I used to hum this song to my kids when they were "wee bairns". It chokes me up just to read the lyrics.
Whenever I've heard it, the line "Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie" sounds like "caw jeer gu low, laddie, low laddie".
My favourite recorded version is definitely the one by Ryan's Fancy, with Denis Ryan's tenor.
Also, I just found this - "Poems of Kenneth Leslie" http://webhome.idirect.com/~arthurgw/kenneth/kenneth_intro.html . Unfortunately, the only part missing is the scan of the sheet music for "Cape Breton Lullaby".
The following is copied from the afore-mentioned "Cape Breton Song Collection", which is open in my lap as I type.
--------------------------------------------- CAPE BRETON LULLABY by Kenneth Leslie (c) R. Dickson, 530 King St., Shawville, Quebec
Driftwood is burning blue, wild walk the wall shadows, Night winds go riding by, riding by the lochie meadows. On to the ring of day flows Myra's stream singing: Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie, * Sleep the stars away.
Far on Beinn Bhreagh's side wander the lost lambies. Here, there and ev'rywhere, ev'rywhere their troubled mammies Find them and fold them deep, fold them to sleep singing: Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie, Sleep the moon away.
Daddy is on the bay. He'll keep the pot brewin', Keep all from tumblin' down, tumblin' down to rack and ruin. Pray Mary send him home safe from the foam singing: Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie, Sleep the dark away.
* - ( "Caidil Gu La" or "Caidil Gu Law (Latha)" is the title of a fiddle tune which has been published in The Fraser Collection. One translation given to this Scottish Gaelic phrase is "Sleep On Till Day".)
"Cape Breton Lullaby" may be heard on the following records: - Catherine McKinnon, "The Voice of An Angel" Arc A-628 - Ryan's Fancy, "Looking Back" Audat 477-9015 - "The Rise and Follies of Cape Breton (1)" CCBP 1002 - "Cape Breton's Greatest Hits", College of Cape Breton Press, CCBP 1005 - George Hamilton IV "Back to Down East Country", RCA Camden KCL-0051 --------------------------------------------
3/4 time, Moderato, (1/4note) = 104 Chords (in arrangement for piano): [instrumental opening] Gm / Dm / C / F F7 / Bb / Eb / D / G G7 [C] Driftwood is [Bb] burning [C] blue, wild walk the [Bb] wall [Gm7] shadows, [C] Night [C] winds [Em] go [F] riding [Am] by, [Gm] riding [C7] by the [F] lochie [C] meadows. [Dm] On [F] to the [C/G] ring of [A] day [D] flows [D7] Myra's [G] stream [G7] singing: [Csus4] Cai - [C] dil gu [Csus4] la [C] laddie, [Csus4] la, [C] laddie, [Bb] Sleep the [Gm] stars a - [C] way. ---------------------- Enjoy, -jr- http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/jrose/radios/radiomain.htm