Help: Fairy Love Song

Subject: Lyr Add: FAIRIES' LOVE SONG
From: Azure
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 03:05 PM

Good day good people of the WWW.

I have a song called "Fairies Love Song by: anonymous"

I am seeking any documentation (historical, performed, etc) in regards to this item as I require it for a singing competition this weekend. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

SONG:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Chorus:
Why should I sit and sigh
Broo and bracken, broo and bracken
Why should I sit and sigh
All alone and worry
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

When I see the plover rising
Or the curlew wheeling
It's then I'll court my mortal lover
Back to me is stealing

When the moon begins her waning
I sit by the water
Where a man born of the sunlight
Loved the Fairies daughter

Oh, but there is something wanting
* but I am weary
* Coming blithe, now bonny treads he
* O'er the the knolls to cheer me

Thank you,
Regards,
Azure M. MacGregor

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: MMario
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 03:31 PM

A quick search gave an alternate title of Tha Mi Sgith but can't find anything that says anything other then "anonymous"

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 03:51 PM

You might have some luck here at Scarce Songs

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Susan of DT
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 08:17 PM

I think it is "Pulling bracken" but that does not help you. I don't know where I heard it. Maybe I will remember. It strikes me as in a novel, rather than in a songbook.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song / Tha Mi Sgith
From:
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 10:17 PM

Buain Na Rainich or Tha Mi Sgith are Gaelic titles used for the same song. It is anonymous since it is an old Gaelic song.

The legend goes, the girl goes out and cuts the bracken for the fire. She meets and falls in love with the Sidhe, or fairy. He also falls in love with her. One day the family find out about this and keep her locked up at home. He, the sidhe, is despondent and sings this song.

However, only the first verse and the chorus were saved. The other five verses that I have, apparently were written by Kenneth MacLeod.

The song was collected by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser for her Songs of the Hebrides Collection.

The Gaelic song and part of this story are told here

Buain Na Rainich

The song is well suited to a number of tempos. You can sing it to the popular tune Ca The Knowes, as well as a fast pace, almost a dance tune, and as a lullaby, from the sentiment.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Spud
Date: 12 Aug 99 - 01:26 PM

From the thread title, I was ready to pull out my Boy George liner notes. Disappointed!

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Alice
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 09:51 PM

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Alice
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:03 PM

I've heard this as "pulling bracken" instead of "broo and bracken". Any other variations?

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From:
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 12:06 AM

Well, "Pulling the Bracken" makes more sense, since "Buain Na Rainich" literally means "Reaping the Bracken"

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Alice
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 08:58 AM

Thanks for that link you provided long ago, George.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: MMario
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 09:00 AM

I learned it as "pulling bracken" as well - and "Back to me he's stealing" -

interesting the legend has a girl pullng bracken and her fairy lover - when the song appears to refer to a man and his fairy love.

" A man born of the sunlight loved the fairies daughter"

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Alice
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 03:57 PM

Hi, MM, if you go to the Gaelic lyrics with English translation that George linked to, you see that it is written from a male point of view. The lyrics that started out this thread must have been created without too much reference to those by Kenneth MacLeod. This morning I wrote my own version of verses to sing this in English.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Angelo
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 05:47 PM

hi people, I'm looking for this song and as George said I've found a performance by Silly Wizard as Tha Mi Sgith, but only instrumental. Now I'd like to listen somebody who sings this song; somebody can help me?

slan agus beannacht

Angelo

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Kim Hughes
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 07:36 PM

Jean Redpath has recorded it -- sorry, I don't have the proper reference but you could find it by searching for her discography.

regards, Kim

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 08:36 PM

If you want to hear it sung, there's a pleasant recording available online in quite a few places, by somebody called Kaye; in mp3 format :  HERE  and in Real Audio  HERE

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Alice
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:10 AM

Kaye's recording is on one of my stations, at this link:Women And Love.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From:
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 12:00 AM

Not to mention, but the DT has a set of the lyrics.

Buain Na Rainich

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From:
Date: 15 Dec 01 - 12:04 AM

However, I disagree with the last line of the first verse.

It should say

Seinn 's a' choille chòmhail

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From:
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 06:41 PM

Please note, the DT's words are still in error. My correction is for the last line of the first verse. The last word should be chòmhail.

Also, any chance the next edition of the DT would see the \ and /'s get changed to the proper accents?

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: hesperis
Date: 03 Jul 03 - 09:54 PM

God, mp3.com is such a hassle... argh. Got it after five minutes of trying.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 04 Jul 03 - 04:23 AM

It was also recorded by Karl Denver (The Kark Denver Trio) about 20 30 years ago, on Decca, I think.
Jim Mclean

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Bearheart
Date: 04 Jul 03 - 02:06 PM

How beautiful! Thanks folks! Alice would you mind giving your English version here?

Bekki

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Charmion at work
Date: 04 Jul 03 - 04:59 PM

I learned "Tha mi sgith" from the Kennedy-Fraser collection at about age 13 and have sung it ever since (I'm now 48), never having had any problem with the sex of the fairy person in question -- after all, they presumably come in both male and female versions, as do the people they lure away.

Bagpipers in this area (Ottawa, Ontario) play "Tha mi sgith" both as a dance tune (a hornpipe, I think) and as a quick march, and I recently met a fiddler who called it "Pulling Ferns" and had no notion it had lyrics at all.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: LadyJean
Date: 04 Jul 03 - 05:19 PM

Right Ho! This comes from Martha McGhee Glisson, who, last I heard, was practicing law in Atlanta Georgia. If you run across her, give her my best and tell her my sister is practicing law in Chicago.

Why should I sit and sigh, pulling bracken, pulling bracken?
Why should I sit and sigh, on a hillside dreary?
When I see the plover rising, or the curlew wheeling,
Then I know my mortal lover, back to me is stealing.

Why should I sit and sigh, pulling bracken, pulling bracken?
Why should I sit and sigh, on a hillside dreary?
Oh, but there is something wanting. Oh, but I am weary.
Come, my blythe and bonny laddie, o'er the moor to cheer me.

This is a translation from a Gaelic song, Tha Mi Skiddle, which means I am weary. I think Martha did the translation herself. You may find others, but that's the one I am discouraged from singing.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 02:40 PM

This quote appears in

Bradley, Marion Zimmer. Darkover Landfall. Boston: Gregg Press, 1978, page 124—which seems to be a science fiction novel.

When the day wears away,
Sad I wander by the water,
Where a man, born of sun,
Wooed the fairy's daughter,
Why should I sit and sigh,
Pulling bracken, pulling bracken
All alone and weary?

Subject: Lyr Add: BUAIN NA RAINICH / CUTTING FERNS
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Aug 08 - 03:24 PM

Roddie, W. S., and L. Macbean. Orain agus fuinn ghaidhealach: popular Gaelic melodies with Gaelic and English words (Sol-fa notation). Edinburgh: Maclachlan & Stewart, 1877.

BUAIN NA RAINICH.
CUTTING FERNS.
English words by L. Macbean.

1. Cutting ferns on the cairns, as I'm bidden by my lover,
Here I stay all the day, sad at heart and weary.
If my lover could discover that I'm here so dreary,
Could he leave me sad and grieving and ne'er come to cheer me?

2. Sweet around is the sound of the birds upon the branches,
And this brae, now so gay, tender thoughts awaken;
Often thither, through the heather, and the bonnie brackens,
Did we use to stray together, though I'm now forsaken.

3. Cutting ferns on the cairns, where we tripped our fairy dances,
In the bright, moonlight night, or the peaceful gloaming.
Do they mourn me? Do they scorn me? Do my fairy comrades
Ever yearn for my returning from my weary roaming?

4. Here I moan all alone, sick and weary, cutting brackens.
There a bright fairy sprite ever singing gaily;
If my dearie were but near me, and could hear my wailing,
He would cheer me, but I fear me that my strength is failing.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Key of F
Date: 23 Jun 10 - 08:47 PM

Help - A friend told me that if someone tried to play this song in the key of F in a traditional Irish session, they would be thrown out because the key of F is not in traditional Irish music. This was news to me! Although not Irish, I play a lot of Irish music and I try to use the traditional sources. Is it true that traditional Irish musicians never use the key of F? Thanks!!

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: LadyJean
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 12:31 AM

The song is Scottish, at least the one I posted is. They used the tune as part of the score for "I Know Where I'm Going".

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 01:17 PM

Going back to the July 2003 posting by LadyJean -- I believe that translation is by Kenneth MacLeod, since it is the English part of the version I learned 40 years ago from "Songs of the Hebrides" by Marjorie Kennedy-Fraser.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Christy-Lyn
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 07:10 AM

Listen to the recording I found by 16 year-old Siobhan Owen singing and playing the harp - she does it really nicely :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbwS85yV_pk

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Taconicus
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 09:12 AM

As soon as I saw the lyrics I recognized the song and could hear it being sung in my head. But I can't remember where I heard it, except that it was long ago and I'm fairly sure it was on a commercial recording, but I don't think it was any of the artists mentioned in this thread. You can hear Savina Yannatou singing it by going to this web page and clicking on the song title Tha Mi Sgith (A Fairy's love story) on the right side of the page.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Taconicus
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 09:20 AM

Here's a more direct link to the YouTube recording of this.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Carl
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 05:01 PM

The lowland (english words) were written by James Hogg the Etrick shepherd. The words "Brooing bracken" should actualy read "Pu'ing bracken" which once again is the old Scotch for pulling bracken. The Gaelic title for the song is, as mentioned before somewhere "Tha Mi Sgith". The old celtic air and words were collected by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Mar 11 - 05:34 PM

Thanks for the links to the two videos. I enjoyed them.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 09 Mar 11 - 02:04 PM

A belated answer to the question about the key of F.

Irish music used the key of F. I have a tape (or is it a CD?) of music by the Irish flautist John Skelton. One piece is played on a flute in the key of F, his grandfather's, which had been found in a potting shed.

I have the edition of 'O'Neill's Music of Ireland' which was published in 1905. I started counting the airs in flat keys, most of which are F or B-flat. I got bored at 61 and stopped.

I will say, however, that F is not going to be popular nowadays. When I'm doing up a tune for my friends, I will change it from F to G. The chords for guitar are easier to play in the key of G, and the flutes appreciate being a step higher. But that's a modern perspective.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,AlastairG
Date: 11 Dec 12 - 11:18 AM

Why should I sit and sigh puin' (i.e. pulling) bracken, puin' bracken
Why should I sit and sigh all alone and weary
When I see the plover rising
Or the curlew wheeling
Then I'll trow (believe,trust) my mortal lover
Back to me is stealing


As the day wears away, sad I look as down the valley
Ilka (each, every) sound wi' (with) a stound (sharp pain) sets my heart a-reeling
Oh but there is something wanting
Oh but I am weary
Come my blyth and bonny lad
Come ower (over) the knowe (small hill) tae cheer me

Subject: RE: Fairy Love Song, Buain a Rainich, Tha Mi Sgith
From: Felipa
Date: 23 Aug 20 - 04:41 PM

Back in 2001, Kim wrote that s/he couldn't cite a reference for Jean Redpath. She recorded Tha Mi Sgíth aka Fairy Love Song on the 1964 album "Laddie Lie Near Me". It's long since I heard the song in English. There are a few translations cited in this thread. Whose translation did Jean Redpath sing?

I suggest it would be nice for singers to learn the chorus in Gaelic and add that when they sing The Fairy Love Song. There are plenty of recordings you can listen to online to aid with pronunciation.
Tha mi sgith, ’s mi leam fhìn
Buain na rainich, buain na rainich
Tha mi sgith, ’s mi leam fhìn
Buain na rainich, daonnan.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 10:31 AM

I usually sing the whole song in Gaelic, and finish with a reprise of the first stanza in English for those not in the know.

The lyrics cited by AlastairG on 11 Dec 2012 are the Kenneth MacLeod translation from "Songs of the Hebrides". I can't find the Jean Redpath recording on the net right now, but the alternative English title given for Tha mi sgith on her album "Laddie Lie Near Me" is "A Fairy Love Song", which is how it appears in "Songs of Hebrides", so I assume that's the translation she used.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Jack Campin
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 11:29 AM

There is also an 18th century instrumental jig based on the same tune, "Drummond Castle". I think the jig was a conscious creation and the title is not a coincidence, but I didn't note the story down at the time. The connection was that Drummond Castle was the seat of the (Jacobite) dukes of Perth.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 03:40 PM

BUAIN A RAINICH
Lyrics traditional
Arranged: Caera, Myra Hope, Jenn Shubelka
Vocals: Caera, Myra Hope

Lyrics

Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich, buain a rainich?
Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich daonnan?

Cul an tomain braigh an tomain
Cul an tomain bhoidhich,
Cul an tomain braigh an tomain
Huile latha m' onar.

'S tric a bha mi fhin 's mo leannan
Anns a' ghleannan cheothar
'G eisdeachd coisir bhinn an doire
Seinn 'sa' choille dhomhail;

Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich, buain a rainich?
Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich daonnan?

Why should I sit and sigh, broo-in bracken, broo-in bracken?
Why should I sit and sigh all alone and weary?

When I see the plover rising
Or the curlew wheeling,
It's then I'll court my mortal lover
Back to me is stealing.

When the moon begins her waning
I sit by the water
Where the one born of the sunlight
Loved a fairy's daughter

Why should I sit and sigh, broo-in bracken, broo-in bracken?
Why should I sit and sigh all alone and weary?

Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich, buain a rainich?
Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich daonnan?

O na 'm faicinn thu a' tighinn,
Ruithin 'dhol 'nad chodhail,
Ach mur tig thu 'n so g' am shireadh,
Ciamar thilleas dochas?

Anns an t-sithean O gur gsith me;
'S tric mo chridh' 'ga leanoadh
Nuair bhios cach a' seinn nan luinneag,
Cha dean is' ach cronan

Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich, buain a rainich?
Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich daonnan?

Why should I sit and sigh, broo-in bracken, broo-in bracken?
Why should I sit and sigh all alone and weary?

Ah! But there is something wanting.
Oh! But I am weary.
Coming blithe now, bonny treads she,
O'er the knolls to cheer me.

Who is this I see before me
Through the willows peering
A smile as sweet as hawthorn blooming
My love has come to cheer me!

Why should I sit and sigh, broo-in bracken, broo-in bracken?
Why should I sit and sigh all alone and weary?

Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich, buain a rainich?
Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich daonnan?

'S bochd nach robh mi leat a rithist
Sinn a bhitheadh ceolmhor,
Racheainn leat gu cul na cruinne,
Air bharr tuinne seoladh.

Ciod am feum dhomh bhi ri tuireadh,
De ni tuireadh dhomhsa
'S mi cho fada o gach duine
B' urrainn tighinn g' am chomhnadh.

Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich, buain a rainich?
Tha mi sgith ' s mi leam fhin buain a rainich daonnan?

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 25 Aug 20 - 03:43 PM

Try these.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Barbara and Gordon Waterhouse
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 05:13 AM

Barbara bought a record by Kenneth McKellar of Songs of the Hebrides accompanied by Bob Sharples' band (using Kennedy-Fraser's collection)in about 1960. Decca recording. I have started trying to write out the words for Barbara to sing along - she suffers from forgettery and she gets so much pleasure from music. Finding this great correspondence o'er so long a time warms our hearts! Thank you all. And I have pieced together the version he sings - "Pu'in bracken ..." I love the line"When I see the plover rising or the curlew wheeling". For many years we did Scottish dancing, down here in Devon where we live. "Peat-fire flame" - another of the songs was one of our favourites.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 08:33 AM

Have a listen to the Karl Denver Trio doing The Highland Fling ... Google or Spotify, a hilarious version of Tha mi smith.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 08:34 AM

Should be Tha mi Sgith of course.

Subject: RE: Help: Fairy Love Song
From: GUEST,Joe MacGillivray
Date: 25 Jan 21 - 04:49 PM

Certainly “Tha Mi Sgìth.”

Chords for gìotar:

Sèist:
Am C Em G
Am C Em Am

Rann:
Em G Em G
Em G Em Am

I personally play this in Bbm (capo to fret 1 with these chords.