Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home
From: GUEST,Rory
Date: 04 Feb 21 - 04:25 PM

Song written by John Cameron (Iain Camshroin) from Ballachulish, in 1856.

Originally titled "Dùil ri Baile-Chaolais fhaicinn" (Hoping to see Ballachulish).

Published in The Gaelic Songster (An t-Oranaiche), by Archibald Sinclair, 1879, pp. 329-330.

Sinclair notes that it was written on the first day of autumn, 1856.
To the air "Johnny Stays Long At The Fair".


"Dùil ri Baile-Chaolais fhaicinn"

Sèist:
O Chi, chi mi na mor-bheannaibh;
O Chi, chi mi na cor-bheannaibh;
O Chi, chi mi na coireachan ---
Chi mi na sgoraibh fo cheò.

1
Chi mi gun dàil an t-àit' 's d' rugadh mi,
Cuirear orm fàilt' 's a' chainnt a thuigeas mi;
Gheibh mi ann aoidh a's gràdh 'n uair ruigeam
Nach reicinn air tunnachan òir.

2
Chi mi a' ghrian an liath nam flaitheanas,
Chi mi 's an iar a ciar 'n uair luidheas i;
Cha 'n ionnan 's mar tha i ghnàth 's a' bhaile so
'N deatach a' falach a glòir.

3
Gheibh mi ann ceòl bho eòin na Duthaige,
Ged a tha 'n t-àm thar àm na cuthaige,
Tha smeòraichean ann is annsa guth leam
Na pìob, no fiodhal mar cheòl.

4
Gheibh mi le lìontan iasgach sgadain ann,
Gheibh mi le iarraidh bric a's bradain ann;
Na'm faighinn mo mhiann 's ann ann a stadainn,
'S ann ann is fhaid' bhithinn beò.

5
Chi mi ann coilltean, chi mi ann doireachan,
Chi mi ann màghan bàn' is torraiche,
Chi mi na féidh air làr nan coireachan,
Falaicht' an trusgan do cheò.

6
Beanntaichean àrd' is àillidh leachdainnean,
Sluagh ann an còmhnuidh 's còire cleachdainnean,
'S aotram mo cheum a' leum g'am faicinn,
A's fanaidh mi tachdan le deòin.

7
Fàgaidh mi ùpraid, sùrd, a's glagaraich,
Dh'fhaicinn na tìr an cluinnt' a' chagaraich,
Fàgaidh mi cùirtean dùinte, salach,
A dh'amharc air gleannaibh nam bò.

8
Fàilt' air na gorm-mheallaibh, tholmach, thulachanach,
Fàilt' air na còrr-bheanna mòra, mullanach,
Fàilt' air na coilltean, fàilt' air na h-uile,
O! 's sona bhi 'fuireach 'n an còir.



"Hoping to see Ballachulish"

Chorus:
O I see, I see the big mountains;
O I see, I see the peaked mountains;
O I see, I see the corries ---
I see the mist-covered peaks.

1
I will soon see the place where I was born,
I will be greeted in a language I understand;
I will receive hospitality and love there when I arrive,
That I would not trade for tons of gold.

2
I see the sun in the grey of the heavens,
I see in the west her grey dusk when she sets;
It is not the same as usual in this town,
The smoke hides its glory.

3
There I shall get music from the birds of the Homeland,
Although it is past the time of the cuckoo,
There are mavis there whose voices I prefer,
To pipes, or a fiddle as music.

4
I can get herring and fishing nets there,
I can get trout and salmon by asking;
If I were to get my desire it's there I would stay,
That's where I would live the longest.

5
I see there woods, I see there groves,
I see there fair and fertile fields,
I see the deer on the floor of the corries,
Hidden in a shroud of mist.

6
High mountains and beautiful slopes,
The people there always with fair customs,
Light is my step leaping to see them,
And I will stay for a while willingly.

7
I will leave tumult, commotion, and clatter,
To see the land where the whisper can be heard,
I will leave the closed, dirty courts,
To view the glens of cattle.

8
Welcome to the blue hills, knolls, hillocks,
Welcome to the great, rugged peaks,
Welcome to the woods, welcome to all,
Oh! It's happy to be living near them.



.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home
From: RunrigFan
Date: 05 Feb 21 - 11:33 AM

Rory, is this similar

O chi, chi mi na morbheanna
O chi, chi mi na corrbheanna
O chi, chi mi na coireachan
Chi mi na sgoran fo cheo.

Chi mi gun dail an t-aite 's an d'rugadh mi
Cuirear orm failt' 's a' chanain a thuigeas mi
Gheibh mi ann aoidh abus gradh 'n uair ruigeam
Nach reicinn air thunnaichean oir.

Chorus

Chi mi ann coilltean, chi mi ann doireachan
Chi mi ann maghan bana is toraiche
Chi mi na feidh air lar nan coireachan
Falaicht' an trusgan de cheo.

Chorus

Beanntaichean arda is aillidh leacainnean
Sluagh ann an comhnuidh is coire cleachdainnean
'S aotrom mo cheum a' leum g'am faicinn
Is fanaidh mi tacan le deoin.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home
From: GUEST,Rory
Date: 05 Feb 21 - 03:47 PM

Runrig,

These are three verses (verse 1, 5 and 6) of the original eight verses that are commonly sung by artists.

See also other threads listed at top.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home
From: leeneia
Date: 06 Feb 21 - 01:53 PM

I'm going to learn the tune given in the ABC files and play it on my fretted dulcimer. Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home
From: GUEST,Christopher Leidenfrost
Date: 27 Feb 21 - 02:02 PM

There’s an additional verse I penned for my pirate singer, Henry Martin, back in 2008. It originally appears on my first CD, Henry Martin: On the Salt Sea, as the first verse of the song. Please feel free to use! (But also please credit additional lyrics by Christopher Leidenfrost if recording).

Long have I sailed on the wide open sea,
Working the water to bring home my fee,
But the winds are a’changin’ and soon shall I see
The mist-covered mountains of home.

Cheers!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Mist-Covered Mountains
From: GUEST,Christopher Leidenfrost
Date: 27 Feb 21 - 02:04 PM

There’s an additional verse I penned for my pirate singer, Henry Martin, back in 2008. It originally appears on my first CD, Henry Martin: On the Salt Sea, as the first verse of the song. Please feel free to use! (But also please credit additional lyrics by Christopher Leidenfrost if recording).

Long have I sailed on the wide open sea,
Working the water to bring home my fee,
But the winds are a’changin’ and soon shall I see
The mist-covered mountains of home.

Cheers!