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..."

In searching for more information, I see that "Francis" is actually "Frances" http://www.apjpublications.co.uk/skye/poetry/collect21.htm . Here also is information on MACLEOD, Kenneth (1871 � 1955).

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).**

Both sound recording and lyrics with vocables as noted by Anne M. Muir are found here: http://www.studiotrax.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46692, included below:

Snow Gull

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!