Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin

Subject: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 03 Sep 20 - 11:25 AM

I've been in a sentimental mood for the last few days. Aside from reading Sorley MacLean's Hallaig too many times in translation and trying to parse out the original Gaelic, I've been listening to a great deal of the music of Julie Fowlis.

Could anyone tell me more about origins of the beautiful Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin? It doesn't sound like a waulking song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 04:53 AM

I should probably have added a few more details to my original post. Here is a link to a transcription of the song from The Gaelic Songster on the NLS's online archive.

I generally see "Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin" translated as "The drink would be in my love's hand".

Like many Gaelic love-songs, it's about how much a woman misses her lover. Unlike many Gaelic love-songs, it's not completely doom-laden. The seafarer in this song is neither in imminent danger of drowning (Coisich a ruin) or being unfaithful (Fear a bhata).

Fhir a chunnaic air an t-sàil' i,
Men that saw her at sea
Beannaich an long bhàn 's a crew.
Bless the white ship and crew.

(Thank you, Google Translate.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 08:53 AM

I think Google translate got that right, which is amazing as usually the Gaelic translations are gibberish.
Maybe this is a sailing/rowing song.
I expect "Cola" is Colonsay (Colbhasa) - singer says although I am in Cola I would like to go to Rum (another island, north of Eigg, much further north of Colonsay).

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 09:07 AM

I like the idea that it's a sailing/rowing song. But did it ever happen that sailing songs had an apparently female persona? I can think of the sea shanty Lowlands Away though I'm not familiar with all the ins and outs of its development.

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 09:18 AM

I went poking around the internet a bit and found that the version Julie Fowlis sings is a shorter version of a much longer song. Which I would have realised had I just moved onto the next page in the Gaelic Songster at the NLS!

Here are the full lyrics, copied and pasted from a PDF on dasg.ac.uk

BIODH AN DEOCH SO ’N LAIMH MO RUIN.

SEISD:—
Biodh an deoch so ’n laimh mo rùin,
Slàinte le fear an Tùir;
Biodh an deoch so ’n laimh mo rùin.

Oladh no na òladh càch i,
Biodh i làn air ceann a’ bhùird.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Sùil gu’n d’thug mi thar mo ghuallainn,
’S rinn mi cuairteach air a’ chuan.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Chunnacas bàta air an fhairge,
’S lamh dhearg air an stiùir.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Chunnaic mi ’dol seach na caoil i,
’S badan fraoich ’s an t-slat-shiùil.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Fhir a chunnaic air an t-sàil’ i,
Beannaich an long bhàn ’s a crew.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Beannaich a croinn àrd ’s a h-acfhuinn,
A cuid acraichean ’s a siùil.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Ged a tha mi so an Cola,
B’e mo thoil e dol a Rùm.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Agus as a sin do dh-Uithist,
Na ’n d’ fhuair mi mo ghuidhe leam.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

’S mairg a shamhladh Cola creagach,
Ri Dùnbheagain no Dun-tùilm.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Mo rùn air muime nam macaibh,
A bhiodh ga’n altrum aig a’ ghlùin.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

’S gur-a ladurn’ thuirt am balach,
Ri Mac-Cailein an Tùir.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Múr a b’e gur tu mo bhrathair,
’S mi nach àicheadh idir thu.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

’S e am mac a b’ fhearr na ’n t-athair,
An cliù, an aighear, ’s an sùnnd.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

’S truagh nach fhaicinn Caisteal Dhubhaird
’Dol ’n a sprudhan anns a’ ghrunnd.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Dh’ òlain deoch slàinte Righ Seumas,
’Bhi ga ’éigheach air a’ chrùn.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Bidh mi ’nis a’ sgur ga m’ sheisreach,
Bho’n tha ’m feasgar ’leagail drùchd.
Biodh an deoch, etc.

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 10:15 AM

"Ged a tha mi so an Cola" Although I am here in Coll

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 10:42 AM

Tapadh leat, Guest!

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: RunrigFan
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 01:54 PM

http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/lamond/dholainn.htm

1994 album has info abiut the song that includes lyrics

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 03:20 PM

Why didn't I think of Coll (Cola)? Anyway, most of the lines in the song refer to a boat and a sea voyage. Gaelic nouns have gender. Although the word "bàta" is grammatically masculine in Gaelic, boats are still referred to as "she" - "i" (which is also how one would say "it" when referring to a grammatically feminine noun).

Much of the song, though, does seem to be in the voice of a woman whose man is sailing, so would fit more with a waulking song. There are a few rhythms for waulking the tweed, depending on the phase of the work ... I was surprised to see how a slower song, "A' Bhean Eudach" could be used toward the end of a waulking (enactment). RunrigFan, Ottery was not looking for lyrics but for info on the background of the song. Do you have Mary Jane Lamond's album notes re origin of "Dh'olainn Deoch ... ?

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: RunrigFan
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 03:28 PM

I have the album but not with me

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: RunrigFan
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 03:28 PM

Only the 1994 edition have lyrics and info

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: Felipa
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 03:43 PM

described here as a "milling song", the Canadian equivalent of a "waulking song"
http://www.beatoninstitutemusic.ca/gaelic/dh-olainn-deoch-a-laimh-mo-ruin.html

The Beaton Institute page includes a set of lyrics and translation, video and sound file with singers Dan Kennie Macleod and Malcolm Angus MacLeod, and sheet music as well.

Subject: ADD: Na h-Oganaich
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Sep 20 - 03:56 PM

Runrig Fan sent me a couple of songs for posting, but I can't find the threads where he wanted them. I'll post them here, and move them to the right threads when he tells me where to put them.


Na h-Oganaich

Hiurabha horobha b’ aighearach
an-uiridh mi
Hiurabha horobha sabhal Iain ‘lc Ùisdein (x2)

Hiurabha horobha, happy was I last year
Hiurabha horobha in John, son of Hugh’s barn. (x2)

Pòg a Chalum a’ rubha, pòg dhan
a h-uile fear
Pòg a Chalum a’ rubha ’s do dh’fhear Rubha ’n Dùnain (x2_

Nuair thòisich ruidhle nam pòg sud far
’n robh an cridhealas
Chluinnte faram nam bròg ann am
Baile ’n Tùra (x2)

When the kissing reel started, there was great cheer
The sound of your shoes could be heard in Baile ’n Tùra.x2

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 03:15 AM

Thanks, Felipa - the link to the Beaton Institute is great.

The idea of a slow waulking song does make sense. After all, if sailors had capstan and halyard shanties, why wouldn't the tweed workers have something similar for their own slow stage in the waulking process?

It looks as if the song has a nice folk pedigree with one version turning up in the Gaelic Songster (published Glasgow, 1879) and another version found with an old Cape Breton fisherman a hundred years later.

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: RunrigFan
Date: 06 Sep 20 - 04:30 AM

Joe

https://mudcat.org/detail.cfm?messages__Message_ID=4070019

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: RunrigFan
Date: 22 Jun 21 - 06:11 PM

Òladh neo na òladh càch i
Biodh i làn aig ceann a' bhùird

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Chunnacas bàt' air an fhairge
'S an làimh dhearg air an stiùir

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Chunnaic mi dol seach' an caol i
'S badan fraoich 's an t-slait shiùil

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Fhir a chunnaic air an t-sàil i
Beannaich an long bhàn 's a criùdh'

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Beannaich a cruinn àrd 's a h-acfhuinn
A cuid acraichean 's a siùil

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Ged a tha mi 'n seo an Colla
B' e mo thoil a dhol a Rùm

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Agus as a sin a dh' Uibhist
Nan d' fhuair mi mo ghuidhe leam

Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin
Deoch slàinte le fear an tùir
Biodh an deoch seo 'n làimh mo rùin

Julie Fowlis

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: RunrigFan
Date: 22 Jun 21 - 06:19 PM

https://music.apple.com/gb/album/dholainn-deoch-laimh-mo-run-i-would-take-drink-from/173778535?i=173778930

same song?

Subject: RE: Dh'olainn Deoch a Laimh Mo Ruin
From: Felipa
Date: 22 Jun 21 - 08:32 PM

The url in the previous post brings you to a recording of Mary Jane Lamond.
Celtic Lyrics Corner has this entry for Dh'òlainn Deoch a Làimh Mo Rùinhttp://www.celticlyricscorner.net/lamond/dholainn.htm with many of the same lines as Julie Fowlis sings.

Subject: RE: Origins: Biodh an Deoch Seo 'n Làimh Mo Rùin
From: Felipa
Date: 22 Jun 21 - 08:42 PM

this set of lyrics, with translation, looks similar to those provided previously by Ottery. I wasn't able to play the audio unfortunately
http://www.beatoninstitutemusic.ca/gaelic/audio/56/dh-olainn-deoch-a-laimh-mo-ruin.html