Clinere® Ear Cleaners

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Cairistiona Unaccompanied.
I learned this beautiful Hebridean lament with its haunting tune from Maggie MacInnes’ singing on Cairistiona, a 1984 LP by George Jackson and Maggie MacInnes (Iona Records). Maggie sings the entire song in Scottish Gaelic, but English translations of the one-line verses are to be found online in Celtic Lyrics Corner, together with the chorus (in Gaelic).

Won’t you answer, Cairistiona?
CHORUS:
E ho hi (pronounced ‘hee’) hu ru bhi i
Ho ro o hi, ho ho ro ho
E ho hi hu ru bhi i.

VERSES:
If you’d answer, I would hear you
Ships I see in the sound of Islay
They are seeking Cairistiona
Not to make a wedding for her
In deep clay they’re going to lay her
To Glencoe I once did journey
The waves were high, and deep the channel
I cannot judge my leap in distance
And if I could, I would gain nothing
Cairistiona for me won’t be waiting.