thanks, Charmion, new to posting here though I've ended up here a hundred times looking for information. Getting closer to this. Could use "downcast" or "useless" instead of "haunted" but haunted is the most beautiful sound here, resounding in "foreign" and "all." It's the sound Hamish had through the song, "awe," but I've lost that mostly in the first half. "Useless" might be better. I'm singing from Farewell to the Creeks, A C C D, A C C D, with B as instrumental break. Actually I think it translates well, if you put the time in. I expect The Iliad was better in Greek, but there's no reason not to make it sensible.
THE 51st HIGHLAND DIVISION'S FAREWELL TO SICILY
The piper is haunted, the piper is fey,
He will not come round for his vino today.
The sky o'er Messina is foreign and grey
And all the bright chambers are eerie.
Then fare well ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye well ye valley and grove.
There's no Jock will mourn the hills o' ye
Poor bloody bastards are weary.
And fare well ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye well ye valley and grove.
There's no home can cure the ills o' ye
Poor bloody bastards are weary.
Then down the stair and line the waterside
Wait your turn, the ferry's gone over
Down the stair and line the waterside
All the bright chambers are eerie
The drummer is polished, the drummer is shined
You won't know the man for his webbin's so fine
He's spiffed himself up for a photo to sign
To leave with his Lola, his dearie.
Then fare well ye dives o' Sicily
Fare ye well ye shanty and hall
We'll all mind ye sheds and huts fondly (or sheds and hutches)
Where kind signorinas were cheerie.
And fare well ye dives o' Sicily
Fare ye well ye shanty and hall
We''ll all mind ye boozers and bothies
Where Jock made a date with his dearie.
Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum
Leave your kit this side o' the wall
Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum—
All the bright chambers are eerie.
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