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Subject: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: ckellyhouc@aol.com Date: 05 Aug 98 - 08:48 PM What is this song? onward gaily as we go, head to head and toe to toe....all for lovely Mary....all for Mary's Wedding. Name of tune and available recordings if you know some would be great. Thanks - Cindy |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: dick greenhaus Date: 05 Aug 98 - 09:08 PM Try Mairi's Wedding. Names are a snare and a delusion. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Tim Jaques tjaques@netcom.ca Date: 05 Aug 98 - 09:38 PM And it's Scottish. I think the real name is The Lewis Bridal Song. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Big Mick Date: 06 Aug 98 - 10:20 AM Get the Chieftains CD "Van Morrisson and The Chieftains". It has a pretty good version of "Maire's Wedding". |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Joe Offer Date: 06 Aug 98 - 04:18 PM Click here to see the lyrics as we have them in the database, and to see links to where you can buy recordings. Our MIDI of the tune doesn't seem to work. I tried playing it with two different players, and the players say it's an invalid format. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Date: 06 Aug 98 - 04:37 PM Clancy Brothers (and Tommy Makem) also do this song. Bob S. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Joe Offer Date: 06 Aug 98 - 05:10 PM In my head, I hear a woman's voice singing this song, and it's just wonderful. Trouble is, I can't remember who it was who made the recording I'm thinking of. Maybe Mary or Frances Black. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Bill D Date: 06 Aug 98 - 09:41 PM Jean Redpath....Mary O'Hara |
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Subject: Lyr Add: LEWIS BRIDAL SONG / MAIRI'S WEDDING From: Murray on Saltspring Date: 07 Aug 98 - 12:44 AM The title is [or should be] "Lewis Bridal Song" (from that island in the Hebrides). The words should be credited to Hugh S. Roberton; the tune itself is traditional. NB!! the words in the database are not correct. Dick, please fix as follows: LEWIS BRIDAL SONG (MAIRI'S WEDDING) (Hugh S. Roberton) chorus Step we gaily, on we go Heel for heel and tow for toe, Arm in arm and row on row, All for Mairi's wedding. Over hillways up and down, Myrtle green and bracken brown, Past the sheiling, thro' the town, All for sake o' Mairi. (chorus) Red her cheeks as rowans are, Bright her eye as any star, Fairest o' them a' by far, Is our darling Mairi. (chorus) Plenty herring, plenty meal, Plenty peat to fill her creel, Plenty bonnie bairns as weel; That's the toast to Mairi. (chorus) -- I know folks like the Clancys sing this, but please don't think it's Irish. And *please* do not deny Sir Hugh his credit for this fine standard song. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: dick greenhaus Date: 07 Aug 98 - 12:47 PM Corrections noted and accepted. Thanx! |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Dale Rose Date: 14 Aug 98 - 01:27 AM While exploring the site of a friend from Cape Breton, George Seto, I came across the Gaelic for the song. It was written for the lady in question, Mary McNiven, in 1935, but hey, go read about it for yourself! |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: mulligan Date: 14 Aug 98 - 07:26 PM It is also a beginner's Bagpipe tune. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Date: 16 Aug 98 - 12:33 PM Joe it may have been one of the Rankin sisters. The Rankin Family made it a no. 1 hit in Canada afew years ago. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Bob Lusk Date: 16 Aug 98 - 04:18 PM A verse I wrote some 20 years back
Now we see the sign of spring I wrote it for my friend's Robin and Kathy Mckeenna's wedding and sang it there as "Kathy's Wedding" of course. It was an in joke between Robin and I. "Ah a robin, the first sing of spring". Years later I find others I've never met singing the verse. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Kenmar11@AOL.com Date: 21 Oct 99 - 03:28 PM Hello Bob, I was wondering if you might help in finding a copy of "All for Mary's Wedding" I heard it is a nice song for bagpipes which we are having at my wedding any information would be appreciated. Thanks so much, Mary-Alice |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Melbert Date: 21 Oct 99 - 03:57 PM It don't matter much what the PROPER name is, I think it's on countless cheap albums under the title Maries Wedding. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jeremiah McCaw Date: 21 Oct 99 - 05:36 PM :-)
I remember Bill Aitken, one of the members of "Killiecrankie" saying that he hated "Mairi's Wedding". As a youngster in Scotland it's the one song they always had to sing in school when it was time for "folk culture" - "All right now children ... Mairi's Wedding ... one ... two ..." |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Melbert Date: 21 Oct 99 - 06:36 PM Didn't Billy Connolly have a whole routine about it? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: poet Date: 21 Oct 99 - 06:45 PM Jeremiah think yourself lucky in my schoolday folk music was. "Where the bee sucks there lurk I, In a cowslips bell i lie there i lurk when owls to fly etc etc. I was 29 before I went Near a folk club and found out the truth.
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Quirk Malarkey Date: 21 Oct 99 - 06:51 PM to inject some sentimentality here : i have loved mairis' wedding always. with my dulcimer i've played it on moonlit nights on the beach in o'ahu hawai'i and had pretty girls cry happy. when the mood is right, so do i. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Lesley N. Date: 22 Oct 99 - 08:18 AM Barry Taylor did a midi of Mairi's Wedding. It's on his Scottish page (http://www.contemplator.com/tunebook/scotmidi.htm). (I gave that link rather than right to the lyrics page so you can go to either the midi or the lyrics).
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Barry Finn Date: 22 Oct 99 - 09:30 PM Hi Dale, I believe I saw some of what you posted & maybe more??? on either the celtic newsgroup or the Irish Trad. It was not to long ago 2-4 months?? Hi Doodlezak, where on o'ahu, I used to play/sing over in Lahaina but that was over 20 yrs ago. Used to love trying to play on the waterfront next to the Carthaginnian looking out towards Lanai during sunset & singing the Dark Island hoping for a green sunset flash. Barry whsoe getting a little cold here in cold country. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Hook Date: 17 Oct 02 - 08:36 AM I don't recall the actor/artist's name but he did a banjo rendition of this tune was in the wake scene in the 1992 movie 'Passed Away' staring Bob Hoskins. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Bat Goddess Date: 17 Oct 02 - 09:37 AM From the Glasgow Daily Record, date unknown: (I have a photocopy of the article, but the person who gave it to me didn't date it.) Exclusive: Step we gaily on we go, this IS Mairi's wedding Now it's All for Mairi's birthday! She'll still be singing at 90 by Stephen Houston Millions of Scots have sung Mairi's Wedding. And now, thanks to the Record, they can meet the bride herself. For one of our best-loved tunes was written for Mary McNiven. And the OAP is still stepping gaily, even though she'll be NINETY tomorrow. Scots schoolkids have been learning the song for generations, and it's a firm favourite all over the world. At her cottage on Islay yesterday, Mary said: "I can't believe it became so popular. But when it was first played to me I found it very catchy -- and I still do." The song was originally written Gaelic -- that's why she was "Mairi" instead of "Mary" -- for the Mod of 1935. Her pal Johnny Bannerman composed it and it was first played to her at the Old Highlanders Institute in Glasgow's Elmbank Street Medal "I still have a clear recollection of that day," said Mary. "Johnny just said the song was for me." It was translated into English a year later, by Sir Hugh Robertson. Although Mary herself was real, the wedding wasn't. For she didn't get hitched to Skye-born sea captain John Campbell until six years later. John died 17 years ago. Mum of two, Mary, who won a Mod gold medal for singing in 1934, will enjoy a family birthday party in Glasgow this weekend. And it won't be complete without the famous song. Her daughter Christine, a teacher from Hyndland, Glasgow, said: "Mum still sometimes sings it in Gaelic and people are always asking her to. I suspect she'll sing it to celebrate her birthday." (The article is accompanied by a photograph of Mary by William Thornton and a copy of her wedding picture.) |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Watson Date: 17 Oct 02 - 09:49 AM The same story comes up a few times if you put Mary McNiven into Google, notably here from one Joe Offer in 1999. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Bat Goddess Date: 17 Oct 02 - 10:01 AM Interesting reading that post from Joe Offer -- I was ASPClinns@aol (FYI, Bat Goddess = Linn Schulz -- that e-mail addy when I worked for the Portsmouth, NH American Speedy Printing is long gone, however). I posted the transcription of the article to Scots-L and "Craig Cockburn ("coburn"), Dùn Éideann, Alba. (Edinburgh, Scotland) http://www.scot.demon.co.uk/ mailto:craig@scot.demon.co.uk" must have posted it here (or somebody -- Joe? -- picked it up from the discussion at Scots-L that I posted it to at that time). I'm no longer subscribed to Scots-L but Curmudgeon is. Linn |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Date: 20 Oct 02 - 06:15 PM Linn, did you ever find out the date of the article? I had put the article on-line at the bottom of my page for the Gaelic lyrics of this song, I seem to recall the consensus was Glasgow as city of the paper the article. Nice to meet you. I believe Joe picked it up from that. He has a preference for Black text on white page, which seems excessively bright. I have normally put a black page with white text. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Susanne (skw) Date: 20 Oct 02 - 09:04 PM George, yes, it's from the Daily Record, published in Glasgow. I've been looking for it in Glasgow, with no luck so far. But then I only have three weeks a year to do it - give me another couple of years! |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: open mike Date: 21 Oct 02 - 03:58 AM o.k. -- but what's a sheiling?? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Boab Date: 21 Oct 02 - 04:32 AM Hi, "open mike"!-- a sheiling is simply a name given to a country dwelling [usually of the single level thatched type]in the Scottish highlands and Islands. This thread has certainly made ME sit up. I was aware of the fact that the lady for whom this song was written was, till fairly recently at least, still alive and in her nineties. What I didn't know was that she could well be related to me! I am surprised to find her name, Mary McNiven. My maternal Grandfather was a native of Islay, Lachlan McNiven, born at Ardmore , by Port Ellen. He had a sister and niece, both "Mary McNiven". Making me wonder----?! |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: belfast Date: 21 Oct 02 - 09:04 AM Im surprised that nobody in the this thread has yet mentioned Kenneth McKellar. I cannot think of this song without hearing his ringing tones. I used to really dislike it but now nostagia casts it in a rosier glow. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Date: 21 Oct 02 - 10:42 AM While I have the utmost respect for Kenneth McKellar, I'm unable to enjoy his version of this song. It's too much of a ringing sound he gives it. I feel it should be light and fanciful, which it is most of the times. Sung in 4 part harmony is fine if 3 of the four parts just do the "Humm" version of the song. The song is best done in a simple form, in my opinion. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jimmy C Date: 21 Oct 02 - 03:03 PM Hi "open mike " and "Boab", I believe a 'sheiling" was indeed a dwelling, but I think it was where the grain was stored before it was malted during the whisky making. Grain was stored about 14" to 18" deep, creating internal heat which led to "Forced Vegation" or germination". To ensure that all the grain was germinated the pile would be turned over from time to time with a wooden spade called a sheil, thus the name sheiling. Of course I could be wrong ?. I never made any whiskey but have enjoyed the finished product on occasion. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 21 Oct 02 - 04:18 PM The question has, I think, been asked and answered in at least one of the other threads on this song. It is as Boab said, with the rider that such buildings were typically used by shepherds and such while sheep were in the upper pastures during the summer months. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Boab Date: 22 Oct 02 - 03:58 AM Jimmy C. ---In my home village in Ayrshire, there is a small hill named the "Shillin Hill". The origin of the name lies with the function, carried out over possibly hundreds of years, of threshing corn ["corn" is the name applied to oats in most of Scotland]. The remains of the old mill are still to be seen at the site---and its neglect by local officials gives me cause for some rage, incidentally. "Shellin" or "shillin" was the word describing the winnowing of the chaff from the kernel. Maybe there is a connection there to the "sheiling"? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jimmy C Date: 22 Oct 02 - 10:59 AM Sounds possible, probably a name for various types of buildings. It is a catchy tune. An australian children's group " The Wiggles" sing in on one of their videos, my granddaughters love it. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Reiver 2 Date: 08 May 04 - 03:23 PM A new Irish/Scottish band, called the Knockabouts, has formed in Flagstaff. At a pub performance a couple weeks ago they played Mairi's Wedding as an instrumental number. One of the band members noticed me in the audience singing along as they played. At the break she asked me for the words saying they'd been unable to find them. (!) I was happy to oblige and wrote out the words the Reivers used to sing. They're pretty much as those given by Murray on Saltspring in this thread with one exception. Here in North America a creel is a small wicker basket in which anglers deposit fish that they've caught and we learned the line as "...plenty fish tae fill her creel." I see in the version here and others that I've seen it's sung as "...plenty peat..." instead of fish. The type of creel I've seen on this side of the pond would perhaps hold one turf of peat. Does creel have a different meaning in Scotland? Perhaps a larger and stronger rack for carrying peat? I checked the Scots Glossary here on the Mudcat and found creel to mean basket and also "an osier basket". Osier, according to my dictionary refers to "any of various willows producing long flexible shoots used in wickerwork." So is there a particular kind of wicker basket used in the Western Islands for carrying peat? Many thanks for any help on this. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Megan L Date: 08 May 04 - 03:41 PM In orkney a basket for bringing the peats home was a cassie it was woven straw and was held on the back with a straw srope or (simmond) round the forehead. the creel was a similar basket for fish. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jim McLean Date: 08 May 04 - 03:42 PM The verse mentions fish then meal then peat. I don't think a repetition of fish would make sense. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: MAGGIE'S WADDIN' (Jim McLean) From: Jim McLean Date: 08 May 04 - 03:47 PM By the way, I wrote this song when Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones were married. MAGGIE'S WADDIN' (Jim McLean) Sing a song o' tax and woe, empty pooches in a row Chancellor's collectin' dough a' for Maggie's waddin' Silk and satin, gold lamé, Tony wears a lum hat tae Ma suit's in the pawn sae whit'll ah dae at the Royal Waddin' Maggie flounces doon the aisle, her mither staunds wi' forcit smile Needs a dose o' castor oil at her dochter's waddin' Tony's doon on bendit knee, gied up his photographie Nae mair birdies will he see efter Maggie's waddin' Foreign guests fae near and far, packed inside Westminster Ha' Parasites fae France an' a' at the Royal Waddin' Whaur d'ye think they'll honeymoon? Rome, Paree or on the moon Wi'oot a doot it's no Dunoon efter sic a waddin' Noo they're mairried aff they blow tae spend a thoosan' poond or so That's the way oor money goes for Mrs Jones's waddin' Back again and help ma bob, Tony hasnae got a job Wha will buy the christenin' robe - you an' me ah'll bet ye Royal mince is awfy dear, Tony needs a rise next year Increase tax on fags an' beer efter Tony's waddin' Maggie's ta'en up fancy cookin' - Bird's Nest soup fae a Chinese book an' Suzie Wong won't hae a look in - velly nicey wedding Sing a song o' tax and woe, empty pooches in a row Chancellor's collectin' dough a' for Maggie's waddin' Tune: Lewis Bridal Song |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Reiver 2 Date: 08 May 04 - 04:12 PM The verse goes "Plenty herring, plenty meal, plenty fish (or peat) tae fill her creel." Since herring are not the only fish in the sea, I don't think the reference to fish in the next line is overly redundant. My question is still, in Scotland is the term creel used to describe a basket used for carrying peat? If so it would have to be a very different kind of basket than creels used by sports fishermen today. Should I advise the Knockabouts to sing it using peat rather than fish? In the U.S. or Canada saying "plenty peat to fill her creel" wouldn't make much sense to listeners... still, if that's the way it's sung on Lewis, that's the way I'd prefer to have it sung. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jim McLean Date: 08 May 04 - 04:20 PM Reiver 2, have a look at this web page for a description of peat creels. www.friends-macdougall.co.uk/gallery.htm - 13k |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jim McLean Date: 08 May 04 - 04:23 PM Sorry, Reiver 2, miss out the last part - 13k |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Sheila Date: 08 May 04 - 04:40 PM What are "rowans"? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Jim McLean Date: 08 May 04 - 05:09 PM Berries from the rowan tree |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Sheila Date: 08 May 04 - 05:32 PM Thanks, Jim. Seems the rowan tree only grows in Europe, esp. Scotland. No wonder Maire had such beautiful cheeks! |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Reiver 2 Date: 08 May 04 - 06:32 PM Thanks, Jim McLean, that's just what I wanted. Even more, with a picture!! That clinches it for me and I shall change the line henceforth and forthwith to "Plenty herring, plenty meal, plenty peat tae fill her creel." It DOES make more sense as peat would be something a new wife would be particularly in need of. Yes, the rowans in the song are in reference to the berries of the rowan tree which, unfortunately we don't have in the U.S. and Canada. Thanks again, Jim! Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 08 May 04 - 06:46 PM I'm sure that Hugh Roberton, if he were still living, would be thrilled to hear that you've decided that his words don't need much changing after all. They were written exactly as Murray quoted them, and are still in copyright. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: BK Lick Date: 08 May 04 - 10:34 PM Joe Offer, might be you're thinking of Gerry Armstrong on the Simple Gifts album? -- BK |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: KateG Date: 09 May 04 - 12:40 AM Actually, we do have rowan trees in the US and Canada...we just don't call them rowans. The name used over hear is Mountain Ash, and I believe that my Audubon Book of North American Trees there are a couple of varieties in North America, as well as escaped versions of the European Mountain Ash. For those of you who like Kipling, the Oak, Ash and Thorn in "Puck of Pook's Hill" and "Farewell Rewards and Fairies" refers to Oak, Rowan and Hawthorn, which were all semi-sacred trees in pre-Christian days. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: open mike Date: 09 May 04 - 02:32 AM this strap for carrying a bundle on your back sounds like what I would call a "tump line" which i usually assiciate with Voyageurs (no i didn't say voyeurs)and native americans carrying things like pkg. of furs ( it seems as if the voyageurs carried 90 pounds of baggae on thier backs) tumpline--SYLLABICATION: tump·line NOUN: A strap slung across the forehead or the chest to support a load carried on the back. ETYMOLOGY: tump (alteration of mattump, of Southern New England Algonquian origin) see: http://www.tulane.edu/~mari/textiles/G5-6-7.html http://www.shieldsaroundtheworld.com/pichtml/p0005140.html http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/tsimsian/tratr01e.html |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Michael McMahon Date: 19 Jun 04 - 03:08 PM The song is not really Irish, because it doesn't really follow the traditional patterns of Irish folksinging.I did a study on Celtic folksongs for my music classes, Mairi's Wedding was one of them. The tune is from the Lewis Bridal Song, it's named after the Isle of Lewis which makes up one of the major parts of the Hebrides off of Scotland. It's interesting that some people claim it as an Irish song, since it is livelier than most of the more traditional Scottish folksongs. Here is a tidbit of history, most of the Gaels came from Dal Raiti, which is now Ulster, when they settled on the Hebrides, they came under the rule of the Lord of the Isles, Clan Donald. Because of the automony from the Kings of Scotland Gaelic culture flourished and survived for over a thousand years. The Rankin family sang a fine redition from their first album, followed by a traditional Scottish tune that is to follow the singing of Mairi's Wedding. I've been to enough wedding to understand the customs that follows. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: CANCEL MARIE'S WEDDING (parody; McCalman) From: Susanne (skw) Date: 21 Jun 04 - 04:00 PM And another parody, to the same tune: CANCEL MARIE'S WEDDING (Ian McCalman / Trad) Chorus: Sell we gaily on we go Down at heel so we must blow Hills and islands row on row All for the sake of money Her father died, the land was sold Marie tried to keep a hold Scottish law and foreign gold Cancel Marie's wedding All you need for stream and ben Is Deutschmark, Guilder, Franc or Yen Then ... sell it on again For the sake of money Buy a castle, buy a glen Sitting tenants "no prob-lem" Highland clearances again For the sake of money Plenty fish to fill the creels Plenty agents fixing deals Lawyers dancing jigs and reels For the sake of money Other countries you will find It's not allowed but never mind Here's our land for auld lang syne All it takes is money You think you're safe - you spoke too soon They've seen the film, they've hummed the tune 'Braveheart' meets 'Brigadoon' All for the sake of money (As recorded by The McCalmans on 'High Ground', 1997) |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,ocuinn Date: 13 Jul 04 - 08:14 AM In the movie "passed away" (1992) starring bob hoskins at the end a version of "mairi's wedding" was sung. However there were a lot more verses in included than what I can find anywhere on the internet. Does anyone actually know the words or anything about these other verses??? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Stephen Houston Date: 03 Aug 04 - 10:57 AM Dear all can't believe I have found this rather long thread. I wrote the story nearly ten years ago now when I was a reporter on the Daily Record. I clearly remember the old girl being a delight to talk to. Must find out whether she is still with us. best wishes, Stephen Houston. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Date: 03 Aug 04 - 06:23 PM Thanks, Stephen for stopping in. What was the actual date? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Rich Kildare Date: 27 Nov 04 - 12:10 AM I've been looking for the beautiful version of this song from the movie "passed away" for years. I'd appreciate it if anyone has a copy or can tell me who was singing. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: LEWIS BRIDAL SONG (from Fr Sydney MacEwan From: GUEST,Guest, Big Tim Date: 13 Jan 06 - 10:27 AM There seems to be TWO songs called "Lewis Bridal Song". I have an old recording by Father Sydney MacEwan of a song called "Lewis Bridal Song" which is completely different from "Marie's Wedding". The words are: I'd sail with thee to Miabhaig (Miavaig) in Uig, E'en though in twilight, e'en though in twilight, I'd sail with thee to Miabhaig in Uig, E'en through the dark and the sea mist. Chorus Morag bheag (little Morag) of the golden hair, Fair as the dawning, fair as the dawning, Morag bheag of the golden hair, Lightly she stepped to her bridal. How shall we fare when the wind's in the sail? And storm clouds gather, storm clouds gather, How shall we fare in the whirl of the gale? Out in the midst of the Islands. Who is the maiden who dances with joy? Like foam on the wave tops, foam on the wave tops, Who is the maid on the dancing floor? She is the bride who came sailing. This song is credited to "MacIver". The melody is very beautiful (to me at least). Miabhaig is a hamlet in the parish of Uig in western Harris. The "Islands" are in Loch Róg. Anyone know which song came first and if "Lewis Bridal Song" is the correct title of this song? And who was "MacIver"? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Guest, Big Tim Date: 13 Jan 06 - 10:40 AM Sorry, Miabhaig and Uig are, of course, on the island of Lewis not Harris. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Andrew McFadden Date: 06 Jun 09 - 06:28 PM Perhaps a connection with the late and great Duncan Morrison of Lewis? An outstanding expert in Gaelic music. He was a fellow student of MacEwan's at the Royal Academy of Music in the early 30's. They became good friends and while still as students at RAM made their first recordings for Parlophone(1934) The Glaswegian lyric tenor and his Hebridean piano accompanist regailed the great and the good of London society - through the patronage of Compton MacKenzie and Lady Londonderry, including the then Duchess of York, known to us as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. This is the very same period of this more beautiful version of the Lewis Bridal Song. Can we attribute this to Duncan Morrison - as on the label of the original 78 rpm disc (1935) |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST Date: 07 Jan 10 - 10:41 PM Does anyone know where I could find a recording of Mairi's wedding in the original Gaelic? I've looked everywhere & can't find anything. many Thanks, -jordi |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST Date: 08 Jan 10 - 12:50 AM i believe this is scottish not irish. or maybe the original gaelic is somewhere in between? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Marje Date: 08 Jan 10 - 06:26 AM GUEST above: "Gaelic" applies to both the Highland Scottish and the Irish languages. In Scotland the word is pronounced "gallic", and that's what the original will have been written in. But I have to say I've never heard or seen it in gaelic. Marje |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: MGM·Lion Date: 08 Jan 10 - 08:31 AM There are a couple of mentions above of the Canadian-Celtic Rankin Family's fine version, which can be found on YouTube — sung in *English*, however; tho the Rankins do perform in Gaelic: their Gaelic rendering of 'Ho-Ro My Nut-Brown Maiden' ('Ho Ro Mo Nighean Donn Bhoidheach') is well worth YouTubing also. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST Date: 08 Jan 10 - 11:26 PM Thanks, I was under the impression that the song was in Gaelic, having read the article quoted some posts above mine, about halfway down the page. The article, written by Stephen Houston mentioned that the original Mairi-- Mary McNiven, the woman for whom the song was written-- "still sang it in Gaelic" sometimes. Now, I've readily found the lyrics, but can't seem to find any group actually /singing/ in Gaelic. Any help would be much appreciated. -Jordi |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Richard Mellish Date: 09 Jan 10 - 05:01 PM This song is one of my pet hates, purely because of the opening phrase of the chorus, which is usually also the opening phrase of the song, "Step we gaily". I don't know about the Gaelic original, but this translation is not normal English (nor Scots) and certainly nothing like what I would expect to hear in a folk song (according to anybody's definition of "folk"). Poets tend to mess about with the language for whatever effect they wish to achieve, but there's no call for it in a song such as this. I do note that the DigiTrad / Johnny Bannerman version has "Step it gaily", which isn't quite so bad, but I can't say I like even that. Richard |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST Date: 09 Jan 10 - 06:40 PM Ah, well, to each his own, I guess. I actually liked the "step we gaily". Is there any reason you don't like it, aside from the inversion? -Jordi |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: MGM·Lion Date: 09 Jan 10 - 06:48 PM 'Step we gaily' - slightly obsolete, but perfectly grammatically acceptable, use of the subjunctive mood, to mean 'let us step gaily': so not even an inversion. What so wrong with it? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST Date: 09 Jan 10 - 11:39 PM MtheGM you're right, so it's even more innocuous than I thought! -jordi |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: RobbieWilson Date: 10 Jan 10 - 02:49 PM BBC4 recently ran a series on scotlands music presented by Phil Cunningham. There were I think 6 themed episodes and the one on working songs had a section on the sheiling which was in the western isles where the lived while they tended the beasts on summer pasture. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: GUEST,Leòdhas Date: 17 Apr 10 - 04:00 PM A Gaidheal speaks Gàidhlig and the gàidhlig version is called. Gaol mo chridh'-sa Mairi Bhan, Mairi being the correct spelling, Use Mhairi when addressing a lady {vocative}. Any version in english is just that english...Dileas, durachach gu brath.... |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Seamus Kennedy Date: 18 Apr 10 - 01:01 AM Cad é ? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune From: Rowan Date: 18 Apr 10 - 01:55 AM Actually, we do have rowan trees in the US and Canada...we just don't call them rowans. The name used over hear is Mountain Ash, and I believe that my Audubon Book of North American Trees there are a couple of varieties in North America, as well as escaped versions of the European Mountain Ash. For those of you who like Kipling, the Oak, Ash and Thorn in "Puck of Pook's Hill" and "Farewell Rewards and Fairies" refers to Oak, Rowan and Hawthorn, which were all semi-sacred trees in pre-Christian days. Rowan trees = Sorbus aucuparia = Mountain Ash; sens. European, not Australian. We in Oz call them "Rowans" or "Rowan Trees" as we have another species of tree regarded as Mountain Ash; Eucalyptus regnans. Robert Graves, in his book "The White Goddess" gives a fairly complete rundown on the place of Rowans in Celtic lore. Cheers, Rowan |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Abby Sale Date: 11 Aug 10 - 12:07 PM I have Roberton's small book in front of me and confirm (again, with Malcolm) Murray on Saltspring's words and notes. "Songs of the Isles : a collection of Island and Highland tunes from various sources," 1950 Roberton (no "s") was fairly well-established a scholar. He definitely claims and copyrights the words in 1937. He gives the tune source as "noted from Dr Peter A. MacLeod and arranged by" himself. He may be lying but I see other songs in the book attributed to others. I _especially_ note the notes to "Joy of My Heart" on p.18: "Words by Hugh S Roberton, Gaelic translation by John R Bannerman." Copyright is 1934. This clearly has Bannerman translating Roberton's words into Gaelic, not the other way around. I suggest that's where the story comes from. All due respect to Bat Goddess. If she says she's seen the news article then I believe it. However, with no date and it not turning up on search, I wonder. It wouldn't be the first ill-researched newspaper article. OTOH, from the reading, perhaps it was just the tune that was played for an actual Mairi - not a song at all. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: gnu Date: 11 Aug 10 - 02:26 PM Thought I had posted this link to The Rankin Family's You Tube video on this thread... guess not. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Jack Campin Date: 11 Aug 10 - 03:06 PM The song was originally written Gaelic -- that's why she was "Mairi" instead of "Mary" -- for the Mod of 1935. If that's true, the Mod will have published it at the time, and the booklet will be easy to find, since their annual songbooks were produced in huge numbers. Anybody want to go and look? (I think it's more likely that Houston's subeditor screwed something up). |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Frances Date: 22 Nov 11 - 08:51 PM Thank you, thank you Big Tim for those lyrics and the information. I, too, heard the song on a Father Sydney McEwan album in the 60s and spent years looking for the words. I'd given up. This was the first Lewis Bridal Song I heard, so the other, more popular Mairi's Wedding felt like a travesty and still does. Mairi's Wedding is a nice enough song, and I've sung it for a friend's wedding, but 'step we gaily' jars with me. That's more because it's a bit too ho-ho-hearty in comparison with the other (Morrison?) song, than because it doesn't sound Scottish. Richard - I just thought of something re 'step we gaily'/'step it gaily'. Hugh Roberton's Air Fa La La Lo (another ho-ho-hearty type of song, but I like it) has a line that goes 'So step it along as light as a bird on the wing'. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Dave Rado Date: 08 Mar 12 - 11:57 AM The song was indeed written in Gaelic, by John Bannerman, in 1934, to celebrate the winning of the gold medal in a Gaelic singing mod by his friend Mary (or Mairi) MacNiven. It was not written by Hugh Robertson, who should only be credited as the translator, not as the author. He translated it in 1936. Its original title was Mairi Bhan, but Robertson renamed it "Lewis Bridal Song" when he translated it - why "Lewis" seems to be a mystery, as neither Mary McNiven (who was from Islay) nor her then fiancée John Campbell (a sea captain from Skye, whom she didn't marry for another 6 years) were from Lewis. There's a fascinating obituary of Mary MacNiven, which mentions the song's history, here. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Dave Rado Date: 08 Mar 12 - 12:15 PM By the way, with regard to Frances' post, I can't find anything on google about the history behind the song of the same title that was sung by Sidney MacEwan, and I have never heard that song sung in Scotland. OTOH the Lewis Bridal Song that was written for Mary MacNiven uses a traditional Scottish folk tune that dates back many centuries; the words date from 1934 in the Gaelic version and to 1936 in the English translation; and in Scotland it is probably the most popular folk song there is - it is sung in music lessons in almost every school in Scotland and has been covered by every major Scottish folk group; so to call it a travesty strikes me as very odd. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Jack Campin Date: 08 Mar 12 - 12:19 PM The English words are about a wedding, not about somebody winning at the Mod. So how can the English be a translation of the Gaelic, or the other way round? It seems there are two independent songs written for the same person in two different languages at nearly the same time, using the same tune. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Dave Rado Date: 08 Mar 12 - 12:26 PM The Gealic words are also about a wedding, which is why its original title was Mairi Bhan, which mean's Mairi's Wedding. The English translation is a fairly accurate translation of the original Gaelic words. The song was not written about a mod, it waswritten as a present for Mary MacNiven in celebration of the fact she'd just won the gold medal in one. You didn't either read my post or the obituary I linked to properly. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Dave Rado Date: 08 Mar 12 - 01:01 PM The original Gaelic lyrics of the song are here. A literal translation of the first verse is given in the Wikipedia article here, as follows: "She's my darling, Fair Mary Pretty Mary, story of my song, Darling of my heart, Fair Mary, And I'm going to her wedding" The Robertson translation isn't a literal one but it captures the essence of the original reasonably accurately. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Alastair Preston Date: 15 Jun 14 - 09:11 PM The original title, as another poster has said, is "Gaol mo Chridhe-sa, Mairi Bhan". Why Roberton used the title "Lewis Bridal Song", I don't know. Perhaps he wanted to avoid confusion with J.N. McConochie's song "Marie's wedding" (a version of which is included in "Songs of the Isles"), or because he claimed the tune was noted from Dr. Peter A. MacLeod, and in his acknowledgements, mentions that Dr.Macleod was from Lewis. The Gaelic lyrics linked to by Mr. Rado contain a few errors and miss-spellings - from various published sources I have it as: Seist: Gaol mo chrìdhe-sa Màiri bhàn, Màiri bhòidheach, sgeul mo dhàin; 'S i mo ghaol-sa Màiri bhàn, 'S tha mi dol ga pòsadh. Rann 1: Thuit mi ann an gaol a-raoir, Tha mo chrìdhe-sa shuas air beinn, Màiri bhàn rim thaobh a' seinn, 'S tha mi dol ga pòsadh. 2: Cuailean òir is suilean tlàth, Mala chaol is gruaidh an àigh, Beul as binne sheinneas dàn, 'S tha mi dol ga pòsadh. 3: 'S ann aig ceilidh aig a' Mhoid Fhuair mi eòlas air an òigh 'S ise choisinn am bonn òir, 'S tha mi dol ga pòsadh. 4: Bidh mo ghaol do Mhàiri bhàn Dileas, dùrachdach go bràth; Seinnidh sinn da chèil ar gràdh, 'S tha mi dol ga pòsadh. A choir I sing with does both the Gaelic and Roberton's English versions, and we've had the Gaelic spelling checked by a Gaelic speaker from Lewis. Two sources are Sheena Phillip's sheet music from www.canasg.com and the book "Tog Fonn" from Taigh na Teud, available from scotlandsmusic.com. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Rara Avis Date: 15 Jun 14 - 09:58 PM When I was in an English Country Dance group in the mid-1990s we danced to a tune that had come to us via Canada. I don't remember the title of it but the tune was Mari's Wedding. Do we know how old the "Lewis Bridal Song' is or did I overlook it while reading the posts? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Tattie Bogle Date: 16 Jun 14 - 05:00 AM Is it really TOW for toe? I'd always known it as TOE for toe. ( see Murray's lyrics post 7.8.98). And it's Hugh ROBERTON, no s in it, Dave Rado. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,PeterC Date: 16 Jun 14 - 05:15 AM The original tune was referred to as 'traditional' earlier - anyone have any info of the origins? |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Bat Goddess Date: 16 Jun 14 - 09:12 AM By the way, I just figured out this morning that the article I posted (from the Glasgow Daily Record and written by Stephen Houston, who posted above) was written in 1995. Mary was born in 1905 and was celebrating her 90th birthday.) According to the same source as the year Mary MacNiven was born (Wikipedia...I know, I know) the song was originally written in Gaelic by John Roderick Bannerman (1865–1938) for Mary C. MacNiven (1905–1997) on the occasion of her winning the gold medal at the National Mod in 1934. Roberton had collaborated with Bannerman before, and wrote the English translation. There are references below in the Wikipedia article, but right now I have to shut the computer down and get to Portsmouth. Linn |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: bubblyrat Date: 16 Jun 14 - 01:58 PM Plenty PEAT to fill her creel ?? Plenty FISH, more like , a creel being a fish-basket (as far as I know !) |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Peter Laban Date: 16 Jun 14 - 02:19 PM A creel can just as easily be a basket for turf, in an Irish context. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: gnu Date: 16 Jun 14 - 02:22 PM I see my link above is defunct so... Rankins |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle Date: 16 Jun 14 - 02:38 PM Hmm, Bubblyrat, I think the creel issue has been discussed before! Read up the thread! And the DT version does have "toe for toe" so I'm happy now! |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Desi C Date: 17 Jun 14 - 03:38 AM In Ireland, and I think Scotland, the name is pronounced MAH REE or Ma Ree |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Thompson Date: 17 Jun 14 - 05:50 PM Scottish, Scottish, Scottish, Scottish, definitely Scottish! Máire in Irish is pronounced kind of like Moira. In Scots Gaedhlig it's more like Marie, with the emphasis on the Ma. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: Thompson Date: 17 Jun 14 - 06:04 PM Oh, and creel - when I was little we called the big pannier baskets slung either side of a donkey to collect seaweed or turf creels. These things. However, creels could also be any kind of large basket. Personally I'd plump for peat (in other words, turf for burning) in the creel, meaning she always had a warm fire; the hearth being the centre of the Gaelic home. Rowan is indeed mountain ash, and grows happily in the acid soil of the Atlantic coast of Ireland, and I'm sure of Scotland too. A shieling is originally, I think, a bothy thrown up to store feed for animals while booleying; by extension it's a little home. The lover in My Lagan Love likes to steal into his mot's "shieling lorn". |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Mark Olson Date: 11 Apr 15 - 09:32 PM Actual title is "The Lewis Bridal Song" from the Isle of Lewis. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Mark Olson Date: 11 Apr 15 - 09:34 PM And btw, it is Scots, but! sung all over the B. Isles. |
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Subject: RE: All for Mary's Wedding - Irish tune? From: GUEST,Dave Date: 12 Apr 15 - 03:34 AM I think its known all over the British Isles because of the very popular 1960s version by Kenneth McKellar, often heard on the White Heather Club, mentioned above in this thread but in largely negative terms. |
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