Help: Looking for a song

Subject: Looking for a song
From: GUEST,madrebt
Date: 20 Jul 01 - 06:16 PM

years ago, a woman that I met on a trip sang a beautiful song for our group. She said that Scottish tradition has it that when the weather was too bad for the fishermen to make their way home, the women of the village would gather at the shore and sing this song to guide their men home. Foolishly, I didn't write the name down and I never saw this girl again. I remember only that I thought it was a beautiful, beautiful song. Any ideas?

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 20 Jul 01 - 06:53 PM

I have a vague memory of hearing a song from the Hebrides on this theme, but I could do with a little more help to activate my brain cell. Do you remember any of the words of the song, madrebt? It could help also if you were able to recall which part of Scotland the song came from, and whether the song was in Gaelic or English, or maybe had connections with the Shetland or Orkney islands. Don't worry if you can't think of anything, but any clues you do have would be most helpful. I think that Synge in his Aran diaries noted some similar occurrences among the Aran Islanders early last century, which (I think) he used in his play Riders to the Sea. It is hard to imagine how the women would have been heard above the roar of the gael!

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Jul 01 - 06:57 PM

Might be this one - Sailing homeward to Mingulay

If it's not, try and remember a line or a phrase from it. If it is, that's a story about it I'd never heard. Perhaps someone else knows more about it.

And of course if it was this song, they'd have been singing it in the Gaelic, and no doubt someone has the words for that too, if you stick around and come back for it. There's always someone can answer just about any question about songs or tunes, or most things.

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Jul 01 - 08:06 PM

The Mingulay Boat Song was written in c.1938 (in English, set to a traditional tune, probably Lochaber, from further inland), so there won't be much in the way of traditions associated with it.  Madrebt: was the song you heard in English or not?  Without some concrete information, all you're likely to get is guesses, and there are hundreds of songs that might fit your original description!

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From:
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 09:34 AM

Do you remember any of the words to it at all? Something to give us a hint?

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From:
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 09:41 AM

Here're some of the Mudcat Links on the Mingulay Boat Song

Mingulay Boat Song
Mingulay Boat Song - the Minch
Mingulay Boat Song
Mingulay Boat Song, Again

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From:
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 10:23 AM

Another song which might fit the theme is The Boatman. It's a Gaelic song. Fear a BhÀta.

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 04:07 PM

Could indeed be the Mingulay Boat Song, or could be Pretty to Be in Balinderry. I learned both of these from Jack Langstaff many years ago. If either of these strikes a bell you can email me at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 05:19 PM

The Boatman (click) is in the DT, transcribed from the singing of Sandy Denny.

It's in English, with a Gaelic chorus. First verse:

How often haunting the highest hilltop
I scan the ocean, a sail to see
Will it come tonight, love, will it come tomorrow
Or ever come, love, to comfort me

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 07:57 PM

I'm sure Malcolm is right about the Minguley being a latecomer and non-traditional - though that wouldn't necessarily rule out a singer having introduced it that way, maybe on the basis of something she'd been told. Stories can transfer themselves from one song to another.

But as he says, this is all guesswork, since there are hundred of sings which could fit the requirements. We need madrept to come back and give us a clue.

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: GUEST,MadreBT
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 01:10 PM

I remember only that it was in English. The woman was a young schoolteacher from Australia. So, the history may have evolved. Still, I'm going to listen to the songs everyone has suggested to see if any of it comes back to me.

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: Stewie
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 08:22 PM

A possibility is 'Kismul's Galley' from the Kennedy Fraser collection which was often used as a waulking song on Barra. There is a set of English lyrics posted in the following thread - the name is misspelled though:

Click Here

A lovely recording of the song (in English) was made by Danny Spooner in Oz, with Mick Farrell on uilleann pipes. Danny used to sing it at festivals etc so your Oz schoolteacher may have heard his recording or a performance. Just a thought.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Help: Looking for a song
From: Stewie
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 08:40 PM

The spelling could be 'Kishmul's' with an 'h' - that seems to be more common, and is the spelling on Danny's album. However, I took my spelling 'Kismul's' from Peter Kennedy's note to 'The Misty Mountain', a related song, in his 'Folksongs of Britain & Ireland' p53. He also gives a reference to Kennedy Fraser 1909, Vol 1, p80 with that spelling.

--Stewie.