Origins: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata

Subject: Lyric Req: Old Scottish Lament
From: hartley
Date: 03 Aug 97 - 06:20 AM

Just heard again an old Scottish lament about a fishermen's wife who has gone up on a mountain overlooking the sea and calling to her lost husbands. The title was not mentioned and the lyrics were in Gaelic. Would like the title and the words in English, if possible. Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: FEAR A BHATA (MY BOATMAN)
From: Cliff McGann
Date: 03 Aug 97 - 04:55 PM

It sounds like Fear a Bhata. I hope.

FEAR A BHATA (MY BOATMAN)

CHORUS: Fhir a bhata 'sna horo eile
Fhir a bhata 'sna horo eile
Fhir a bhata 'sna horo eile
Mo shoraidh slan leat 's gach ait an teid thu

'S tric mi sealltuinn o'n chnoc a's airde
Dh'fheuch am faic mi fear a bhata
An tig thu'n diugh no'n tig thu maireach
'S mur tig thu idir gu truagh a ta mi

Tha mo chridhe-sa briste bruite
'S tric na deoir a ruith o'm shuilean
An tig thu nochd no'm bi mo dhuil riut
No'n duin mi'n dorus le osna thursaich

'S tric mi faighneachd de luchd nam bata
Am faic iad thu, no 'm bheil thu sabhailt;
Ach 'sann a tha gach aon diubh 'g raitinn
Gur gorach mise ma thug mi gradh dhuit

CHORUS

TRANSLATION:

CHORUS: O boatman, 's na horo eile
O boatman, 's na horo eile
O boatman, 's na horo eile
Farewell and health to you wherever you go

Often I look from the highest hill
To try and see my boatman
Will you come home today, or will you come home tomorrow
And If you don't come home at all, sad I'll be

My heart is broken and bruised
Often the tears run from my eyes
Will you come home tonight, will I expect you?
Or shall I shut the door with a sad sigh

Often I ask the boat crews
If they have seen you or If you are safe
But each one of them says
That I was foolish to give my love to you

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 16-May-02.

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Old Scottish Lament
From: hartley
Date: 03 Aug 97 - 05:26 PM

Bingo, Cliff. Thanks very much.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: FEAR A'BHATA
From: alison
Date: 03 Aug 97 - 09:13 PM

Hi

Here's another set of words which fits the tune better.

FEAR A'BHATA.
Capo 3.

   Am                                              Em
  I climb the mountain and scan the ocean.
                      Am                               Em
  For thee, my boatman, with fond devotion.
                      Am         C                  G
  When shall I see thee? today? tomorrow?
         F       Am   Dm    Em     F  Am.
  Oh! do not leave me in lonely sorrow.

CHO: O, my boatman, na horo aila, (3x).
May joy await thee where'er thou sailest..

From passing boatmen I'd fain discover.
If they have heard of or seen my lover;.
They never tell me - I'm only chided,
And told my heart has been sore misguided.

That thou'rt a rover my friends have told me,.
But not the less to my heart I hold thee;.
And every night in my dream I see thee.
And still at dawn will the visions flee me.

My heart is weary with ceaseless wailing,.
Like wounded swan when her strength is failing.
Her notes of anguish the lake awaken,.
By all her comrades at last forsaken..

I 've also heard it done in English with the chorus still partly in Gaelic.

Fear an bhata na horo eile (x3).
Oh fare thee well love where e're ye be.

Hope this helps. It's a great song.

slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Old Scottish Lament
From: Cliff McGann
Date: 03 Aug 97 - 11:22 PM

Mine is a farelly literal translation of the Gaelic song and not meant to be sung to the tune. Most often I find, as a singer of both Gaelic and English songs, that trying to sing a English translation of a Gaelic song just doesn't work. Occasionally the English words work o.k. but I always feel something just isn't right. Anyway it is a beautifull song and one of the oldest extant Gaelic songs. It is usually one of the first Gaelic songs that my wife and I teach to our classes and is quite popular.

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Old Scottish Lament
From: GUEST,Ilse
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 10:33 PM

I've been wondering for a while now what 'na horo eile' means.
I first learned of 'Fhear A Bhata' through Silly Wizard, which sing it in English, but with the chorus half in Gaelic still.
I've looked on the net, but couldn't find out the meaning. Could anyone please tell me? Thanks in advance!

Subject: RE: Lyric Req: Old Scottish Lament
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 10:57 PM

At a pinch the words could be rendered roughly into English, I suppose, but that would be misleading: they don't really mean anything, though they may sound as if they do. Like most other European singing traditions, Gaelic uses "nonsense words" or vocables to bulk out refrains.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Sep 06 - 10:09 PM

"na horo eile"
i've been looking everywhere as well, and somewhere told me that that means "and no one else" or no other or something to that effect. i'm still singing it in gaelic lol.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Severn
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 12:13 AM

Fear of water, of whores and whalers?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 08:20 AM

I rang the School of Scottish Studies about this a few years ago - and to check my pronunciation was correct.

They told me that "Na horo eile" is merely fill-in - they described it as the Yeah, yeah bit of "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah"!!

Incidentally they said my pronunciation was great - for a sassenach! Hmmmm ....

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GEST
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 09:34 AM

Fhir A' Bhàta (Oh, My Boatman)

I climb the mountain and scan the ocean,
For thee, my boatman, with fond devotion;
When shall I see thee? Today? Tomorrow?
Oh! Do not leave me in lonely sorrow.

Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile,
Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile;
Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile,
So fare thee well, love, where ere you be.

That thou'rt a rover my friends have told me,
But not the less to my heart I hold thee;
And every night in my dream I see thee,
And still at dawn will the visions flee me.

Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile,
Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile;
Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile,
So fare thee well, love, where ere you be.

My lover promised to bring his lady,
A silken gown and a tartan plaidie;
A ring of gold which would show his semblance,
But, ah! I fear me for his remembrance.

Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile,
Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile;
Fhir a' bhàta, na ho ro eile,
So fare thee well, love, where ere you be.

####.... Jane Finlayson (see note below). Arranged by Ryan's Fancy (Songs From The Shows ©2001, Avalon Music) ....####

From Craig Cockburn in his article, Traditional Gaelic Song And Singing Sean-Nós, we learn that although usually cited as traditional, this song was originally "composed in the late 18th Century by Jane Finlayson of Tong, Lewis for a young Uig fisherman, Donald MacRae. The part of this story which is rarely told is that they married each other sometime after she wrote the song. The song appears in The Scottish Gael by James Logan, first published 1876."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: JulieF
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 09:40 AM

I have a couple of additional verses:-

Broken hearted I droop and languish
My frequent tears show my boosum's anquish
Shall I expect thee tonight to cheer me
Or close the door sighing , sad and weary.

My friends oft tell me that I must sever
All thoughts of thee from my heart forever
Their words are idle, my passion swelling
Unbound as ocean can brook no quelling.

But I do leave the dying swan verse out.

J

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Tootler
Date: 12 Sep 06 - 12:00 PM

As sung by Moira Craig.

She Climbs the mountain, and scans the ocean,
To seek her boat-man, her heart's devotion.
When will she see him? To-day? Tomorrow?
Will he ever come, love, to comfort thee?

Chorus
Fhir a' bhata, na ho ro eile,
Fhir a' bhata, na ho ro eile;
Fhir a' bhata, na ho ro eile,
So fare thee well, love, where ere you be.

From passing boatmen, she'd fain discover,
If they had seen him, her only lover.
They never answer, she's always chided;
"Most foolish, maid for to wait for he"

Chorus

There was a promise. To bring his lady,
A silken gown and a tartan plaidy.
A ring of gold, which will show his portrait.
Both gown and ring she will never see.

Chorus

She may not hide it, her heart's devotion,
is not a season's brief emotion.
His love since childhood, enthralled has held her;
And ne'er shall fade till her dying day.

Chorus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From:
Date: 13 Sep 06 - 11:34 PM

"na horo eile are what are known as vocables. They mean absolutely nothing. The equivalent in English is "LA LA LA LA LA".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 06:18 AM

Pretty much what I said, GS!!!

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 14 Sep 06 - 08:08 PM

Here's a very different version of the tune from the usual one. It's from the papers of Ian Mac Calum, who I think was one of the editors of the Mod's arrangements in the1890s. The original is in Curwen solfa.

X:9
T:Fhir a bhata
S:notebooks of Ian Mac Calum 1890, NLS Acc.12529
S:volume beginning Piutharag nan Gaol
M:3/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:A Minor
A,>A,|C2 C> D E> G |B,2 A,>G, C>B,|A,2 A,>B, C> A,|C2 G,E,
C> A,|C2 C> D B,>A,|C2 D`E   A,>G|E2 D`C   A,>D |A,2 A,2||
C> A,|C2 C> D E> G |B,2 A,G, E2 |A,2 G,>A, C> A,|G,2 E,2
C> B,|C2 C`E D> C |D2 E`G   A> G|E2 D> C A, E> F |G2 G2   A> c |E2 D>`C B,>E|A,2 G,>C A,2 |C2 G,E,
C> B,|C2 C> E D> C |D2 E`G   Ac |E2 D`C   A,>E |A,2 A,2|]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From:
Date: 16 Sep 06 - 05:54 AM

Rhiannon, yup, and they don't read or they wouln't ask again. So we have to tell 'em again and again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 05:06 AM

This is as I learned it from Rosemary Hardman, 40 years ago :

How oft I'll wander the highest hilltop
And scan the ocean, thy boat to see.
Will't come tonight, love ? Will't come tomorrow
Or ever come, love, to comfort me ?

Fhir a bhata, 's no horo eile (tris)
So fare thee well, love, where'er thou be.

They call thee false one, they call thee fickle
And strive to change me, but Oh! in vain ;
No ; thou'rt my dream yet throughout the long night
And at the dawning I call thy name. (Cho)

There's not a hamlet - too well I know it !
Where you won't wander and bide a while ;
But all its old folks you'll win with talking
And charm its maidens with song and smile. (Cho

Dost thou remember the promise made me ?
The silken gown and the ring of gold ?
I own the locket with thine hair and portrait
But Oh ! thy heart, love, I'll never own. Cho

I have always resolved it in the major rather than the minor, after the final chorus.

Subject: Lyr Add: FEAR A BHATA / THE BOATMAN
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 03:09 PM

From The Music of the Waters by Laura Alexandrine Smith, 1888:

FEAR A BHATA (THE BOATMAN).

1. How often hunting the highest hill-top,
I scan the ocean thy sail to see;
Wilt come to night, love? Wilt come to-morrow?
Wilt ever come, love, to comfort me?
Fear a Bhata, na horo eile,
Fear a Bhata, na horo eile,
Fear a Bhata, na horo eile,
O fare thee well, love, where'er thou goest.

2. They call thee fickle, they call thee false one,
And seek to change me, but all in vain,
No, thou'rt my dream yet throughout the dark night,
And every morn yet I watch the main.
Fear a Bhata, &c.

3. There's not a hamlet—too well I know it—
Where you go wandering or stay awhile,
But all its old folk you win with talking,
And charm its maidens with song and smile.
Dost thou remember the promise made me,
The tartan plaidie, the silken gown,
The ring of gold, with thy hair and portrait?
That gown and ring I will never own.
Fear a Bhata, na horo eile,
Fear a Bhata, na horo eile,
Fear a Bhata, na horo eile,
O fare thee well, love, where'er thou goest.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: pavane
Date: 14 Jan 08 - 05:44 AM

The version above was the one performed by Sandy Denny on BBC's Folk Song Cellar, c1966. Excellent performance, even though her guitar seems to go out of tune in the middle of the song. It is available somewhere on a CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Aug 08 - 08:34 PM

Can anyone tell me how to pronounce "Fhir a bhata, 's no horo eile"? Being a complete gaelic novice I have tried looking up websites with pronunciation rules etc. but its all so confusing!!! All I really want is a simple, phonetic translation of the line so I can sing it properly. Thanks!!

Jess

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Aug 08 - 09:29 PM

More or less:

Fear a vata sna horo ay-la ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
Date: 17 Aug 08 - 07:58 PM

Fhir a bhata being the vocative case is pronounced "Heer a vata", the title being in the nominative is "Fair a vata".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 04:28 AM

Fear a varta, snow horo eel-ya

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,LauraB
Date: 24 Oct 08 - 05:56 PM

For a pronunciation guide, try listening to some of the postings on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWLZ4T8QqHo&NR=1 (Capercaillie - only a couple of verses but clearly pronounced)
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKVxdiW44Ds&feature=related (young girl - amateur singer, bit out of tune but seems to sing all verses and no instruments so you can hear the words)
There are many more versions if you try searching with different spellings (Fear a bata, Fear a bhata, Phir an bhata etc.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From:
Date: 25 Oct 08 - 09:55 AM

Mr MacKenzie is correct as I sing it. Fear is the noun itself. The Vocative case is the one which English dropped, where we would have the name "John" and to speak or address John, we would have said "Oh John". The Vocative for Fear is Fhir. Rules are quite standard for most things in Gaelic. Less than languages like English which is full of inconsistencies or even French where most things seem to be irregular. 8-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,Lee-Anne
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 12:26 PM

The full text of the song is available in The Songs of the Gael: a Collection of Gaelic Songs by Lachlan MacBean (1890) which can be found in the second of two volumes online at the Internet Archive.

Google: "Tha mo chridhe-sa briste" and it should pop up.

The machine readable version is barely adequate, but you can read the digitised page images and see the whole thing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Lee-Anne
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 12:35 PM

PS - A moderately sugary translation accompanies the Gaelic text.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: Lee-Anne
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 01:08 PM

Take it back. I've seen up to ten verses, but here are the seven verses given in this reference:

Tha mo chridhe-sa briste, brùite;
'S tric na deoir a ruith o m' shùilean ;
An tig thu nochd, no 'm bi mo dhùil riut ?
No 'n dùin mi 'n dorus, le osna thursaich ?

Broken-hearted I droop and languish,
And frequent tears show my bosom's anguish ;
Shall I expect thee to-night to cheer me ?
Or close the door, sighing sad and weary ?

'S tric mi foighneachd de luchd nam bàta,
Am fac lad thu, no 'm bheil thu sàbhailt :
Ach 's aun a tha gach aon diubh 'g ràite,
Gur gòrach mi, ma thug mi gràdh dhuit.

From passing boatmen I 'd fain discover
If they have heard of, or seen my lover;
They never tell me — I 'm only chided,
And told my heart has been sore misguided.

Gheall mo leannan domh gùn dhe 'n t-sioda,
Gheall esiod agus bi-eacan rìomhach;
Fainn' òir anns am faicinn ìomhaigh;
Ach 's eagal learn gun dean e di-chuimhn'.

My lover promised to bring his lady
A silken gown and a tartan plaidie,
A ring of gold which would show his semblance,
But, ah ! I fear me for his remembrance.

Ged a thuirt iad gu'n robh thu aotrom,
Cha do lughadaich siod mo ghaol ort;
Bi'dh tu 'm aisling anns an òidhche,
Is anns a mhaduinn bi'dh mi 'g ad fhoighneaehd.

That thou 'rt a rover my friends have told me,
But not the less to my heart I hold thee;
And every night in my dreams I see thee,
And still at dawn will the vision flee me.

Thug mi gaol duit 's cha 'n fhaod mi àicheadh ;
Cha ghaol bliadhna, 's cha ghaol ràidhe;
Ach gaol a thòisich nuair bha mi 'm phàisde,
'S nach searg a ehaoidh, gus an elaoidh am bàs mi.

I may not hide it — my heart's devotion
Is not a season's britf emotion;
Thy love in childhood began to seize me,
And ne'er shall fade until death release me.

Tha mo chàirdean gu trie ag innseadh,
Gu'm feum mi t'aogas a ehur air dì-chuimhn';
Ach tha 'n comhairle dhomh cho diomhain,
'S bhi pilleadh mara 's i tabhairt lionaidh.

My friends oft tell me that I must sever
All thought of thee from my heart for ever;
Their words are idle — my passion 's swelling,
Untamed as ocean, can brook no quelling.

Bi'dh mi tuille gu tùrsach, deurach,
Mar eala bhàn 's i an déigh a reubadh ;
Guileag bàis aic' air loehan feurach,
Is each uile an deigh a tréigsinn.

My heart is weary with ceaseless wailing,
Like wounded swan when her strength is failing.
Her notes of anguish the lake awaken,
By aU her comrades at last forsaken.

The PDF has a bit of sheet music as well.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,northislandnz
Date: 07 May 11 - 09:27 PM

A friend from Scotland (Sandy Nicolson) kindly gave me this, and gave permission for me to add it here to Mudcat for educational purposes.

Sandy wrote:
"Here are the words for Fear a' bhàta (based on those in a book of mine but updated with slightly more modern orthography in one or two places), together with a fairly literal translation of mine and then some very unpleasant-looking English transliteration of the phonetics [...]."

Fear a' bhàta

Fhir a' bhàta, na hòro èile,
Fhir a' bhàta, na hòro èile,
Fhir a' bhàta, na hòro èile,
Mo shoraidh slàn leat 's gach àit an tèid thu.

'S tric mi sealltainn o 'n chnoc as àirde,
Dh'fheuch am faic mi fear a' bhàta;
An tig thu 'n diugh, no 'n tig thu 'màireach?
'S mur tig thu idir, gur truagh a tà mi.

Tha mo chridhe-sa briste, brùite;
'S tric na deòir a' ruith o m' shùilean;
An tig thu 'nochd, no 'm bi mo dhùil riut,
No 'n dùin mi 'n doras, le osna thùrsaich?

'S tric mi faighneachd de luchd nam bàta,
Am fac' iad thu, no 'bheil thu sàbhailt';
Ach 's ann a tha gach aon dhiubh 'g ràitinn
Gur gòrach mise ma thug mi gràdh dhut.

===========

A Translation (not to be sung):

The boatman

(O) boatman [lit. man of the boat], la la la [meaningless vocables],
Boatman, la la la,
Boatman, la la la,
My full farewell to you wherever you go.

Often I look from the highest hill,
(To) try to see [lit. that I will see] the boatman;
Will you come today, or will you come tomorrow?
And if you don't come at all, how pitiful am I.

My [emph.] heart is broken, bruised;
Often the tears run from my eyes;
Will you come tonight, or will my expectation be yours,
Or will I close the door, with a sorrowful sigh?

Often I ask of the boat crews,
If they have seen you, or if you are safe;
But [it is the case that] every one of them says
That I am foolish if I gave (my) love to you.

==========

Crude English-based phonetics (I'd rather do IPA for accuracy, but here goes anyway):

Fair-a vaa'ta

Eer-a vaa'ta-na hawra wayla
Eer-a vaa'ta-na hawra wayla
Eer-a vaa'ta-na hawra wayla-Ma
hawry slaan-la'ts-gach aa'tch-an tchaytch-oo

Stree'k-me showlteen-ong cro'ck-as aarsh-tcha
Yee-ach-am fa-ee'k mee fair-a vaa'ta-An
tcheek-oon joo-nan tcheek-oo maarach-Smar
tcheek-oo eetchar-gar troo-agh-a taa mee

Haa-ma chree-a-sa breesh-tcha, broo'tcha
Stree'k-na jawr-a roo-yom hoolan-An
tcheek-oo nochk-nam bee-ma ghool roo't-Nan
doon-meen dorras-lay os-na hoorseech

Stree'k-mee faan-yochd-ja loochk-nam baa'ta-Am
fa'k-ad oo-na vayl-oo saavaltch-Ach
sown-a haa-gach ahn-yoog ra-ee'tcheen-goor
gawrach misha-ma hook-mee graa-ghoo't.

=======

Pronounciation guide:

a as in llama, father etc. (except aa, ah, ai, aw, ay)
aa as in llama
ah as in serve, curve (roughly)
ai as in fair
aw as in sorry, caught etc.
ay as in safe
ee as in fear, feet etc.
o as in sock (except oo)
oo as in rude, smooth etc.
ow as in loud
' breathing, h-like sound
ch as in loch (except tch)
gh like ch but voiced (as g is to k)
h as in heavy (except ah)
i as in miss (except ai)
j as in jam
k as in kitten
l as in log (to a first approximation)
m as in mother
n as in never (except ng)
ng as in song
r as in rose (to a first approximation)
s as in song (except sh)
sh as in shine
t as in time (except tch)
tch as in stretch
v as in voice
w as in window (but softer; except aw, ow)
y as in yellow (except ay)

Stress falls at the beginning of each hyphenated group.

==========

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: RunrigFan
Date: 07 May 11 - 09:56 PM

As sung by Mairi MacInnes

'S tric mi sealltainn o'n chnòc a's àirde
Dh'fheuch am faic mi fear a bhàta
An tig thu'n diùigh no'n tig thu màireach
'S mur tig thu idir gur truagh a tà' mi

I'm often searching on the highest hilltop
Trying to find the boatman
Will you come tonight or tomorrow?
If you don't come at all, I'll be distraught

Fhir a bhata 'sna horo eile
Fhir a bhata 'sna horo eile
Fhir a bhata 'sna horo eile
Mo shòraidh slàn leat 's gach àit an teid thu

Chorus (after each verse):
Oh boatman 'sna horo eile
Oh boatman 'sna horo eile
Oh boatman 'sna horo eile
My best wishes go with you wherever you may be

Tha mo chridhe-sa briste brùite
'S tric na deóir a ruith o'm shùilean
An tig thu nochd no'm bi mo dhùil riut
No'n dùin mi'n dorus le osna thùrsaich

My heart is broken, bruised
Often tears are running down my cheeks
Will you come tonight or will I wait up for you
But close the door, sighing heavily?

Gheall mo leannan dhomh gùn dhe'n t-sìoda
Gheall e siod agus breacan rìomhach
Fainn òir anns an fàiginn iomhaigh
Ach 's eagal leam gun dean e di-chuimhn'

My love promised me a dress of silk
He promised me that and a gray tartan
A gold ring where I'd see my reflection
But I'm afraid he has forgotten

Bidh mi tuille gu tùrsach deùrach
Mar eala bhàn 's an déigh a reùbadh
Guileag bàis aic' air lochan feùrach
Is cach uile an déigh a tréigsinn

I will be forever tearful and dejected
Like a wild swan wounded and broken
Wailing its song of death on some weedy pond
Left by the others, alone and abandoned

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,Alia
Date: 12 Nov 13 - 02:13 PM

I love this song - I've also been confused at why 'na horo eile' is not translated. Not that I'm looking to argue with those who really would know, but doesn't it mean 'the ???(plural noun) other'? I can't find what the word horo means but why would a nonsense phrase like la la la include at least two real words that string together as if they're a sentence?

The only transation I've found for horo is that horo-gheallaidh supposedly means a party but I imagine it wouldn't mean the other parties...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Scottish Lament / Fear a Bhata
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 12 Nov 13 - 08:42 PM

I have a recording of this somewhere sung by the girl from Northampton way with the Eastern European sounding name and accompanied by Brian Patton on fiddle.

It knocked me out at the time and still does on the odd occasions I play it.