My guess from four days ago was wrong. Alison McMorland and Geordie McIntyre sang Geordie’s song White Wings on their 2007 album White Wings and noted on the recordings page of their website: "Over the years Geordie's own songs have been recorded by others and most recently White Wings by the Johnson Girls, a New York based 'maritime' group." As Charmion wrote in another thread a few days ago that a senior should give prezzies to other people on one’s birthday, and as I've reached retirement age today, here are Geordie's lyrics as a present from me: WHITE WINGS Geordie McIntyre White wings on the dark ocean Endless tides in restless waters Chorus (after each verse): I am homeward-bound for Orkney I am homeward bound Rings of sun and standing stone Dreams engraved on sculptured bone Green fields where laveros rise And teacks swing through northern skies Mixter-maxter o’ guid folk Will ready smile and quiet joke Westray and Ronaldsay Stromness, Hoy and Skara Brae Life is light and life is shade I don’t regret the choices made I had to leave and work away But knew I would return someday Last chorus: Now I'm homeward bound for Orkney I am homeward bound NOTE: This was triggered by a short, spectacular, low level flight from Kirkwall to Westray during the period of the annual Orkney Folk festival in May. In the following few days a meeting with some returning exiles gave me further inspiration. Glossary: V3 Laveros, skylarks. V3 Teacks, lapwings. V4 Mixter-Maxter, people of diverse ethnic/racial origins. (All Orkney dialect)
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