Lyr Req: The Mingulay Boat Song

Subject: The mingilay boat song
From: GUEST,Markus
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 02:00 PM

Hello Folks,

I´m (and my band) looking for the lyrics of "the migilay boat song". I find this song on the CD "Blod Music" from The Fallons. Perhabs, is there anybody who can help us.

Thank you.

Markus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: SeanM
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 02:22 PM

They're in the DT, here.

If you're looking for other songs, there are literally thousands in the database. All you have to do is enter the title, or part of the lyrics in the blue box in the upper right hand corner and hit go.

This particular is under "The Mingulay Boat Song", so if you'd attempted a search, it was probably a spelling issue.

Hope this helps.

M

Subject: Lyr Add: MINGULAY BOAT SONG (from Lorre Wyatt)
From: GUEST,Frank of Toledo
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 02:24 PM

Caroline and Sandy Paton have an LP in their catalogue by Lorre Wyatt, entitled "Roots and Branches". There is a current version by the Casey Neill Trio on a CD called "Skree". Here is the Lorre Wyatt version:

CHORUS: Il ya ho, boys, let her go, boys,
Swing her head 'round into the weather;
Il ya ho, boys, let her go, boys,
Sailing homeward to Mingulay

What care we how wild the Minch is?
What care we for the wind and weather?
For you know boys, let her go, boys,
Closer home, to Mingulay.

Far behind us the peaks of Cuillin,
Soon we'll see our own hills of heather;
And you know boys, candles glow, boys,
Lighting the windows of Mingulay.

Wives are waiting by the harbor,
They have been waiting since break of day;
Now you know boys, that we'll anchor
As the night falls on Mingulay.

The last verse was written by Patricia Wyatt. Hope this will help. The album is wonderful. You should try and get it. You'll find some more marvelous songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: Susan of DT
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 02:38 PM

Always search for a phrase in the song, rather than just the title, particularly when there is a strange mispellable word.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: Sunley
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 02:45 PM

The Corries have done the song - probably on an album but I only have it on a BBC Video. Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor did it on an old vinyl called "Scottish Choice".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 03:20 PM

The guys at the Mystic (CT) Seaport have a great rendition of it, too. For more history on it, go to the Super Forum Search at the top of the threads and type in Mingulay. We had a fantastic thread on it last year that should come up. If it doesn't, holler & one of us will find it for you, if you are interested.

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: raredance
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 05:24 PM

Not to forget the Clancy Brothers & T Makem who recorded in in the 1960's and the McPeakes who have been given some credit for introducing it to the U.S.

There was a lot of discussion related to this previously in the forum. Try searching for "Mingulay" or "minch"

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 05:35 PM

The (A) Corries recording is on 'Live From Scotland, vol 1'. Then there is Alex Campbell, and the McCalmans ... It must be one of the most popular Scottish songs of all time. - Susanne

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: alison
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 05:40 PM

someone , (maybe mbo... sorry if I got it wrong) did a lovely rendition of it on one of the earlier Mudcat Radio shows....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: MMario
Date: 30 Jan 00 - 05:41 PM

*blush* that was me.

MMario

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: GUEST,Gabi and Markus
Date: 01 Feb 00 - 01:24 PM

Thank you for the help you give us. I like this song so much and now we try to sing it in our band. Bye folks, Gabi and Markus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: Herma
Date: 01 Feb 00 - 02:55 PM

The Mc Calmans sing a slightly different version of the Mingalay Boat Song, which I wrote down only last week. If you're interested, let me know :[e-mail] and I will mail it over to you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: MMario
Date: 01 Feb 00 - 03:12 PM

Herma - how different? If it's significantly so, please post here and share. Please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: Herma
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 03:02 AM

MMario, there are still a few words in the version of Mingulay Boat Song sung by the McCalmans, that I'm not one hundred percent sure off. Having to note them down by listening to rather an old album that I have, is somewhat of a tedious affair. However, I will try and work them out this week, and will post them in this thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: MMario
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 08:15 AM

Many thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 02 Feb 00 - 12:46 PM

There was another thread on this song here:

Mingulay Boat Song's Minch ??? .

Subject: Lyr Add: MINGULAY BOAT SONG (from McCalmans)
From: Herma
Date: 12 Feb 00 - 01:39 PM

Trying to keep my promise from last week (how the days fly)

The lyrics of Mingulay Boat Song (McCalmans version). As far as I can make out, with the help of Susanne(skw) we're still not entirely sure about the second verse.

CHORUS: Hail ya ho, boys, let her go, boys.
Swing her head 'round, and all together.
Hail ya ho, boys, and we'll anchor
As the sun sets on Mingulay.

Not a wave in straights and narrows
White her shoulders, cresting sea foam,
Out by Uist, and by Lewis
As the sun sets on Mingulay. CHO

Wives are waiting by the harbour,
They've been waiting since break of day, boys,
They've been waiting for their loved one,
As the sun sets on Mingulay. CHO

What care we though white the Minch is?
What care we for wind or weather?
Hail ya ho, boys, and we'll anchor
As the sun sets on Mingulay. CHO

Subject: Lyr Add: MINGULAY BOAT SONG
From: GUEST,Neil in Scotland
Date: 13 Feb 00 - 07:22 AM

MINGULAY BOAT SONG

Hill you ho, boys; let her go, boys;
Bring her head round, now all together;
Hill you ho boys; let her go boys;
Sailing home, home to Mingulay.

1. What care we though wide the Minch is ?
What care we though wild the weather?
Let her go, boys: every inch is
Sailing home, home to Mingulay.

2. Wives are waiting by the bank or
Looking seaward from the heather;
Pull her round, boys and we'll anchor
Ere the sun sets on Mingulay.

There are a few small variations in parts of this Western island song but this is the gist.

all the best Neil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: GUEST,JCK
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 04:54 PM

Help - can anyone help me find just the music to the Mingulay Boat Song? I need to be able to download it, but I'm happy to pay for it. It's for my 5 year old daughter to sing in a talent show ;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 05:04 PM

Here's a link to the midi file in Mudcat: Mingulay Midi From Mudcat. (In Windows Right-Click and do Save Target As.. to save the file on your machine).

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 30 Mar 06 - 07:12 PM

That "Patricia Wyatt" last verse has been kicking around in one form or another for quite awhile - not saying she didn't write it, but it would have to have been thirty years ago at least, to satisfy me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The mingilay boat song
From: stallion
Date: 31 Mar 06 - 10:01 AM

me too, the version we sang 30 some years ago "wives are waiting on the pier head, looking seaward from the heather", it always puzzled me that they had heather on a pier, but Jim McFadyen sang it certainly in 1968 and that was his version, I have no idea where he got it from.

Subject: Lyr Add: MINGULAY BOAT SONG
From: GRex
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 07:19 AM

There are many, many versions of the lyrics to this song, I sing one, my shanty crew sing another.
The original lyics were written by Hugh S Roberton who adapted the tune of a traditional Gaelic song "Creag Ghuanach" from Lochaber.
Here are the lyrics from a book "101 Scottish Songs", published in 1962, selected by Norman Buchan:-

CHORUS: Hill you ho, boys; let her go, boys;
Bring her head round, now all together,
Hill you ho, boys; let her go, boys;
Sailing home, home to Mingulay.

What care we tho' white the Minch is?
What care we for wind or weather?
Let her go, boys, ev'ry inch is
Wearing home, home to Mingulay.

Wives are waiting on the bank,
Or looking seaward from the heather;
Pull her round, boys! and we'll anchor,
Ere the sun sets at Mingulay.

I hope you not more confused than before.
GRex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: Cats
Date: 30 Dec 06 - 07:48 AM

And yet another 'final verse'
Bairns are sleeping in the cradle, rocking gently by the fireside
There's a candle in the window, ere our men return to Mingualay.

In fishing communities all over the British Isles lights are kept burning in the windows while the fishermen are out at sea.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: GUEST,Andrew
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 04:56 AM

I have been trying to find the lyrics as written by Hugh S Roberton. There are so many versions out there! The two bits that get me is the lyric 'hill you ho boy', or 'heel yo ho boy'. 'Heel' kinda makes sense as its a sailing term where as 'hill' seems a little odd. Also wondering where the wives were waiting was it on the 'bank' or 'pier head'. Any clues would be great

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: GRex
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 07:12 AM

I believe my post of the 30th December shows the original lyrics.

          GRex

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: Stewie
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 09:02 AM

GRex, I'll confirm that. The lyrics you posted are spot on. I have Roberton's 'Songs of the Isles' open in front of me.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Feb 07 - 08:22 PM

GRex - got it right.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: GUEST,Andrew
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 06:08 PM

Thanks GRex
Sorry to say it, and please don't take offence, I did read your post on 30th of December but was still a little scepticle about the 'Hill you ho' line. Wikipedia has put down 'heel' and source of your book was a few years after writing of the words. But as Stewie agrees and he has the original then its obvious I was being pedantic, perhaps one of you guys could let wikipedia know!!

Thanks again for your help
Andrew

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From:
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 09:34 PM

That's because as a Scottish Speaker "HILL" sounds like "HEEL" to many North American or English speakers who aren't familiar with Scottish Accents.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From:
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 09:36 PM

In Scottish Gaelic, the "i" sounds like "ee"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: GUEST,IanG
Date: 01 Sep 07 - 06:11 PM

I understood that this piece was written for a Glasgow Choir in the30s

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mingulay boat song
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Sep 07 - 07:20 PM

http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/collection/roberton.html

See above link for info re hugh Roberton and the Glasgow Orpheus Choir which he founded in 1906.