Lyr Add: Eilean Leodhais, Tìr nan Gaisgeach

Subject: Lyr Add: Eilean Leòdhais, Tìr nan Gaisgeach
From: Felipa
Date: 03 Aug 22 - 06:25 PM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/eilean_leodhais_tir_nan_gaisgeach/

EILEAN LEÒDHAIS, TÌR NAN GAISCEACH - Alasdair M. MacNeacail ("Billy an Fhiosaich" 1870-1915)

Sèist [chorus] /

'N tèid thu leam, a rìbhinn mhaiseach,
'N tèid thu leam, a rìbhinn òg?
'N tèid thu leam, a rìbhinn uasal
Null air chuairt a dh'Eilean Leòdhais?

Eilean Leòdhais, tìr nan gaisgeach,
Tìr nan lasgar is nan sàr,
Càite am facas riamh no 'n cualas
Laoich air chuan thug orra bàrr?

Chì thu 'n t-àite san deach m' àrach
Mun do dh'fhàs mi gu bhith mòr,
Canaidh tu gur baile brèagha
Lionail, ann an Eilean Leòdhais.

Chì thu m' athair ann 's mo mhàthar,
Mo bhràithrean 's mo phiuthar òg,
'S gheibh thu iadsan tha dhomh càirdeach,
Crìdheil bàidheil, mar bu chòir.

Chì thu ann gach nì mar shaoilear,
'S le mo dhùrachd siud mar bha;
O, ma thèid thu leam a chaoidh ann,
Gheibh thu caoibhneas agus blàths.

rough translation

will you come with me, beautiful maiden
will you come with me young maiden
Will you come with me noble woman,
Over on a trip to the Isle of Lewis?

Lewis, the land of heroes
The land of the great and the brave
Where on the sea was their better ever seen or heard? [very approx]

You will see the place I spent my youth,
Where I grew to be big
You will say that Lionail in the Isle of Lewis is a beautiful town.

You will see my father and mother, my brothers and my young sister
and you will find those who are related to me
are hearty and cordial, as they ought to be

You will see everything as expected, and as I wish it was
oh, if you ever come there with me, you will get warmth and kindness

Recordings on youtube

Donald MacRae

spoken (good for learning pronunciation

Murdo John Na Mol

Alasdair, aka Billy, Mac Neacail was one of a family of seven children, five of whom spent time in North America. Billy himself went to Vermont at the age of 18,came back home circa 1901, and then went to Vancouver for a few years but once again returned to Lewis. He died in a car accident in 1915.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eilean Leòdhais, Tìr nan Gaisgeach
From: leeneia
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 04:15 PM

Thanks, Felipa. This is a charming song with a good tune. I've written the tune down and will send it to Joe for posting.

What does 'Billy an Fhiosaich' mean?

I've been to Lewis. It was beautiful, but so cold! I wonder what the temperature is there today.

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Click to play (joeweb)
Click to play longer version (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eilean Leodhais, Tìr nan Gaisgeach
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Aug 22 - 10:50 PM

Felipa, Diacritical marks removed from thread title. They don't work in thread titles.
Leeneia, Please submit melodies ONLY in MIDI format, and without spaces in the file names. Yeah, I can fix all that, but it takes me a lot of time that I don't have.
Links to MIDI files will be posted above.
-Joe-

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Click to play (joeweb)
Click to play longer version (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Eilean Leodhais, Tìr nan Gaisgeach
From: leeneia
Date: 05 Aug 22 - 12:49 PM

The links above don't work on my computer. If any trusted catters want the sticks and dots, send me a PM.

The tune makes a rather pretty waltz, but it's short, so I composed some new measures to make it 24 measures long. That's the second tune.

Donald MacRae's recording on YouTube is in 3/4 time and the key of E, if you want to sound it out.