The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #69130 Message #3405779
Posted By: maeve
16-Sep-12 - 03:08 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Snow Gull (from Ann Mayo Muir)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Snow Gull (from Ann Mayo Muir)
Here's a start. Anne says she learned it from Gordon Bok, and that he learned it from an aunt. Gordon Bok noted on his "Bay of Fundy" LP: "This one changes with the singing. I can't remember where I heard it. It was printed in "Songs of the Hebrides", Volume I, by Margaret Kennedy-Fraser (London, 1909). She described it as 'an old Skye air from Francis Tolmie, with words from Kenneth MacLeod.' In the published version, the accompanying sounds are slightly different, so we decided not to try to write them out..."
FAOILEAG TIRE-FO-THUINN (THE SEAGULL OF THE LAND UNDER THE WAVE lists songs included on folktrax 264 - SONGS OF THE HEBRIDES - Collected and arranged by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser and Kenneth Macleod sung by Marion Tudge accompanied by Ines Rempel (piano), identifying it as:
16. FAOILEAG TIRE-FO-THUINN (THE SEAGULL OF THE LAND UNDER THE WAVES) - 3'08" - Old air from Skye from Frances Tolmie with words from KM **** Here is a link http://books.google.com/books?id=HzwJAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=FAOILEAG+TIRE-FO-THUINN+%28THE+SEAGULL+OF+THE+LAND+UNDER+THE+W to Google's downloadable SONGS OF THE HEBRIDES Vol I. The "Snow Gull" song is pages 84-87, with Scots Gaelic lyrics, translation, and the sheet music with revised lyrics similar to those as sung by Bok and Muir(digitized images).**
Snow white sea gull high ou ai dee tell to me, where oh where thou rest them i-iria o-ho where our Fair young lads are resting
or an arie oh _ou-a-dee oh air-e-o oh hay or-an arie I arie-oh ho Grief within my heart is nesting or an arie oh
Heart to Heart they lie, Sea foam the Sigh From their cold lips coming Sea rack their shrouds And their harps the cold sea moaning
or an arie oh ou-a-dee oh air-e-o oh-hay-or-an-arie i irai oh ho Grief within my heart is nesting or an-arie-oh
Snow white sea gull high ou-a-dee, tell to me where ah where thou rest them i-iria o-ho where our fair young lads are resting
or an arie-oh ou-a-dee oh air-e-o oh-hay-or-an-arie sea rack their shroud and their harps the cold sea moaning
or an-arie-oh _ou-a-dee oh air-e-o oh-hay-or-an-arie I irai-oh ho Grief within my heart is nesting or an arie oh
**I'd be glad to transcribe all three sets of lyrics (Gaelic, accompanying English "translation" or paraphrase, and the English version that's close to the Bok/Muir version... but it won't happen today. If someone more adept than I has it already transcribed, that would be great!