ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE

Subject: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 06:54 PM

The following is a lengthy attempt to sort out what first seemed a simple request in two threads, from "Ken" (a Guest). Ken started by asking for the Atlantic Lullabye. We didn't have it. But we had a lot of similar items spread through a number of threads, with discussion weaving through these threads, referencing each other. It was very confusing!

They were all songs about Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the Atlantic... home... and lullabies, I guess. I have never heard any of them, but they are intriguing.

What did they turn out to be?

MY CAPE BRETON HOME, by Charlie McKenna?

MY NOVA SCOTIA HOME, by Hank Snow

ATLANTIC LULLABY, by C. Smith & R. Smith

CAPE BRETON LULLABY, by Kenneth Leslie

Sorcha did ALL of the thread research on this while my online access was screwed up. (I made the clickies, so if they are broken, that would be me.)

---

In this thread HERE, Ken said:

there are three songs that come to mind....

He then quoted three fragments. Later, a fourth was quoted.


The first item Ken quoted was this one:

my cape breton home
to the shores of my childhood fond memories i cling
you may talk of your countries and other lands seen
you may talk of the splendours of italy and rome
but they'll never compare with my cape breton home.

written i believe by charlie mckenna


I believe this is a fragment of a piece posted by Sorcha HERE.

Which she had found HERE.


And here is a reprint of it:

MY CAPE BRETON HOME
(By Charlie McKenna?)

Round the scenes of my childhood
My memory doth cling
While others great stories of other lands sing
They speak of the grandeur of Italy and Rome
But say not a word of my Cape Breton home.

Wherever I wander on land or on sea
The place of my childhood remembered shall be
God's blessing rest on it wherever I roam
I shall never forget thee Cape Breton home.

The lakes and the valleys, the pastures so green
The wide rolling hillsides I see in my dream
The thoughts of my childhood wherever I roam
I shall never forget thee my Cape Breton home.

I love every inch of my own native shore
And listen with joy to the old ocean roar.
And gaze with delight on the clear, sparkling foam
That plays round the cliffs of my Cape Breton home.

In a small, quiet village that stands by the sea
I played with my comrades, lighthearted and free
Some sleep in the churchyard while others have roamed
And left far behind them their Cape Breton home.

Let others tell tales of the great golden west,
The place of my childhood's the land I love best.
There is no fairer country 'neath heaven's bright dome,
There is none can surpass thee, my Cape Breton home.

---

Ken's next remembered item was:

my nova scotia home
theres a place i'll always cherish neath the blue atlantic skies,
where the shores down in cape breton bid the golden sun to rise
and the fragrance of the apple blossom
sprays the sunkissed lawn
down in dear old nova scotia,
the place that i call home.

i believe written/sung by hank snow


This is a fragment of a piece posted by Dale Rose HERE.


Here is a reprint of that one.

MY NOVA SCOTIA HOME
Words and music by Hank Snow

CAPO: 1st fret/KEY: C#/PLAY: C

[C] There's a place I'll always cherish, 'neath the [G7] blue Atlantic sky
Where the shores down in Cape Breton bid the [C] golden sun to rise
And the fragrance of the apple [C7] blossoms [F] sprays the dew-kissed lawns
Back in [C] dear old Nova Scotia, [G7] a place where I was [C] born.

The Scotian and the Ocean Limited, and the Maritime Express
Their mighty engines throbbing, make their way towards the west
And the sturdy fishin' schooners, sways so laz'ly to and fro
Nova Scotia is my sanctuary, and I love her so.

Change to D:

For across the great Dominion, I have traveled far and wide
Where the shores out in Vancouver, kiss the blue Pacific tide
I have crossed the snow-capped Rockies, saw the wheat fields' golden blaze
Headed back to Nova Scotia, where contented cattle graze.
Where the pretty Robin Red Breast, seeks its' loved ones in the trees
And the French di'lect in old Quebec, keeps callin' out to me
It seems to say, be on your way, there's a welcome at the door
Where the kinfolks are a-waiting on that gay Atlantic shore.

Change to Eb:

Down through beautiful New Brunswick and across the P.E.I.
To the rock-bound coasts of Newfoundland, I'll love them till I die
But if God came here on Earth with us and asked if he could rest
I'd take him to my Nova Scotia home, the place that I love best.

---

Ken's third fragment was this:

the atlantic lullaby
there's a place so dear to me
nestled by the deep blue sea
where the womenfolk are noted for their pies
where the sweet mayflower grows,
its the home of the bluenose
where you slumber to the atlantic lullaby.

i believe written/sung by hank snow.


Ken had also requested this in another recent thread. This is the piece "Guest, ewcalder" (Wendy) offered in that thread, which she was kind enough to send me. I have posted this for her in the thread where Ken first requested it, HERE.


Here is a reprint of it:

ATLANTIC LULLABY
C. Smith & R. Smith

There's a place so dear to me
Nestled by the blue, blue sea,
Where the women folk are noted for their pie.
Where the sweet mayflower grows,
It's the home of the Bluenose,
Where you slumber to the Atlantic Lullaby

Fields so green and skies so blue,
Friendly folk will welcome you.
In her city where the famous gardens grow,
I remember well the charm
Of the lovely Northwest Arm
And the harbour watching the greatships come and go.

CHORUS:
Where the breakers rock and roll
Till they stir your very soul
And the seagulls scream and circle t'ward the sky
Where lovers stroll beneath moonbeams in Nova Scotia, Land of Dreams,
Where you slumber to the Atlantic Lullaby.

Ev'ryone who wants to rove
Loves to visit Peggy's Cove
Where a lighthouse sends its message out to sea.
Valley of Evangeline,
Where the poets love to dream,
And the beauty of the blossoms beckons me.

How I love the Cabot Trail,
Winding over hill and dale
In Cape Breton, with its scenery so fair;
Where a fellow takes a wife
And he loves her all his life--
Children singing, church bells ringing, God is there.

CHORUS


CHORDS:
In the key of C; the chords would be C, F, G and G7.

SOURCE:
The Nova Scotia Song Collection, researched, compiled and edited by Allister MacGillivray and scored for piano by John C. O'Donnell.

SH

---

Here is a reprint of Wendy's notes:

Hi Susan:

See if I can answer your questions.

Now the Atlantic Lullaby is written in the key of C. I have the music. I got the words from my songbook The Nova Scotia Song Collection, which was researched, compiled and edited by Allister MacGillivray and scored for piano by John C. O'Donnell. Mr. O'Donnell is the director for THE MEN OF THE DEEPS. Allister is of course famous for his songwriting. Atlantic Lullaby was written by C. Smith & R. Smith. Was recorded by Hank Snow as you know. Also recorded by George Hamilton IV, on "Down East Country," RCA and also by Dick Nolan, on his tape "Welcome Aboard."

The Bluenose is a famous sailing schooner that was built in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. It took supplies from here to the West Indies and then it was a racing schooner. During a race, I don't know what year, it went down in a storm. A Bluenose II was built later, in the late 50's or early 60's, to replace this one, an exact replica. It was built in Lunenburg and some of the builders still possessed the age-old know-how to build this ship. Many were part of the original Bluenose team. The Bluenose II is now an ambassador for Nova Scotia and sails all over the world. It is docked at the waterfront in Halifax and some summers you can sail on it and go on tours. It hires university students for the summer.

I am originally from Port Hawkesbury, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Yes you may credit my name if you want to. Glad to be of help to you. Keep in touch.

Wendy

---

And then, was it also Ken who posted the following fourth item?

drift wood is burning blue
wild walk the wall shadows
night winds are riding by
riding by
the lochy meadows
on to the ring of day
flows mira stream singing

cie gier ger low laddie' low laddie
sleep the night away

daddy is on the bay
he'll keep the pot brewing
keep all from tumbling down
crumbling down
to wrack and ruin
pray mary send him home
safe from the foam singing

cie gier ger loe laddie loe laddie
sweep the dark away

down on ben breah's side
wander the lost lambies
here there and every where, everywhere
their troubled mammies
find them and fold them deep
fold them to sleep singing

cie geir ger low laddie, low laddie
dream the night away

that's how i remember it

i don't know how to spell the gaelic as i ceased to speak it from the age of about five i think only the chorus was gaelic but i do know enough to know that's not scott's gaelic--it's irish so i'm guessing the writer wasn't scottish


This would be, I believe, the song Tim Jaques posted HERE.


And here is a reprint of the song.

CAPE BRETON LULLABY
(Kenneth Leslie)

Driftwood is burning blue, wild walk the wall shadows
Night winds go riding by, riding by the lochie meadows
On to the ring of day flows Mira's stream, singing:

Caidil gu la, laddie, la, laddie,
Sleep the stars away.

Far on Beinn Breagh's side wander the lost lambies
Here, there, and everywhere, everywhere their troubled mammies
Find them and fold them deep, fold them to sleep, singing:

Caidil gu la, laddie, la, laddie,
Sleep the moon away.

Daddy is on the bay, He'll keep the pot brewin'
Keep all from tumblin' down, tumblin' down to rack and ruin
Pray, Mary, send him home, safe from the foam, singing:

Caidil gu la, laddie, la, laddie,
Sleep the dark away.

(Copyright R. Dickson, 530 King St. Shawville, PQ, Canada)

---

Here is a reprint of Tim Jaques' comments.

"Caidil Gu La" or "Caidil Gu Law (Latha)" is the title of a fiddle tune in the Simon Fraser Collection. One translation given to this Scottish Gaelic phrase is "sleep on to day."

Kenneth Leslie was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1892. His father, the owner of a small shipping company, was drowned off Amherst Island in the Magdalens in 1905. Leslie wrote poetry. His collection By Stubborn Stars and Other Poems won the Canadian Governor-General's Award in 1938. In the early 1930's he hosted a radio show in Newark, New Jersey, sometimes playing his fiddle and singing in Gaelic. He was a crusading journalist and political activist, but returned to Nova Scotia in 1950 and continued to publish collections of poetry. He died in 1974.

Quite often this song is put down as traditional, although it was first published in Songs of Nova Scotia in 1964. Later it was recorded by Catherine MacKinnon.

Leslie himself used to sing the song to a somewhat different tune, a traditional Scottish air played at half speed.

I have only heard one version that used an alternative tune, by Draught Porridge, but am unsure if that is the original tune. The most common arrangement is that used by Catherine MacKinnon, who was the first to record it.

Various eastern Canadian acts have recorded this lullaby. A very nice version is by PEI singer Therese Doyle on her CD "Forerunner"; one of the women from the Rankin Family has also recorded it.

I am told that there is also a version entirely in Gaelic, although the short biography of Leslie that I have doesn't mention this. It might have been written recently, but I have never heard it. I doubt it exists, because Cape Breton Gaelic singer Mary Jane Lamond would have certainly covered it.

---

---

Hopefully, this not only clears up the questions Ken had, but also provides a one-stop shop for future searchers on these songs.

Sorcha indicated that none of these are in the DT. Perhaps they can be harvested from here.

Sorcha also said that there are numerous threads with discussions of the Bluenose-- but yer on yer own for those!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HER
From: Sorcha
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 08:04 PM

Hey, sooz, GREAT compilation job!! Lots better than that mess I sent to you! Good Job, three Gold Stars!!

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From:
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 09:39 PM

I think that should be Charlie MacKinnon. He wrote a number of songs, or set a number of poems from Lillian Walsh Crewe to music he created.

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 09:43 PM

Hey Bes/bud, it took forever, but it was good payback for all the help I have gotten here. Hey, though, will ya check my links and be sure they all go where they's s'posed to? It's all a blur now!

George, can you look into it and get something definitive? It would be great to have the right citation for the DT.

~Susan

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From:
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 09:45 PM

Oh yes. Re: Cape BReton Lullaby, Kenneth Leslie did write that. However, there is a Gaelic Translation by Catriona Parsons. She sang it for a recording of Women's songs for B&R HEritage Enterprises. This recording is not yet available due to availability of money.

There is a song in the Scottish song tradition called Caidil Gu Latha. This is an entirely different song. The Gaelic "Caidil Gu Latha" means Sleep Until Day

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 09:59 PM

George... forgive my ignorance... are you saying that the fiddle tune mentioned above by Tim Jaques is not and never was the tune used for the Leslie piece, and that the song you mention from the Scottish literature is a whole different lyric even than the Gaelic translation of Leslie's work? But is the one Tim J mentions the tune for the piece you are talking about? So, it would be that the Scottish piece is entirely separate from Leslie's work? Or do we know if he based his on it in any way?

Please, say more-- assume I know zero, and go from there!

Will you be posting that Scottish piece? If so, maybe in a separate thread but with a clicky here, to it? And, will it include a translation into English?

~S~

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 May 01 - 01:29 AM

refresh

George...?

~S~

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From:
Date: 10 May 01 - 11:24 AM

Sorry, I've been busy. I haven't come up with a fiddler who knows that tune to play it for me.

If I can confirm that it is the same tune as the one Kenneth Leslie used, I will advise. Looking at the sheet music in the CB Songbook of the Cape Breton Lullaby doesn't look anything like the sheet music I have for the Gaelic song, "Caidil Gu La". I don't know if the Gaelic song music is the same as the fiddle tune either. YET!

Sorry for the delay,

IF you want, I can certainly type up the Gaelic Song. Will do so in a couple of days.

YEs, the Gaelic translation of Cape Breton Lullaby is only about 4 or 5 years old. Caidil Gu Latha is at least 80 years old. I have it in a book which is a reprint of one from the 1920s.

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: GUEST,Dr.J.Byron Fancy Ph.D, Concert pianist /orga
Date: 23 Jan 09 - 11:15 PM

The words
Shelia Manning as soloist for "The Atlantic Lullaby"
... when the sun says good night in the morning
      and the Robinns gather once more
      I'll return to my home in Nova Scotia"
last line..... For Nova Scotia has been my Paradise"
    all I can remember

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 02:55 PM

That must be a totally different song, Byron. I sing the other one but never heard those words. It does sound like a nice song though. If you get more words please post them. Thanks!
                Sandy

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 10:33 PM

Hi Sandy,
   I did in fact find the recording of the "Atlantic Lullaby"... which I had always been told it was.
   "When the sun says good night in the morning,
    And the robin red breast come anew
    It is there that I long for my home in the Mountains,
    Nova Scotia has been my paradise.... I have the entire recording by Shelia Manning and it is fantastic.... It is calle the Atlantic Lullaby on the recording...
                      Dr, J. Byron Fancy Nova Scotia south shore

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 11:27 PM

Hi Byron,
Thanks for the follow-up!
When you find the time would you post the entire lyrics? Also any information that you might have about Sheila Manning as well. I must admit that I have never heard of her but that is no doubt my loss! Do you know if she wrote the song?
Many thanks!
         Sandy

Subject: RE: ADD: Cape Breton or Atlantic Lullaby, HERE
From: Peader
Date: 16 Mar 17 - 11:20 AM

Surprisingly I know these 4 songs mentioned in this thread. Sang and played them for many years.
My notes indicate:
MY CAPE BRETON HOME (composed by Lillian Crewe Walsh and Charlie MacKinnon, arranged by Fred Redden)
MY NOVA SCOTIA HOME words & music by Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow
ATLANTIC LULLABY written by Reg's mother Cecil B Smith performed by Reg Smith And The Melody Four (1957). Reg was born in Stewiacke, N.S. & was a first cousin of Hank Snow.
CAPE BRETON LULLABY written by Kenneth Leslie/arr. Stuart Calvert

Good to see the work done here - Congradulations!