Lyr Req: Mingulay - extra verse please

Subject: Lyr Req: Mingulay - extra verse please
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 11:24 AM

Hi 'Catters

I used to sing this song often but with an extra verse that I collected somewhere along the road of time. Sadly I've lost this and can't remember it. I've checked all the MANY threads on this song but I've drawn a blank on this one.

The verse I had is something like:

Bairns are sleeping in their cradle
*****
We'll keep a candle in the window,
Ere the boys return to Mingulay.

Can anyone help?

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mingulay - extra verse please
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 11:32 AM

Don't worry - I've found it. Here if anyone is interested:

Bairns are sleeping in the cradle
Rocking gently by the fireside
Keep a candle in the window
Ere the men return to Mingulay

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mingulay - extra verse please
From: Charley Noble
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:15 PM

Well, good catch! And it only took 8 minutes to respond to your own request. You beat the rest of us.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mingulay - extra verse please
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Mar 06 - 12:35 PM

Only because I got sidetracked re-reading some of the old threads! That verse can be found quickly by searching for "return to Mingulay".

It was posted in thread Mingulay Boat Song's Minch by "Dez Yello", who said that he had written it, along with Paul Whitehill, back in 1984 when they were both in a band in the Manchester area; it was subsequently taken up by other people.

The thread is long and rambling, so I've linked directly to the post in question; but its worth reading the whole thing, as it does provide a fair bit of useful background for the song, plus additional verses which are presented as also from the pen of the original writer, Hugh Roberton; though he only included two verses and chorus in his book Songs of the Isles.

There are several other discussions on the song, many of which repeat essentially the same material; it becomes rather confusing after a while. More so since the posts aren't in the right order any more, though selecting the "printer friendly" option at the top of each page will re-arrange them in date order. Probably, links to these will soon appear at the top of this page. Some of those threads contain other "new" verses, and one includes the words of a Gaelic song, Creag Guanach, the tune of which Roberton used for Mingulay. In another, there is a modern song, written in Ireland and later translated from Irish into Scottish Gaelic, which uses the same tune: Sean Nos song - An Cailin Alainn. Texts are quoted in both forms.