Wendy McNeill - The Binding of Fenrir (Official Video)

Fenrir was a giant wolf from Norse mythology that helped to bring about massive destruction by killing the great God Odin and swallowing the sun. (look up Ragnarök) But I wonder if maybe, like many of the monsters around us, Fenrir wasn't born evil but became that way because of how he was treated. I'm not foolish enough to believe that there is no such thing as evil-but mayyyybe we should be a little bit more more careful with our judgments- and each other. After all there is a bit of big bad wolf in all of us.
This song is part of a longer story that is woven through my latest album, 'Hunger Made You Brave'.
This video is shot from Fenrir's point of view in the lovely Cafe de las Horas in Valencia, Spain.
Lyrics below . xo WM

The Binding of Fenrir
All the folks had gathered to see what was in store
another test of my strength- a new chain had been forged
But something in it’s shimmer made me sense a trap
A strange sort of shiver crept up my back
It was roots of stones, and step of a cat,
breath of fish- strange things like that
I said I won’t fight that- there’s something tricky here
I won’t fight that- let me be very clear
I won’t fight that- won’t step into this one alone
I’m needing one brave act- that’s what I’m asking here
just one brave act- I need a volunteer
to be a sort of guaranteeplace your hand here please oh oh oh oh ohhhh
The only one to offer was my trusted friend
From him the only nourishment that I’d been given
but his step was heavy and his touch was light
his eye unsteady and he reeked of fright
The deal was done- the fetter placed
and as I feared this chain won’t break
But no- I won’t bite back- resist a little longer
won’t bite that- but still I wonder
what sort of wolf should I be to one that betrayed me
oh oh oh oh ohhhhhh
They locked me up in a desolate place
his hand in my stomach- their sword in my face
and as I howled and cursed them, a river formed from my spit
It was Expectation, and I would deliver it
They prophesied that I would bring death and calamity,
but they were doomed by what they couldn’t seeby their own deeds -
through their mistreatment of me
so a word of advice:
if you want to keep your monsters at bay
don’t school them with cruelty that they’ll feel compelled to repay
Someday a great poet will say “Everything that lives is holy”
and what was done to and through me nothing but a story
Yes, everything that lives is holy, and what was done to me- nothing but a story
I said I won’t bite down
I said I won’t bite down
I said I won’t
but here we are
My mother was a giant and my father a trickster
but I wasn’t raised by them -not that nature
Wish you wouldn’t paint me with the same old brush
I didn’t even care for my siblings much
My brother was a snake, my sister a Helcat
but blood is thicker than water - you proved that
My brother was a snake, my sister a Helcat -
but blood is thicker than water - you proved that
I said I won’t bite, I said I won’t bite, I said I won’t bite, I won’t bite.......

#wendymcneill #accordion #fenrir #mythmusic #hungermadeyoubrave #wolfwoman

[АлександрК-хт]

Венди, Вы так обворожительны, обоятельны и талантливы. Я сражён наповал, спасибо Вам и создателям клипов.

[WendyMcNeill]

Hi everyone!
I’ve always felt that there are only 5 or 6 stories in life – that all of the twists and turns on our journeys today are just variations on a few themes which have been echoing through the ages in various myths and legends.
For example the big, bad wolf – that story has been told in many ways.
From Little Red Riding Hood where after eating a young girl’s grandmother the wolf attempts to lure the child to a similar fate (‘but grandmother, what big teeth you have’), all the way back to the Viking Sagas where Fenrir the giant wolf swallowed the sun and brought about the end of an era.
But what about the story behind the story?
The wolf Fenrir was the child of Loki ‘The Trickster’ and a giant. All of the prophets in this Nordic tale warned that a creature with that lineage would be bad news – so even though Fenrir had never harmed anyone, the ones in charge decided that he must be killed, or at least imprisoned.
Fear makes people mean.
So with the help of some trolls they made a magic rope to tie up the wolf.
But Fenrir, like most wolves, was no dummy. He could sense that the rope was strange and dangerous and by now he had grown big enough to refuse to be bound.
So an arrangement was made. The one soul that had fed and cared for Fenrir (his name was Tyr) would place his hand in Fenrir’s mouth. If Fenrir couldn’t break free of the chain, he could bite down and take the hand.
Fenrir agreed and the chain was placed – but as he feared it wouldn’t break.
Fenrir makes the decision to bite off the hand of his only friend, and is then attacked, stabbed with a sword, and sealed in a dark cave. Suffering and alone, Fenrir cries and howls. His giant tears form a river and that river will soon turn red with the blood of all of the souls that have harmed him. Because one day, with the help of Loki, he will escape.
So was Fenrir a monster? Yes.
But was he born that way or did he become evil because of how he was treated?
Maybe there are fewer true monsters in the world than we think.
Maybe we create them through the way we treat each other.
For a video I wanted to pull the Fenrir story into a more contemporary setting and play with the idea that everyone’s got a bit of big bad wolf in them.
When I entered Café de las Horas (in Valencia, Spain) with its rich colours and textures, its mosaic floor of shattered tiles and its shadows and traces of other times, I knew it could be a perfect setting.
Then I saw the gorgeous jewellery of designer Maria Rosa of Brotocó and felt its playful elegance was fused with a sort of magic that a beautiful temptress could use to entice an unsuspecting ‘wolf’ to be bound. Then a beautiful temptress appeared in Laura Saint-Claire...and more followed.
So the owner of Cafe de las Horas – Marc, became Loki. The bartender –Javi, became Tyr. Composer/musician – Isabel Latorre Sáez, became Fenrir’s sister Hel, and a few other fine people joined us to shape a modern version of this twisted tale.
And last but not least- tying it all together- the Fenrir mask was handmade in Norway by the brilliant Jim Udenberg (Imaginarium FX) and his wolf loving daughter, Lara.
This 6.5 minute minute video was shot in just under 4 hours in 5 long scenes. Directed and edited by yours truly.

Hope you enjoy, xo WM

[ЕвгенийКияченков]

Браво Wendy! Так рад слышать чарующий голос! Это неподражаемо!

[МихаилБулякаров]

2023 год🤔 я слушаю песни божественное исполнение WENDI. 😍

[johndevis]

Wendy, я нашёл тебя только сегодня. Хм-м... ты сумасшедшая, гениальная тётка. Земляне глупые люди. У этого ролика должно быть ровно в два раза больше просмотров, чем у дурацкого GANGNAM STYLE. Завтра я буду занят. Мне нужно внимательно посмотреть, что ты за свою жизнь насочиняла))

[ГеннадийДацук-иг]

Спасибо огромное за творчество ! Как всегда завораживает .

[clostridiumtetani]

Мало кто в наше время производит если не шедевральные, то качественные вещи. Просто пост в поддержку

[keithburke]

So much detail and artistry has gone into this wonderful song and video. For those of us who never knew before, it's good to learn about the story of Fenrir, recounted here so beautifully. I love the playful dramatisation of the myth, seen from Fenrir's perspective in the video, and the challenge at the heart of the song for all of us to acknowledge our own responsibility for the perpetuation of suffering and evil in the world. And only when we have faced and come to terms with our own monsters and inner demons will we understand the words of the poet: "Everything that lives is holy". Bravo, Wendy!

[MrChris]

What an amazing audio and visual tapestry 😊. Wonderful storytelling! What we’ve come to love from the inimitable Wendy Mcneill....

[Дорогакцели-мэ]

Невероятно, как я ранее не нашел тебя... Wendy, как же мне это нравится.Сильные ощущения. Спасибо тебе...

[wisigoth]

Just made my translation into Russian language. It's actually singable to your tune.
Many, many thanks for extraordinary
Тогда всех созвали: "Смотрите, удалось
Новую цепь придумать, - сильнейший не порвёт!"
Но в блeске этой цепи почуялась западня:
Ознобом вдруг охвачена, дрожит моя спина!
Корни гранита; кошачьи шаги;
Рыбье дыханье - и прочие ништяки!
Я говорю, не выйду на это - это, вроде, уловка,
Не буду сражаться - двух мнений быть не может!
Не стану с ней бороться - я один, но я не лох!
Кто здесь смел, как я?- если вас так тут всё тревожит,
Выходи, смельчак! - Без принужденья,
В виде залога мне свою десницу протяни ау ау ау oуууууууууу
И только мой братан вышел тогда
Это ведь он мeня кормил всегда!
Ступнями шаркал; руку с трудом протянул;
Гразами бегал, и страхом дыхнул!
Забили кол, - я прикованный раб!
Как знал, - подёргал, но плен не ослаб!
Но я.. Не укушу сейчас - подожду,
Не откушу - я ещё помолчу..
Я - волк, но он - меня предал, так?
ау ау ау ау oууууу
Прикован навечно в гнилой дыре,
Меч распрял пасть...Проглотить его руку успел..
Выл и ругал их; река из слюны течёт!
Она была - "Предвкушение", - О, я исполню роль!
Они предсказали, что смерь и разруху я приношу!
"От своей слепоты же обречены бяше!",
Плохо со мной обойдясь;
Моё право проповедовать, это моей мудрости час:
"Если хочешь от демонов своих откреститься,
Не ожесточай их, да не связаны будут верой в месть!
И родится великий поэт, и скажет: “Всё живущее - свято”.
И то, что получилось здесь, со мной, - просто урок.
Да, всё живое свято, и со мной обошлись так - детям расскажут потом.
Я же сказал, не укушу,
Я говорил, не буду кусать,
Я говорил, что не буду..
Но, вот такие дела
Мать моя была великаншей, а папаша шутником,
Но не они меня растили - я не их полёта птица.
Подумайте, ради чего меня вы сделали архетипом?
Я даже к семейке ничего не чувствовал.
Брат - змей, сестра - чёртовка с когтями
Но кровь не водица - вы это доказали.
Брат - змей, сестра - чёртовка с когтями
Нет, кровь не водица - вы это доказали.
Сказал, не укушу, говорил, что не откушу, я сказал, что не укушу, не @wisigoth Schlothauer

[svet_lana]

Восхитительно! ❤️❤️❤️💐💐💐Браво, Венди!!! 👏👏👏

[grunmaxx]

Absolutely magical music. Thank you enchanting Wendy.

[ЯрославМещеряков-жя]

Завораживает. Классная музыка, исполнение. Режиссеру клипа просто огромный респект!

[thiess]

Cette atmosphere... Magique, Merci !

[sashanitunahin]

Wendy's voice is Great! And her accordion too!

[dougaustin]

Wonderfully trippy, Wendy, true to what we love about you, and raised to the next level! Thank you!

[sashanitunahin]

Wendy Thank you! You are the Queen of Charm!

[bobrob]

Wendy, you are a wonderful singer. I will never be able to see you perform. I will never go to Café de las Horas. But all this will be with me all my life.

[mariahgorbacheva]

Wendy thanks
There is the best video
Ingeniously