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Lyr Req: Mist Covered Mountains of Home

22 Nov 96 - 09:55 PM (#517)
Subject: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: Ian

Hi - I'm looking for either the English translation of Chì Mi Na Mór-bheanna (or possibly an English variant) called something like 'Mist Covered Mountains (of Home)'. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks! - Ian

24 Nov 96 - 01:43 AM (#531)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: mbc9r@virginia.edu

Hey, Ian! My name's Michael. I can get you those lyrics. I don't have them right now. It's late, I was just browsing. Go figure. The one night I leave home without the words to that song!! At any rate, I've got them in a book by Pete Kennedy I'm pretty sure; and also in the liner notes to the Talitha McKenzie, Martin Swann recording Mouth Music. It's a beautiful piece and her treatment of it is esp nice. It was one of Pres Kennedys favorites. I'll try to get those out to you. Just out of curiosity, would you happen to have the lyrics to either of two pieces of Mouth Music I'm looking for: Fionnaghuala (Bothy Band) or a piece by Dolores Keane and John Faulkner called simply Mouth Music. It's in the Scots dialect, not gaelic. And there's a line in it which goes something like, "Dance to your shadow, and, it's good to be living, lad..." Very exciting piece, but I just can't puzzle out the lyrics. Thanks, Michael!

25 Nov 96 - 11:27 AM (#549)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: Ian

Michael - Thanks! Sounds great. I'll look forward to hearing back from you.

Regarding your lyric request, Fionnaghuala seems to ring a bell, but I'm not sure from where - I'll check around. I'm afraid on the other, I may not be much help. Maybe someone else on this forum?

Speaking of Talitha McKenzie, do you (or anyone else?) know where one might obtain a copy of an earlier album/cassette of hers? She recorded it as Talitha Nelson (I'm fairly sure) prior to her marriage. As I remember, it contained one or two pieces of mouth music, 'Handsome Cabin Boy' and 'Alabama John Cherokee'. (I can't recall the rest.)

Thanks! - Ian

25 Nov 96 - 03:18 PM (#560)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: Michael

Whoa! I think I may be out of my depth on that one. I never new her as anything other than Talitha McKenzie. I'll have a look around and see what I can scare up round here.

Re. Fionnaghuala (I get cramps evry time I type that!). It was a real hit for the Bothy Band (on Old Hag You Have Killed Me, I think) and Nightnoise (Windham Hill) has redone it. (Triona & Micheal O Domnhaill of the Bothies are both in Nightnoise). I prefer the earlier version. Very exciting.

The other I may be able to find if I can locate a copy of Margaret Faye Shaws book on the Folklore of the South Uist

I am at work right now. I'll get a copy of Mist Covered Mt. from home and post it tonight if I have time. Cheers!

29 Nov 96 - 03:40 PM (#610)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: Ian

Michael,

Sorry - No luck on Fionnaghuala. Any other forum users know of this one?

RE: Mist Covered Mountains - Would love to get the lyrics from you when you get a chance.

Thanks! - Ian

05 Dec 96 - 03:21 PM (#651)
Subject: Lyr Add: CHI MI NA MORBHEANNA / I SEE THE GREAT...
From: Michael

Okay! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you with this Ian. The tape was packed away in a box at my mother's house. I looked all over for the thing. Then when I found I had some trouble getting onto the Forum for some reason. Today I panicked when I realized that Mist Covered Mountains is not how Talitha translates the title, so I thought I might have the wrong one. There is another piece of puirt a beul called something similar.

W/out further ado, here is what I have from the liner notes of the Mouth Music tape:

CHI MI NA MORBHEANNA -- I SEE THE GREAT MOUNTAINS

CHORUS: O chi, chi min na morbheanna, (3X)
(Oh, I see, I see the great mountains);
Chi mi na sgoran fo cheo,
(I see the peaks under the mist)(!!!).

VERSE 1: Chi mi gun dail an t-aite 's an d'rugadh mi,
(I see right away the place of my birth);
Cuirear orm failt' 's a' chanain a thuigeas mi,
(I will be welcomed in a language which I understand);
Gheibh mi ann aoidh agus gradh 'n uair ruigeam,
(I will receive hospitality and love when I reach there);
Nach reicinn air thunnaichean oir,
(That I would not trade for tons of gold).

CHORUS

VERSE 2: Chi mi ann coiltean, chi me ann doireachan,
(I see woods there, I see thickets);
Chi mi ann maghan ban is toraiche,
(I see fair, fertile fields there);
Chi mi na feidh air lar nan coireachan,
(I see the deer on the ground of the corries);
Falaicht' an trusgan de cheo,
(Shrouded in a garment of mist).

CHORUS

VERSE 3: Beanntauchean arda is aillidh leacainnean,
(High mountains with lovely slopes);
Sluagh ann an comhnuidh is coire cleachdainnean,
(Folk abiding there who are customarily kind);
'S aotrom mo cheum a' leum g'am faicinn,
(Light is my step when I go bounding to see them);
Is fanaidh mi tacan le deoin,
(And I will remain a while there willingly).

CHORUS

(Composed by John Cameron of Ballachulish in 1856)

That's it. The translation is literal. I think Talitha translated, so it must be pretty accurate. It would be interesting to try a more poetical English translation, although it would be hard to match the beauty of the Gaelic. I appreciate your patience while I dug around for this one and I hope you enjoy it! ~Michael.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 27-Jul-02.

05 Dec 96 - 06:05 PM (#654)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: Ian

Michael,

Excellent! Thanks! This is actually more than I was thinking about. Don't worry about any delay - I'm just glad you found it! (I think the forum was down for a day or two - I had trouble getting in also.)

I have heard a lyrical version in English, performed by the Pyrates Royale out of Maryland, US. I don't know where they came by it, though. Who knows - I may be inspired enough to write one myself based on Talitha's translation! If I do, I'll let you know. (If anyone else out there knows of an existing version, Please pass it on...)

Once again, thanks for locating these lyrics. I know it wasn't easy. I hope I can return the favor.

Slainte! - Ian

30 Dec 96 - 09:50 PM (#977)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: Kathleen

The Rankin Family have a version of Mist Covered Mountains in Gaelic on their first album, The Rankin Family. Their web site does not have the lyrics for the song but they might have a rendition that you can download and listen to.

31 Dec 96 - 08:52 PM (#990)
Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Mist Covered Mountains
From: dick greenhaus

Hi- thanx much for the lyrics!