Lyr Req: Brendan (from Tommy Makem)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 07:30 PM

Well worth hearing is "The Brendan Voyage," an orchestral suite for uillean pipes, composed by Shaun Davey. The pipes are played by Liam O'Flynn, orchestra conducted by Noel Kelehan. Tara cd 3006.

"The Brendan Voyage," a book by Tim Severin, was the inspiration for the suite.

Subject: Lyr Add: BRENDAN (from Tommy Makem)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 07 Nov 04 - 11:55 AM

Copied from the discussion forum at the Makem website.

BRENDAN

Our mast and keel were made of oak.
We had cowhide all around.
She was fitted right, she was watertight,
And we were outward bound.
Our sails were white in the morning light,
The Celtic cross our sign.
By Brendan blessed we were headed west,
And the land fell far behind.

We'd a favoring wind for weeks on end
And we could take our ease (?)
One cloudy morn it suddenly turned
And brought us mountainous seas.
Between the waves was darkened caves (?)
And Brendan brought us through.
He wrote a prayer that the Lord might spare
Our ship and all its crew.

CHORUS: Brendan, holy Brendan.
He sailed uncharted waters; he discovered lands unknown.
Brendan, holy Brendan.
He was a saintly sailor, and he steered us safely home.

We saw strange sights both days and nights
And Brendan wrote them down:
Fish that fly and a rainbow sky,
And a floating crystal town,
And a giant thing that could swim and sing,
Blew water through its head,
And a fish that talked and on water walked,
And a crew that was damn near dead.

We had nearly died when Brendan cried:
"There's land full near ahead!
An albatross our bow has crossed
And we're approaching land!"
We ran aground on the land newfound
And we rested many days.
Spirits were good, fresh water and food,
And we all sang Brendan's praise. CHORUS

It was turning cold, and it might take hold
And we headed out once more.
We were southward bound and the only sound
Was the wind and the water's roar.
We had no storm, and the sun turned warm
And we once again made land,
With fruits to eat, all fresh and sweet,
A paradise for man.

Now we're home again through the wind and rain
And homeland hills look green,
And Brendan's charts map out the parts
Where no one else had been.
Now winter nights by the firelight,
I live it all again,
How a saintly man with a prayer and a plan
Had charted the western main. CHORUS

[Recorded by Tommy Makem on "Rolling Home," Shanachie CD #52021, 1989, which is available from Red Biddy Records.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Nov 04 - 01:32 AM

Guest, Ulf Svennson, posted a request for the song Brendan, as sung by Tommy Makem. It is on unanswered requests, so probably hasn't been supplied yet. I have the cd, I don't think it would be hard to find, and I could transcribe the lyrics if anyone still wants it.
MJ

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 20 Jun 02 - 06:02 AM

If you are interested in other songs about St Brendan, see St Brendan's Voyage

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: The Pooka
Date: 19 Jun 02 - 10:20 PM

No luck yet. A dark suspicion forms, that my 20-yr-old son Brendan (no kidding), who pokes gentle fun at "Dad's Irish crap" but actually loves it (it's genetic I think), "borrowed" the CD. Fine behavior for a Saint's namesake. I'll send him off to Iceland in a curragh...nonono. I'll keep looking.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: The Pooka
Date: 19 Jun 02 - 09:27 PM

I'm sure that's the song requested, Masato. Begorrah, you *always* come through! I don't think that album is listed in Makem's website discography. Now, if I can just (a) find that album in the rubble of my humble abode, and (b) coax the damn CD player to work....I just watched PBS "In Search of Ancient Ireland" (see thread so titled), episode 2, "Saints" --- including a segment re St. Brendan --- so I am inspired. / Well. For the moment anyway. :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: masato sakurai
Date: 19 Jun 02 - 06:40 PM

No lyrics so far. "Brendan" is a song about a sixth-century saint known as Brendan the Navigator because of his love of the sea. It is on Rolling Home by Tommy Makem (Click here for sound clip).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brendan, holy Brendan
From: The Pooka
Date: 19 Jun 02 - 06:19 PM

Guest Ulf, I've searched www.makem.com and can't find it there. Google search also fails, though it finds a few other St. Brendan songs (including a medieval hymn), and a St. Brendan "home page"! / But I've got that Makem song on a recording somewhere, & if I can find it I'll transcribe it. Unless somebody else locates the lyrics first. (Masato! Help!! :)

Subject: Brendan, holy Brendan
From:
Date: 19 Jun 02 - 04:41 PM

Dear , I'm searching for the lyrics for Brendan holy Brendan a folktune from Ireland sung by Tommy Makem