Lyr ADD: Mary and the Seal (Bill Gallaher)

Subject: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal
From: mg
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 09:16 PM

Himself mentioned this on another thread...Mick..is that the one by Bill Gallagher..the sea it goes out and then it goes (rolls? ) in..It is such a great singable song..I heard him sing it at a Vancouver gathering (Canada, not Washington)..immediately learned it by fixing my tape recorder to come on whenever the bathroom light went on..so cool..turns out 2 others from Song Circle did the same and we all knew it the minute we got home from camp...I can get the words if no one has them handy.

mg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 01:05 AM

The performer's name is Bill Gallaher (note spelling). MARY AND THE SEAL is on his 1991 album "Home to the Island." It's also in "The Bill Gallaher Songbook."

MARY AND THE SEAL is also the name of a story recorded by the Scottish traveller-storyteller Duncan Williamson. Is there a connection?

Subject: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: mg
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 10:29 PM

On the west coast of Scotland near the Isle of Tyree



Chorus:

The seas they roll out then they roll in
They beckon to lost souls who call out to them
And the ebb and flow of the sea's rolling tide
   and then steals away a fisherman's pride.



Well, that is about what I remember..anyone fill in some of the words? I googled and came up dry. mg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 10:37 PM

Didn't find lyrics but I did find this:
       More recently Bill Gallaher, of Victoria, B. C., wrote a beautiful and haunting silkie song, "Mary and the Seal" (on his CD "The Last Battle" © 1995). It tells a sad story about a Scottish fisherman and his daughter, a silkie, who leaves him to join the seal folk.

http://www.stolaf.edu/people/hend/VictoryMusic/July-MusicTrad_SelkieLore.htm

Note spelling of his name.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: Peace
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 10:42 PM

You can hear it on Rhapsody

play.rhapsody.com/sheilaryan/samradlinn/maryandtheseals

but must be in the US to do so.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: mg
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 11:21 PM

it is a very pretty song for group singing. The chorus is quite nice. We heard Bill sing it at a B.C. camp and raced home to learn it. well..I guess I forgot most of it but I could fill in some words here and there (refer to how to learn a song thread..)mg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: Stewart
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 12:00 AM

Hi Mary,

Here it is, I just transcribed it off his CD "The Last Battle"

Cheers, S. in Seattle
^^
Mary and the Seal – Bill Gallaher

On the west coast of Scotland on the Isle of Tyree
Lived the young girl named Mary, not more than sixteen
She was the pride of her father, the light in his eye
Together they cast down his nets in the tide.
And each day that summer when the fishing was done
She'd say to her father, I need time alone
And she'd sail in the dory, to an isle near Tyree
And return when the moon shimmered on the dark sea

Chorus:
Oh the sea it rolls out then it rolls in
It beckons to lost souls who call out to them
And the ebb and flow of the sea's rolling tide
Gives and then steals away a fisherman's pride.

Then one day when Mary had sailed all alone,
Her father grew anxious to know where she'd gone
So he rowed out to see what the island might yield
And there saw his daughter at play with the seals.
Ah Mary, I've lost you he cried in his heart
Though I knew that some day we'd soon have to part
I fear you're enchanted and [cling ?] by the sea
I fear that you're lost now for all time for me.

Chorus

The next day her father sent Mary to town
And while she was gone the day, he took his gun down
And he sailed in his dory to the isle near Tyree
And there shot the grey seal that swam in the sea
That night when Mary returned home from town
Her father then told her just what he had done
Oh father, she cried, from the well of her soul
Your heart won't believe what your two eyes behold

Chorus

Then quickly she kissed her father good bye
And ran to the dory with tears in her eyes
And she sailed to the island in the silvery moon light
And for all time was lost to her father that night
But some say the grey seals that swim in the bay
That ride on the low swells took Mary away
Well each morning her father walks down by the shore
Though he knows in his heart, she'll return never more.

Chorus 2X

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: Stewart
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 12:07 AM

Yes, it's a beautiful song.
I've been meaning to learn it,
so now that I've written it down
I'll work on it.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: mg
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 12:13 AM

Cathy R. and Bruce B. do a very nice job of it. But she wouldn't be the silkie would she? Wouldn't it be her husband? mg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: maeve
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 06:44 AM

So, it seems that between mg and Stewart, we have all but one of the words, while Peace and Sorcha posted supporting info. That's great! Does anyone want to wager a guess as to the missing word in verse 2?

maeve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: Stewart
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 12:16 PM

From Bill G.'s notes -
"A silkie song inspired by a story in Duncan Williamson's book 'Fireside Tales of the Traveler Children'. I was struck by the heartbreaking irony of the tale."

If I were to rewrite the line with the ?? word in verse 2, it would be:
"I fear you're enchanted and claimed by the sea"
But it doesn't sound like 'claimed',
more like 'cling', which doesn't quite seem to fit.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: GUEST,Big Mick
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 11:23 PM

Bill sent me his songbook and his notes some years ago. When I get home I will look up the exact words in it. I see a couple of spots that I believe are wrong, but I haven't sung this beautiful song since Karen Kobela and I did it at the Getaway a couple of years back. I think I will add it back into my band's sets.

Bill Gallaher is a jewel of a songwriter. I do a number of his songs. Ever hear "Shadow Boats"? I also do a song he wrote about an old IWW organizer called "Ginger Goodwin". I sang that one at Jean Ritchie's last year.

I love this man's work.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: EBarnacle
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:28 AM

Could the word be chained?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallagher
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:50 AM

On the Sheila Ryan recording at the link above, the word seems to be "charmed"

Subject: Lyr Add: MARY AND THE SEAL (Bill Gallaher)
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 08:20 AM

This is what I hear on the CD. The word definitely is 'claimed', this and other differences in blue'

---

MARY AND THE SEAL – ©Bill Gallaher (SOCAN)

On the west coast of Scotland on the Isle of Tyree
Lived a young girl named Mary, not more than sixteen
She was the pride of her father, the light in his eye
Together they cast out his nets in the tide.
And each day that summer when the fishing was done
She'd say to her father, I need time alone
And she'd sail in the dory, to an isle near Tyree
And return when the moon shimmered on the dark sea

Chorus:
Oh the sea it rolls out then it rolls in
It beckons to lost souls who call out to them
And the ebb and flow of the sea's rolling tide
Gives and then steals away a fisherman's pride.

Then one day when Mary had sailed off alone,
Her father grew anxious to know where she'd gone
So he rowed out to see what the island might yield
And there saw his daughter at play with the seals.
Ah Mary, I've lost you he cried in his heart
Though I knew that some day we'd soon have to part
I fear you're enchanted and claimed by the sea
I fear that you're lost now for all time for me.

Chorus

The next day her father sent Mary to town
And while she was gone away, he took his gun down
And he sailed in the dory to the isle near Tyree
And there shot the grey seal that swam in the sea
That night when Mary returned home from town
Her father then told her just what he had done
Oh father, she cried, from the well of her soul
Your heart won't believe what your two eyes behold

Chorus

Then quickly she kissed her father good bye
And ran to the dory with tears in her eyes
And she sailed to the island in the silvery moon light
And for all time was lost to her father that night
But some say the grey seals that swim in the bay
That ride on the low swells took Mary away
Well each morning her father walks down by the shore
Though he knows in his heart, she'll return never more.

Chorus 2X

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallaher
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Sep 07 - 09:13 AM

More of a refresh than anything else, but...
I just tried to figure out chords and ended up playing 'The Dark Island'. They're similar and weave together nicely.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal by Bill Gallaher
From: Big Mick
Date: 22 Sep 07 - 09:22 AM

Jeri has it exactly right.

Here is what Bill says about this song in his songbook notes.

I based this song on a story from Duncan Williamson's book Fireside Tales of the Traveller Children. When I finished, I didn't think people would like it so I threw it in the drawer where it stayed for a couple of years. Not having any new songs to bring to rehearsal one night, I brought this one. Now I hear of people singing it in many parts of the continent, which goes to prove that a songwriter is rarely the best judge of his own material.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mary and the Seal (Bill Gallaher)
From: GUEST,nickooru
Date: 04 Mar 13 - 06:04 PM

I love thisbsong but its impossible to find! Can someone who has it post it on youtube so i may hear it again? Its been sooo long. Greatly appreciated!

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Mary and the Seal (Bill Gallaher)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Jun 22 - 05:59 PM

Joe - update

http://www.stewarthendrickson.com/songs/MaryAndTheSeal.html