Song

sb. Forms: α. 1 sanc, 1– (latterly Sc. and north. dial.) sang (4 zang), 4–5 sange. β. 1– song, 3–6 songe (4 zonge), 6–7 songue. [Common Teut.: OE. sang, sǫng, = OFris. sang, song (WFris. sang, EFris. song, NFris. sŏng), MDu. sanc, zanc, etc. (Da. zang), OS. (MLG., LG.) sang, OHG. sanc, sang (G. sang), ON. sǫngr, sǫngv- (Icel. söngur, Norw. song, Sw. sång, Da. sang), Goth. saggws:—OTeut. sangwaz, f. the pret. stem of singwan SING v.¹]

  1.  The act or art of singing; the result or effect of this, vocal music; that which is sung (in general or collective sense); occas., poetry.

  See also PLAIN-SONG.

  α.  Beowulf, 1063. Þær wæs sang & sweʓ samod ætgædere fore Healfdenes hildewisan.

c. 888.  K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxiv. § 1. Þa he þa þis leoð asungen hæfde, þa forlet he þone sang.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1030. Þar sune es soft and suet sang.

1340.  Ayenb., 60. Þe dyeules noriches þet … doþ ham slepe ine hare zenne be hare uayre zang.

c. 1400.  Laud Troy Bk., 18127. Thei halpe hit in with mochel sang.

c. 1450.  Holland, Howlat, 943. Thar with dame Natur has to the hevin … Ascendit sone … with solace and sang.

1786.  Burns, Twa Dogs, 27. After some dog in Highland sang.

  β.  a. 900.  Cynewulf, Crist, 1649. Ðær is engla song, eadiʓra blis.

c. 950.  Lindisf. Gosp., Luke xv. 25. Miððy … [he] ʓeneolecde to huse, ʓeherde huislung & þæt song.

c. 1205.  Lay., 30617. Þer wes blisse & muche song.

c. 1275.  Moral Ode, 347, in O. E. Misc. Þer is alre Murehþe mest myd englene songe.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4025. Of song & of mynstrecye Alle men gaf hym þe maystrie.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 464/2 Songe, cantus. Ibid. Songe, of a manne a-lone, monodia.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531), 7 b. They shall … here theyr songe & melody.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., 214 b. And in the toppe was mervailous swete armony both of song and instrument.

1577–87.  Holinshed, Chron., I. 122/2. He … went about in Mercia to teach song.

1667.  Milton, P. L., III. 29. Smit with the love of sacred song. Ibid., IX. 25 This Subject for Heroic Song Pleas’d me.

1791.  Cowper, Judgm. Poets, 17. To poets of renown in song, The nymphs referr’d the cause.

1808.  Scott, Marm., I. Introd. 271. The mightiest chiefs of British song Scorn’d not such legends to prolong.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., i. I. 30. As eloquence exists before syntax, and song before prosody.

1878.  Masque Poets, 11. Sing! Sing of what? The world is full of song!

  2.  A metrical composition adapted for singing, esp. one in rhyme and having a regular verse-form; occas., a poem.

  α.  c. 897.  K. Ælfred, trans. Gregory’s Past. C., 409. Ða singað ðone sang ðe nan mon elles singan ne mæʓ.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 45. Þa þe on heofenum syndon, hi þingiaþ for þa þe þyssum sange fylʓeaþ.

a. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 15. Ða aingles of heuene … sunge ðane derewurðe sang, Gloria in exselsis deo.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 23. Sanges sere of selcuth rime, Inglis, frankys, and latine.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 250. Herdtow euere slyk a sang er now?

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 3474. Why fare ye thus now, With … sanges of myrthe.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xx. 43. Of sorowes sere schal be my sang.

1533.  Gau, Richt Vay, 16. Thay that prouokis ony ewil desir … with sangis or wordis or foul takine.

1596.  Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 74. To sing sangs of joy and blythnes.

17[?].  Ramsay, Address to Town Council, 6. Sweet Edie’s funeral-sang.

1785.  Burns, 1st Ep. to J. Lapraik, iii. There was ae sang, amang the rest, Aboon them a’ it pleas’d me best.

  β.  c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter xxxii. 3. Singað him song neowne.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 63. Godes songes beoð alle gode; to þere saule heo senden fode.

c. 1205.  Lay., 7005. He cuðen al þeos songes, & þat gleo of ilcche londe.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 722. Vor-þi me singþ in holi chirche, An clerkes ginneþ songes wirche.

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 2654. Of ysonde he made a song.

1340.  Ayenb., 68. Þe holi gost … makeþ his ychosene zinge ine hare herten þe zuete zonges of heuene.

c. 1425.  Cast. Persev., 2336, in Macro Plays, 147. iij mens songys to syngyn lowde.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, X. xxxi. 464. The harper had songe his songe to the ende.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 238 b. Dyverse Songes beesydes accustomed in churches doe instructe us of the benefyte of Chryst.

1598.  Barnfield, Pecunia, iii. And add some Musique to a merry Songue.

1649.  F. Roberts, Clavis Bibl., 384. Songs being choice succinct pieces gratefull to the eare, helpfull to the memory and delightful to the heart.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 13. My adventrous Song. Ibid., III. 413. Thy Name Shall be the copious matter of my Song.

1718.  Free-thinker, No. 69. 100. Much of the same Nature, with our Song of Britons strike Home, &c.

1776.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., x. I. 244. On the faith of ancient songs, the uncertain … memorials of barbarians.

1820.  Shelley, To a Skylark, 90. Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.

1878.  Trelawny, Records Shelley, etc. ix. 109. Inspiring it towards songs and other poetry.

  b.  The Song of Solomon, Song of Songs, one of the books of the Old Testament.

1382.  Wyclif, Song Sol. (heading), Heer gynneth the booc that is clepid Songus [v.r. Song] of Songis.

1568.  Bishop’s Bible (headline), The songue of Solomon.

1579.  Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 7. He nameth … the book of Psalmes, the Preacher, & the Song of Salomon.

1611.  Bible, Song Sol. i. 1 The song of songs, which is Solomons. Ibid. (heading), Solomons song.

1781.  Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, III. xxxvi. 317. There were numerous versions of Solomon’s SONG before the year 1600: and perhaps no portion of scripture was selected with more propriety to be clothed in verse.

1803.  J. M. Good (title), Song of Songs: or, Sacred Idyls. Translated from The Original Hebrew.

1856.  S. Davidson, Bibl. Criticism, ii. 19. The song of Deborah exhibits such [dialectal] appearances. So does the Song of Solomon, and Hosea.

  c.  Naut. (See quot.)

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 638. Song. The call of soundings by the leadsman in the channels.

  d.  Mus. A musical setting or composition adapted for singing or suggestive of a song.

1875.  Stainer & Barrett, Dict. Mus. Terms, s.v., The second subject of a sonata is sometimes called the ‘Song.’

1883.  Grove’s Dict. Mus., III. 368/1. But the Song, as we know it in his [Schubert’s] hands;… set to no simple Volkslieder, but to long complex poems,…—such songs were his and his alone.

  e.  transf. A sound as of singing.

1822.  Shelley, Triumph Life, 463. That falling stream’s Lethean song.

1877.  Daily News, 3 Nov. 6/2. But for new troops without a military history, who have never heard the song of an enemy’s bullets, to assault such a position as the Grivica redoubt against the terrible Turkish fire, was certainly the kind of thing to try what stuff soldiers are made of.

1895.  Snaith, Mistress Dorothy Marvin, xii. (1896), 127. The song of metal filled the room with a deafening ring.

  3.  The musical utterance of certain birds.

  In OE. also used of the cry of the sea-gull and eagle.

a. 1000.  Boeth. Metr., xiii. 50. Fuʓelas … stunað eal geador welwinsum sanc.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 7931. Wop wass uss bitacnedd wel Þurrh cullfre & turrtle baþe; Forr þeȝȝre sang iss lic wiþþ wop.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 221. Þu miht mid þine songe afere Alle þat hereþ þine ibere.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Manciple’s T., 201. To the crowe he stert,… And made him blak, and raft him al his song.

1484.  Caxton, Fables of Æsop, IV. iv. The goddes … haue gyuen … to the nyghtyngale fayr & playsaunt songe.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 80. Self willed folke … vse ofte the Cuckowes song.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 13. No bird, but did her shrill notes sweetly sing; No song but did containe a louely dit.

1667.  Milton, P. L., V. 41. The night-warbling Bird, that now awake Tunes sweetest his love-labor’d song.

1725.  Fam. Dict., s.v. Canary-Bird, To make a right choice of this Bird, and to know when he has a good Song.

1773.  Barrington, in Phil. Trans., LXIII. 290. Any bird-fancier is particularly fond of what is called the song of the Canary bird.

1816.  Tuckey, Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, i. (1818), 31. A very small warbler, the only one that appeared to have any song.

1877.  Jefferies, Gamekeeper at H., vii. (1890), 169. These fellows … will completely sweep a late of all the birds whose song makes them valuable.

  4.  In various transf. or fig. uses.

  The sense ‘a subject or theme of song’ occurs in several passages of the Wycliffite (see quot. 1382) and later versions of the Bible.

Beowulf, 787. Þara þe … ʓehyrdon gryreleoð galan … siʓeleasne sang. Ibid., 2447.

1382.  Wyclif, Job xxx. 9. Now forsothe I am turned in to the song of hem. Ibid., Lam. iii. 14.

14[?].  Sir Beues (M.), 1232. For sone thy songe shall be: welawey!

1436.  Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 154. At the sowth-west corner Off gonnes he had a song; That anon he left that place.

c. 1440.  Jacob’s Well, 155. Þe feend makyth his men to synge þe song of helle, þat is, ‘allas & welleaway.’

1548.  Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark vii. 52. The foresayed songe was songen in vaine to the deafe Phariseis.

1576.  Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 325. Sing this song to others.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., IV. iv. 509. Out on ye, Owles, nothing but Songs of Death.

1621.  T. Williamson, trans. Goulart’s Wise Vieillard, 76. The ordinarie burthen of their song is, that all the world is naught.

1653.  Binning, Serm. (1845), 597. Many listen to the Song of Justification, but they will not abide to hear out all the Song.

1707.  Lockhart Papers (1817), I. 223. He returned it to the clerk … with this despising and contemning remark, ‘Now there’s ane end of ane old song.’

1872.  A. de Vere, Legends St. Patrick, 124. Shall I lengthen out my days Toothless,… Some losel’s song?

  b.  In phrases denoting continuance or change in statements, attitude, etc.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 260. Now schalt thou singe an other song.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 393 b. It is the self same song, that hath now ben songen many Yeres.

1706.  E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 97. It’s the same old Song of Stark Love and Kindness, which they have pip’d to each other these many Years.

1786.  Burns, Earnest Cry & Prayer, xv. She’ll teach you, wi’ a reekan whittle, Anither sang.

1796.  Grose’s Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 3), s.v., He changed his song; he altered his account or evidence.

1822.  Scott, Nigel, ii. Let me catch ye in Barford’s Park,… I could gar some of ye sing another sang.

  c.  A fuss or outcry about something.

1843.  Cracks about Kirk, II. 9. Thae convocation chiels that are makin’ sic a sang aboot their sufferings.

1863.  ‘F. G. Trafford’ (Mrs. Riddell), World in Church (ed. 2), II. ix. 157. She had foreborne likewise, and no one made a song about that.

  5.  Used to denote a very small or trifling sum, amount, or value, or a thing of little worth or importance. Freq. an old (also a mere) song. a. In the phr. for a(n old) song, for a mere trifle, for little or nothing.

  (a)  1601.  Shaks., All’s Well, III. ii. 9. I know a man that had this tricke of melancholy hold a goodly Mannor for a song.

a. 1639.  W. Whateley, Prototypes, II. xxvi. (1640), 25. To have so little esteem of the outward meanes of salvation, as to part with them for a song as we say.

1706.  Reflex. upon Ridicule, 270. He retrenches the number of his Servants or their Wages, and would have them serve, as they say, for a Song.

1751.  H. Walpole, Lett. (1846), II. 395. The whole-length Vandykes went for a song!

1808.  Pike, Sources Mississ. (1810), I. App. 10. You will perceive that we have obtained about 100,000 acres for a song.

1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., III. xvii. I assure you, the things were going for a song.

1890.  Jessopp, Trials Country Parson, iv. 173. A brief report upon the condition of every church in seven counties was published, and may be purchased now for a song.

  (b)  1650.  H. More, Observ., in Enthus. Tri. (1656), 78. Truth is not to be had of God Almighty for an old Song.

1658–9.  Burton’s Diary (1828), III. 239. Haply he compounded for an old song.

1705.  Phil. Trans., XXIV. 1997. An old Book might be bought for an old Song, (as we say).

1796.  Grose’s Dict. Vulgar T. (ed. 3), It was bought for an old song, i. e. very cheap.

1824.  Byron, Juan, XVI. lix. The cost would be a trifle—‘an old song,’ Set to some thousands.

1889.  T. A. Trollope, What I remember, III. 32. They were acquired ‘for an old song.’

  b.  In other uses.

1798.  Sotheby, trans. Wieland’s Oberon, I. 53. Oh, fly, Sir! or your life’s not worth a song!

1854.  ‘Marion Harland,’ Alone, xxvi. 316. Some care—some responsibility—that is a mere song, though.

1879.  ‘Hesba Stretton,’ Through a Needle’s Eye, II. 208. It was a pretty place once, but now it’s hardly worth an old song.

  6.  attrib. and Comb. a. Simple attrib., as songcraft [cf. OE. sang-, songcræft], -cycle, -feast, etc.

1855.  Longf., Hiaw., Introd. 8. A half-effaced inscription, Written with little skill of *song-craft.

1880.  W. Watson, Prince’s Quest (1892), 60. Seeing his charmèd songcraft of no might Him to ensnare who hearkened not at all.

1899.  Westm. Gaz., 3 May, 3/3. Two *song-cycles made up his programme yesterday.

1763.  J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., iv. 36. While these … Savages continue in their present unlettered State…, no material Improvements in their *Song-Feasts can arise.

1881.  Blackw. Mag., April, 517/2. The bleak solitudes of the *song-land on the Border.

1884.  W. Black, in Harper’s Mag., March, 537/1. Two pieces of *song-music.

1842.  Penny Cycl., XXII. 429/1. Audible sound, which may possess the distinctions of *song-notes (musical sounds).

1845.  Browning, Lett. (1899), I. 17. These scenes and *song-scraps are such more escapes of my inner power.

1845.  W. Stevenson, Church Scotl. Pulpit, I. 84. It is only from the full … heart that a *song-stream of devotion can freely flow.

1884.  Jefferies, Life of Fields, 60. The *song-talk of the finches rises and sinks like the tinkle of a waterfall.

1824.  Mrs. Cameron, Marten & his Scholars, viii. 49. John … began presently to whistle a *song-tune.

1885.  Encycl. Brit., XIX. 273/1. That true *song-warble which we get in the stornelli and rispetti of the Italian peasants.

  b.  Objective, with agent-nouns, as song-enditer, -maker, -singer, -wright, -writer, or with vbl. sbs. and ppl. adjs., as song-singing, -writing.

1713.  Rowe, Jane Shore, Prol. Those venerable ancient *Song-Enditers Soar’d many a Pitch above our modern Writers.

1787.  Burns, Lett. to W. Nicol, 1 June. It’s true, she’s as poor ’s a *sang-maker.

1892.  E. Reeves, Homeward Bound, 10. The rich … harmonies of later songmakers.

1733.  Weekly Reg., 8 Dec. Clerks of kitchens, *song-singers, horse-racers, valets-de-chambre.

1743.  Francis, trans. Horace, Odes, III. x. 18. II. 53.

1839.  D. D. Black, Hist. Brechin, vii. 157. Although, for a few years, some zealous song-singing ladies, and equally zealous three-bottle, health-pledging, gentlemen might entertain hopes that the ‘king should enjoy his nain again,’ every cool thinking Jacobite saw that the sun of their hopes had set on the field of Culloden.

1888.  R. Buchanan, Heir of Linne, ii. 11. Peasants and fishermen enjoyed his gifts of conversation and song-singing.

1892.  Athenæum, 23 July, 124/3. He places Herrick above Shakspeare as a *song-wright.

1821.  Mrs. Hemans, in H. F. Chorley, Mem. (1837), I. 83. This being my first appearance before the public as a *song-writer.

1885.  Encycl. Brit., XIX. 273/1. His songs illustrate an infirmity which even the Scottish song-writers share with the English.

1810.  J. Aikin (title), Essays on *Song-Writing.

1885.  Encycl. Brit., XIX. 273. Here, indeed, is the crowning difficulty of song-writing.

  c.  Miscellaneous, as song-fraught, -like, -timed, -tuned, -worthy adjs.

1855.  Bailey, Mystic, 32. *Song-fraught wavelets lipped with light.

1861.  F. W. Faber, Hymn, Nativ. our Lady, i. *Songlike breezes ever blowing.

c. 1873.  J. Addis, Eliz. Echoes (1879), 94. Circled with Mænads’ *song-timed, dance-timed bounds.

1859.  Ld. Lytton, Wanderer (ed. 2), 205. Take from the wall now, my *song-tunèd Lyre.

1855.  Patmore, Angel in Ho., II. i. Prel. i. More *Song-worthy and heroic things Than … war.

  7.  Special combs.: song-box, the syrinx of a bird; song-grosbeak, one or other species of the American genus Zamelodia; song-muscle (see quot.); song-tide, time of divine service; song-voice, the voice as used in the act of singing.

1899.  J. A. Thomson, Sci. Life, 187. The bird’s song is nothing to the morphologist, except in so far as the anatomy of the syrinx or *song-box is concerned.

1839.  Audubon, Syn. Birds N. Amer., 132. Coccoborus, *Song-Grosbeak. Coccoborus cæruleus, Blue Song-Grosbeak.

1884.  Coues, N. Amer. Birds, 389. Z[amelodia] ludoviciana.… Rose-breasted Song Grosbeak. Z[amelodia] melanocephala.… Black-headed Song Grosbeak.

1885.  Newton, in Encycl. Brit., XVIII. 29. [As] by the action of the syringeal muscles … the sounds uttered by the Bird are modified, they are properly called the *Song-muscles.

1853.  Rock, Ch. of Fathers, III. II. 14. If wayfaring, or something unforeseen, had hindered him from being with his brethren at public *song-tide in the house of God.

1842.  Penny Cycl., XXII. 431/2. The glottis must be disciplined…, and proceed gradually from the *song-voice to that of speech.

  Song, obs. pa. t. and pa. pple. SING v.¹