Direnni's call? 
:Men, Breton-born, all came that morn, to fend the land for all! 

:Rise, rise!  To freedom, rise!  Arise, ye Breton sons and daughters.   
:Ride, ride!  To freedom, ride!  Truth and glory to the brave! 

:And when the battle, it was joined, Alessians three to one, 
:Skies lit bright with magic's light and with magic, it was won. 
:For all they stood on blessed ground whence all her power came, 
:The rocks would yield, what might they wield, all in Direnni's name! 

:Rise, rise!  To freedom, rise!  Arise, ye Breton sons and daughters.   
:Ride, ride! To freedom, ride!  Truth and glory to the brave! 

:So children of this Breton land, ye best remember well 
:All those who for High Rock stood: Brian, Ancois, Rielle 
:Men of the North fought and stood forth 


Chim-el Adabal: A Ballad

:Listen to a sample (Malukah)

: When Akatosh slew Lorkhan, 
:He ripped his heart right out, 
:He hurled it across Tamriel, 
:And the heart was heard to shout: 

:Red Diamond! Red Diamond! 
:The heart and soul of Men. 
:Red Diamond! Red Diamond! 
:Protect us till the end. 

:The laughing heart sprayed blood afar, 
:A gout on Cyrod fell, 
:And like a dart shot to its mark 
:Down in an Ayleid Well. 
:Magicka fused the Lorkhan blood 
:To crystal red and strong 
:Then Wild Elves cut and polished it down 
:To Chim-el Adabal. 

:Red Diamond! Red Diamond! 
:The heart and soul of Men. 
:Red Diamond! Red Diamond! 
:Protect us till the end. 

:When Elves lost Nirn to Man, 
:Akatosh gave the stone 
:To Saint Alesh in token of 
:Her right to sit the throne. 

:Red Diamond! Red Diamond! 
:The heart and soul of Men. 
:Red Diamond! Red Diamond! 

The Coldharbour Compact

:Listen to a sample (Jim Cummings)

: Poor Gil-Var-Delle we still recall 
:The God of Schemes consumed it all 
:To Coldharbour went our Clockwork God 
:To bargain on the Princes' sod 

:They came to mock at Tribune small 
:Schemer, Hunger, Hunter, all 
:Pariah, Scryer, Destroyer came 
:Raver and Twilight just the same 

:From dread Daedra save us 
:From Daedra keep us safe 
:Forsake the ones that made us 
:To fight a wrongful fate 

:They sneered when Clockwork made his demand 
:Till Twilight raised a hand 
:"And what do you offer in return 
:"To keep us from chastising Nirn?" 

:Then Clockwork whispered long and low 
:And what he said, no mortal can know 

:From dread Daedra save us 
:From Daedra keep us safe 
:Forsake the ones that made us 

Hymn to Kyne

:Listen to a sample (Kari Wahlgren)

: In darkness, your light shines through, 
:Warrior Goddess, for you we strike true. 
:When hope is lost and war rages on, 
:Warrior Goddess, hear our blessed song! 
:With a Nord's death, fallen in battle, 
:Warrior Goddess, guide us through shadow. 
:Grant us courage to fight and sharpen our swords, 


Ithguleoir

:Listen to a sample (Crispin Freeman)

: We all remember Annine Praul, 
:Went out to sea one day; 
:Ithguleoir bit off her head, 
:Beneath the sea of gray, beneath the sea of gray! 

:And what about Therese's son, 
:A brave and handsome boy; 
:Ithguleoir et him up, 
:His mother's pride and joy, his mother's pride and joy! 

:Oh how we mourn our good man Thom, 
:Who swore he'd catch the dreadful beast; 
:Ithguleoir et him whole, 

Ode to Queen Ayrenn
 

:Listen to a sample (Crispin Freeman)

: This song's for our queen, our beautiful elf 
:Who would not be held up there on a shelf 
:She sang and she danced, and she studied the past 
:But her time as princess, it would not last 

:Ayrenn, Ayrenn, 
:Where have you been? 
:No time for court intrigue 
:And now you rule as queen 

:She ran from the dresses, she ran from the pomp 
:She could not right stomach more High Elven wrong 
:Our future leader sailed from our shores  
:To High Rock, Skyrim, and more 

:Now what did she do while she was away? 
:She met sword-dancers and taught them to sway 
:Fought bears, ran dungeons, drank mead with the Nords 
:Not once was she ever bored 

:When push came to shove and her father lay dead 
:She aimed for the Isles to put a crown on her head 
:And we welcomed her back 
:With a cheer and a dance  
:Now let's all at once, now eagles advance! 

:Ayrenn, Ayrenn, 
:You are a great queen 
:We toast to your health 
:By moon, stars, and green 


Over The Seas
 

:Listen to a sample (Malukah)

: Our land-bound mates can till their fields 
:Or fight behind their masters' shields 
:But a seaman's free to sing and play 
:Over the seas and far away 

:Over the seas and over the Lane 
:For Ayrenn, Edhelorn or the Mane 
:The lords command and we obey 
:Over the seas and far away 

:A sailor lives a happy life 
:Free of land-bounds' toil and strife 
:The soil he tills will be his grave 
:Over the seas and far away 

:Over the seas and over the Lane 
:For Ayrenn, Edhelorn or the Mane 
:The lords command and we obey 
:Over the seas and far away 

:Buck up, ye hearties, I foretell 
:We turn to port with loot to sell 
:Our coffers fill with gold today! 
:Over the seas and far away 

:Over the seas and over the Lane 
:For Ayrenn, Edhelorn or the Mane 
:The lords command and we obey 

The Planemeld
 

:Listen to a sample (Malukah)

: Of all the Daedric princes 
:There's one with shocking gall 
:His goal: The domination and enslavement of us all 
:The God of Schemes 
:The Prince of Pain 
:The Captain of Corruption 
:He tills the land of Tamriel 
:And sows the seeds of destruction 

:The Planemeld is nigh 
:The Planemeld is nigh 
:Our world will disappear 

:The Planemeld is nigh 
:The Planemeld is nigh 
:Our doom is drawing near 

:Chains of darkness grip the land 
:And draw it ever near 
:To his nightmare, Coldharbour 
:Where hope bows down to fear 
:Tearing souls of innocents 
:Into eternal pain 
:While his daedric minions 
:Sing praises of his name 

:The Planemeld is nigh 
:The Planemeld is nigh 
:As Molag Bal commands 

:The Planemeld is nigh 
:The Planemeld is nigh 

Stagger and Sway

:Listen to a sample (Crispin Freeman)

: O my sweet love, she waits for me, 
:Through storm and shine, cross land or sea. 
:I run to her and together we, 
:Sway as we kiss 
:Sway as we kiss 

:Her graceful shape I heave up high 
:And in one hand I hold her nigh 
:Her waiting lips are never dry 
:Sway as we kiss 
:Sway as we kiss 

:Come the morn she goes 
:The taste of her remains 
:And in my mind, I see us sway 
:Sway as we kiss 


Three Hearts As One
 

:Listen to a sample (Malukah)

: We tilled Skyrim's ground despite frozen toil 
:We tended the kwama beneath Morrowind soil 
:We hunted the wamasu in Black Marsh's glades 
:We Three hearts had no need for blades

:Then they came from the seas, folded steel in their hands 
:They burned down our homes and ravaged our lands 
:Akaviri brought nothing but bloodshed and lies 
:Our families were slain before our eyes

:With Three separate people they shared a cruel joke 
:A choice between death or the yoke 
:But then our Three people knew what must be done 
:To end the oppression, all Three became One

:Forged by war the Ebonheart rose 
:And drove the Akaviri back to the sea 
:When the enemies begged for the mercy they lacked 
:Three voices as one shouted "Blood for the Pact"

:Forged by war our story be told 
:No shackles can hold us 

Notes
While some of these songs are about the members or events of specific alliances, bards in other alliance zones may be found singing these songs. For example, bards in Ebonheart Pact zones may be heard singing "Ode to Queen Ayrenn".


Elder Scrolls Online:Morrowind

The Morrowind chapter of Elder Scrolls Online adds six new songs, performed by Gideon Emery and Cindy Robinson.  These also can be played on flute and lute.  

Lyrics

Red Mountain Drinking Song

: It sleeps like a giant, our tower of stones, 
:Red Mountain, Red Mountain, all rumbles and moans. 
:It tosses and turns, pray it won't wake, 
:And then without warning the ground starts to shake! 
:As the world ends, the ground starts to shake! So—

:Heft a flask and say a prayer, 
:Red Mountain's about to explode. 
:Have a drink but be aware, 
:It's doom the mountain forebodes.

:Lift a glass and curse the day, 
:Red Mountain's about to burst. 
:Drink all your cares away, 
:Who wants to die with a thirst? 
:Die with a thirst!

:Knock back a fiery flin, amid the smoke and ash. 
:Drain the flask of whiskey we'll be drunk in a flash! 
:Let's guzzle sujamma amid the fire and fumes 
:Tip back the jar of liquor let inebriation bloom! 
:As the world ends, let inebriation bloom! So—

:Heft a flask and say a prayer, 
:Red Mountain's about to explode. 
:Have a drink but be aware, 
:It's doom the mountain forebodes.

:Lift a glass and curse the day, 
:Red Mountain's about to burst. 
:Drink all your cares away, 
:Who wants to die with a thirst? 

Six are the Walking Ways

: 

The Cliff-Strider Song

: 

Armiger Marching Song

: 

Brave Little Scrib Song

: 

Song of the Word

: 

Notes
Both "Six are the Walking Ways" and "The Song of the Word" use and paraphrase lines from The 36 Lessons of Vivec.  "Six are the Walking Ways" is from Sermon 6, while "The Song of the Word" is from Sermon 27.
The refrain of "The Cliff-Strider Song" is a reference to Aldos Othran's cliff racer song in Oblivion.

Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset

The Summerset chapter of Elder Scrolls Online adds six new songs.  

Lyrics

Charge of the Welkynar

: 

Folly of Man
: 

Praise Be (Ancestor Song)

: 

The Star-Eyed Bride of Alinor

: 

The Tale of Syrabane

: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Murkmire
The Murkmire DLC of Elder Scrolls Online adds six new songs, three of which are sung in Jel.

Lyrics

Hear the Hist Speak

: 


Ku-Vastei
: 

Shunatei
: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr
The Elsweyr Chapter of Elder Scrolls Online adds five new songs.

Lyrics

Dancing Among the Flowers Fine
: 

Val Vijah Va Rhook, Baandari
: 

Sweet Moon-Sugar Cane
: 

A Cat's Serenade
(Note: The pronouns in this song will change to match the pronouns of the singer.)
: 

Song of Kingdoms
:A song emitted from the Rithana-di-Renada, which can be obtained as a furnishing. Translated by ZOS_Soundmaster, song is originally written in Ta'agra:

: 

The Song of Khunzar-ri
: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Dragonhold
The Dragonhold DLC of Elder Scrolls Online adds four new songs.

Lyrics
The Burning of Senchal
: 

Demon from the East
: 

The Gambler's Art
: 

Song of Alkosh's Champion
: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor
The Greymoor Chapter of Elder Scrolls Online adds five new songs.

Lyrics

A Threnody to Lost Love
: 

Nord War Song
: 

Old Nord Drinking Song
: 

Frelytte and Pular: A Love Song
: 

The Pale Man
: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Markarth
The Markarth DLC of Elder Scrolls Online adds four new songs.

Lyrics

Hail to the Ancient Spirits
: 

Reach Hunting Hymn
: 

Reach Witch Chant
: 

Red Eagle's Song
: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood
The Blackwood Chapter of Elder Scrolls Online adds five new songs.

Lyrics

Across the Niben Bar
: 

Imperial Deception Song
: 

The Liberation of Leyawiin
: 

May Disaster Turn Away
: 

On Topal Bay
: 

Elder Scrolls Online: Deadlands
The Deadlands DLC of Elder Scrolls Online adds 5 new songs.

Lyrics

A Supplicant's Song
: 

Dremora Never Die
: 

Fargrave's Song
: 

The Fool of Fargrave
: 

When the Spires Fell
: