Has anyone confirmed whether the tune Dark Island/Dark Isle is an old tune?The information I have is that the song, Dark Island, was written by David Silver, and the tune was written by Iain MacLachlan, an accordionist. This was created for a BBC Thriller called The Dark Island, in 1963. The show was filmed in Benbecula, Scotland.
Yet, many locations state that it is a traditional tune. As does this new CD mentioned under Celtic Waltzes.
There seem to be three sets of words to it. The one shown above apparently is credited to a man named Carl Peterson. I think it is missing a line in the second verse. There are 8 lines in the other two verses, and only 7 in the second verse.
Scottish Lass' Home Page Has the Carl Peterson and David Silver words
DT - THE DARK ISLAND - Uncredited
DT - DARK ISLAND 2 Credited to "Silver MacLaughlin"
Eilean Dorcha - Gaelic translations of the David Silver lyricsThe David Silver lyrics is the one I am familiar with from the singing of Denis Ryan, formerly of Ryan's Fancy