Lyr Req: Fiollegean / Fiollagan / Fiollaigean

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fiollegean / Fiollagan / Fiollaigean
From: GUEST,Sile
Date: 24 Nov 09 - 04:29 PM

Does anyone know why it sounds like they're singing "bheireadh gu leor" instead of "theireadh gu leor?"

I heard in other spots what sounded like "thubh" instead of "thu"...is it possible it's "Saoil a Mhor am pos thubh__theireadh gu leor....?"

Thanks so much for any help!!

Sile Shigley
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fiollegean / Fiollagan / Fiollaigean
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 09:40 AM

Is thge Irish tune for it the same as the Scottish one I posted?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fiollegean / Fiollagan / Fiollaigean
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 08:02 AM

Geoff' right - it would have been "Cran". I'm 99% sure that the verse referring to "McEwan's" was written and added on by Desi Wilkinson.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fiollegean / Fiollagan / Fiollaigean
From: BK Lick
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 02:35 AM

Here's a review of Black Rose Records BRRCD001 including the painting of Fiollaigean.
Here's the Cran Irish Music Masters website which has a link to purchase the CD at Claddagh Records.

Subject: Lyr Add: FIOLLAIGEAN (in English)
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 08:34 AM

The recording to which MystMoonstruck refers is almost certainly the macaronic rendition by the Irish trio Cran. This originally appeared on the Cross Border Media label (CBM 002) in 1993 and was reissued on the band's own label (Black Rose Records BRRCD001 in 2005). The original album's cover bore a reproduction of a painting of Fiollageain by the Belfast artist Rita Duffy who updated her painting (showing 'a perhaps older and wiser Fiollaigen') for the reissue. Cross Border Media had a reputation for licensing tracks to compilation labels without informing the musicians involved.

The English language verses are as follows.

We thought you were a big jobber
Whose pockets with gold did jingle
Until we spied your 'oul pack -
You're only the cut of a vagabond.

When the sea rose up in the mountains,
Tossing right over our masthead,
The skipper would go down below
And he'd leave the wheel to Fiollaigean.

Even though he was a pachaill,
Still he could do every man's job for him,
He could plant herbs in the garden,
He could plant kale and cabbages.

He built a white house in Arnol
Near to the height of a mountain,
The stairs and the mirror were crooked,
Likewise the bedroom of Fiollaigean.

Some of the party were coars
And some were well-bred and respectable,
Drinking McEwan's strong ale
Soon brought out the devil in Fiollaigean.

Subject: Tune Add: FIOLLAIGEAN
From: Jack Campin
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 05:07 AM

Here, I think, is Rory Campbell's transcription of that SSS recording, which he transposed up for the whistle, adding a few whistle ornaments which I have left out. I hadn't given it a title in my copy and I got it over ten years ago.

X:1
T:Fiollaigean
Z:Rory Campbell
N:a tone lower on the original recording
M:9/8
Q:3/8=100
K:E Dorian
BBB BEE G2A|BBB eee edB|ddd edB A2d|BAF A2d BAF||
EEE G2d BAF|EEE G2d BAF|EEE G2A B2d|eBB B2A GEE||E3|]

Subject: Lyr Add: FIOLLAIGEAN
From: GUEST,DK
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 04:44 AM

Here is the Gaelic, if it's any help.

Séist:
Saoil a Mhór am pós thu?
Saoil am pós thu Fiollaigean?
Saoil a Mhór am pós thu?
Theireadh gu leór nach b'urra dhut.

Bha dúil gum bu cheannaiche mór thu
As an robh stór neo-chumant'
Gu facas do phoc ann an órdugh
Siubhal air tóir na luideagan.

Nuair dh'éireadh am muir ma na beanntan
Suas mu na cruinn 'na ultaichean
Rachadh a' sgiobair fo rúm innt'
'S dh'fhágadh e chuibhl' aig Fiollaigean.

'S beag a bha dhúil aig do mháthair
Gur ann an Arnol thuiteadh tu
An déidh cho fileant' 's a bha thu
Air an t-snáthaid mhiosailin.

Nuair a thigeadh muir-cúil ort
Suas mu shúilean Fiollaigean
Shealladh e rithist cho geur
'S gum faiceadh e sgiath nan cuileagan.

Dhéanadh tu maraich linn-mhóra
Dhéanadh tu stóp is buideal ann
Chuireadh tu math ann an órdugh
Cearcall air tóin nan tubannan.

'S ged a bha Fiollaigean spágach
Dhéanadh e ceáird a h-uile fear
Chuireadh e lusan 's a ghárradh
Chuireadh e cál is curranan.

Thog thu taigh-geal ann an Arnol
As a robh áird neo-chumanta
Staidhrichean cama le sgáthan
As a' rúm-árd aig Fiollaigean.

'S bha cuid dhen a chomunn bha suarach
Cuid a bha uasal urramach
Leann MacEwen cho láidir
'S thog e droch nádar Fhiollaigein.

Chaidh litir a' null dhan a Fhraing
Is t' eile null a Ruisia
Páipearan feadh a' Roinn Eorp'
Ag inns' mu phósadh Fhiollaigean.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: FIOLLEGEAN aka FIOLLAGAN
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:02 AM

Ah, I see you can buy a tape or CD from Greentrax, there's a link on that page I linked to.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: FIOLLEGEAN aka FIOLLAGAN
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 12:01 AM

Using Jack's clue about the School of Scottish Studies, I found it on a recording with an online sound file on their page, listed as

"Fiollaigean: Choral céilidh song
MURDO MacLEOD & JOHN MURRAY"

I know that probably doesn't help much more with the lyrics, but at least we can hear the tune. Your memory serves you well, Jack, it was on Music of the Western Isles 2.

Myst, maybe you could write to them for the lyrics and/or cd or tape.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: FIOLLEGEAN aka FIOLLAGAN
From: MystMoonstruck
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 11:46 PM

I haven't found anything else about this although I've tried slippets of lyrics as searches. I still haven't found that CD or my taped copies either.

I appreciate anything I find out about this song that might not be such a great mystery after all. At least I hope it won't.

I know how to read music, but I have a dreadful time translating it to the page. So, the way I might write it down could be completely different from how it should be written. What makes sense to me probably would be incorrect.

I'm still trying to find out where the lyrics were found, but the person who responded to my question hasn't answered my email.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: FIOLLEGEAN aka FIOLLAGAN
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 05:03 AM

Assuming it's the same thing, I have the tune of the Scots Gaelic one written down somewhere, but it'll take some finding. I also have an old cassette of it, whihc I think was copied from a School of Scottish Studies archive recording made in the Western Isles. It's a very fast 9/8; I assume you did one oarstroke per bar. I wouldn't have a prayer of transcribing the words myself but I presume the SSS did it and it might be on their liner notes.

Subject: Lyr Req: FIOLLEGEAN aka FIOLLAGAN
From: MystMoonstruck
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 10:58 PM

I have a recording of Fiollegean (also known as Fiollagan) on a compilation CD featuring songs and instrumentals by uncredited Irish performers. This particular song is alow-paced, perhaps a worksong/sea chantey.

The men sound as if they are in a large hall, not a recording studio, singing without instrumentation and keeping time by foot stomp, done slowly. The song is sung half in English and half in Gaelic (the chorus I think), with singers taking turns. The sound is so poor that I can barely make out even the English portion.

Frustrated, I took a chance and went on Yahoo! Answers. I received this reply today. The words are somewhat similar to what I can make out, but the ending still is missing. I plan to work with these lyrics and the recording to see what I can come up with. These are what were provided, and I have requested the source:

FIOLLAGAN aka FIOLLEGEAN

We thought you were a big jobber whose pockets with gold,
A jingle but then we spied yer auld pack,
Yer only the cut of a vagabond sailor.

When the sea rose up in mountains toss her right over,
I asked o the skipper, what go down below,
And ye leave the wheel tae Fiollagan.

Even though he was a [ ? ],
He would do everyman's job for him,
He could plant herbs in the garden,
He could plant kale and cabbages

He bought a white house in [ ? ],
To the height of the mountain,
The stars and the [ ? ] were crooked,
Likewise the bedroom.

Some of the party were coarse,
And some were well-bred and respectable,
Drinking MacEwan's strong ale.

I think the next line is "Brought out the Devil in Fiollegean/Fiollagan." But, I think there's a stanza after that. I also think there's a chorus between, sung in Gaelic, menioning his name. At least these lyrics are fairly close to what I have; I'll have to double check when I locate the CD among all my others.

Perhaps I'll go back to Y/A with the lyrics and see where they take me from there since it's international.

I would appreciate any further input on this. I'd love to be able to communicate the melody at least. Maybe I can play it on my bowed psaltery and try writing it down by trial and error. I can read music, but I always have a little difficulty transcribing.