Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir

Subject: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: GUEST,Sue Taylor
Date: 06 Jul 16 - 09:34 PM

Anyone know the gaelic words of this song, or where I might find them? have had no luck with googling. Apparently it's in Hebridean Folksongs II, and Carmina Gadelica, but can't find those online. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: cnd
Date: 07 Jul 16 - 08:59 AM

Here is a link to listen to a version of it

https://soundcloud.com/maevemackinnon/o-mhic-a-mhaoir

I don't speak Gaelic, but I think there may be a thread about it here: thread.cfm?threadid=48774\

"Titles of versions of this song (Thig am bàta) include A' Bhean Eudach, A' Bhean Iadach, Bean Mhic a' Mhaoir, Bean Mhic a' tSaoir, Bean Ga Bàthadh, A' Bhean Ud(aí) Thall"

There may be the version you're looking for there

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 16 - 09:44 AM

From Hebridean Folksongs II


A Mhic a' Mhaoir

O'n LS. aig a' Chanonach Dunnchadh Mac 'Ill' Sheathain,
comhla ri corra-cheathramhnan o chaochladh dhaoine eile


Hiu na hao ri,
A Mhic a' Mhaoir, 'S daor a cheannaich, 's daor do shúgradh,
Hiu na hao ri.

o hoireann o, etc.
o hoireann o,
ro ho éile,
o ho éile.
Hiu na hao ri,

's daor do shúgradh, mi bho thus thu,'mi bho thus ri,
Hiu na hao ri,
Hiu na hao ri,
o hoireann o, etc.

Mharbh thu ghruagach dhualach dhúbhdhonn,
Gur h-ann 'sa choill' rinn thu 'n dúibhail,
Piostal do thaoibh rinn mo chiúrradh,
Chuir thu fudar gorm 'nam shiúlean,
Chuir thu luaidhe ghlas 'nam ghlúinean!
A bhráithribh ghaoil, bithibh ciúin ris,
Cha do thog e miar no síúl rium;
Chaidil thu raoir air mo chúlaibh,
Righ, ma chaidil, cha b'ann brúideil,
Cha bu bhruaillein liom do dhúsgadh.
'S a Mhic a' Mhaoir a ghaoil 's a rúin,

Cha pháigh an 'Donn' dhut an t-únnlagh,
No 'Dubhbheag' no 'Chiar' no 'n 't-Siúbhlach'

Ghaoil, ma théid thu as an dúthaich
Na taobh Diúraidh, na taobh Lúngaidh,
No Colbhasaigh nan struth siúbhlach,
Bidh mo cháirdean ort an diúmbadh,
Bidh mo bhráithrean as an cionn dhut,
Gun dig m'athair 'n seo thoirt cúis dhiot,
Bheir iad mise leó air ghiúlan,
Air each gorm nan strian dúbailt.

'S a Mhic a' Mhaoir, gur tu as docha
Shiubhail sliabha, fiar no fochann,
No chuir bróg air strón a choiseadh.

'S truagh nach cluinninn siod, 's nach fhaicinn
Farum do shluaigh, fuaim do bhrataich,
Glaodh do phioba bhith dol seachad,
Air luing 's air bát' no air barca,
Ged nach beó mi gus siod fhaicinn.
Gum bu mhath liom sin a thachairt.


O son of the Steward

Canon MacLean's text, with some lines from various other reciters


O son of the Steward costly your wooing, costly your wooing

Dearly I've paid for you from the start, dearly I've paid for you from the start,

You've killed the dark-brown curling-haired maiden,
It was in the wood you did the mischief,
By your side pistol I was wounded
You put gunpowder in my eyes,
You put grey lead in my knees!
Beloved brothers be kind to him,
Neither finger nor eye he lifted to me;
Last night you slept behind me,
My God, if you slept it was not brutally,
To me your wakening was no vexation.
O son of the Steward, my love, my dear,

The 'Brown' will not pay the fine for you,
Nor 'Little Black' nor the 'Dun', nor the 'Speedy'

My love, if you go out of the district,
Don't go near Jura, don't go near Lunga,
Nor Colonsay of the tidal currents,
My relations will hate you,
Above them my brothers will be against you,
My father will come here to accuse you,
They will take me with them for my funeral
On a grey horse with reins doubled.

O son of the Steward, you I preferred
Of any who trod hillside, grass or braird,
Or who put shoe on the point of his foot.

Alas I'd hear not that, nor see it,
The tumult of your host,the sound of your banner,
The noise of your pipes when they're passing,
On galley or ship or on a barque.
Though I am not alive to see that,
It is what I would like to happen.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Jul 16 - 12:28 PM

As you can see, it's a very different song from Bean Mhic a' Mhaoir,aka A' Bhean Eudach, aka Thig am Báta (linked thread above in CND's message)

Here is a field recording of a' Mhic a' Mhaoir
Annie Johnston singing

I found the backing sound of Maeve MacKinnon's recording too opulent.

other recordings on Tobar an Dualchais www.tobarandualchais.co.uk

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 16 - 06:40 AM

Thanks to all of you! so great to find them.

Philippa - I'd only heard the Maeve MacKinnon recording til now - yes, opulent, but I think I might not have come across it otherwise. The melody is beautiful.

Yes, I'd found those other similar-sounding songs, and realised this was a different one.

I have very little Gaelic unfortunately. And now I have another small problem... to see how the words work with the melody/rhythm, I've just tried to match the words Guest has kindly given to what Maeve is singing, and can't! wonder if possibly anyone has a few minutes, could you just write out the first few lines exactly as Maeve is singing them? just to get me started, so I can see how the words fall.

Sorry to ask for yet more!

thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: GUEST,DK
Date: 09 Jul 16 - 12:49 AM

Sue, I posted the lyrics above and you are fortunate that I was able to do so. I don't know how it is elsewhere but I have had a very hard time trying to access Mudcat: I can only connect about one time in three or four, and when connected, I quite often can't open a thread. I've no doubt that Max and others are doing their best to sort it out and I hope they succeed soon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: O Mhic a' Mhaoir
From: GUEST,Sue
Date: 09 Jul 16 - 06:25 AM

Thanks for posting them, much appreciated.

I'm having problems opening Mudcat too, usually at UK night time.