Lyr Req: Si Morag

Subject: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Largo
Date: 13 Mar 98 - 01:42 AM

Hi ! Looking for lyrics of two trad. scottish songs "Si Morag" and "Bennache" (sorry for spelling misstakes if any occures). Theese songs were sung by Tannas and Old Blind Dogs in Aberdeen on Lemon Tree event. The name of the disc was Fir Chlis.

Any info would be V_E_R_Y appriciate.

Thank you, Alexander "El Largo" V. Bogatkin

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Alice
Date: 15 Mar 98 - 09:10 AM

can anyone help him out? alice

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From:
Date: 16 Mar 98 - 03:10 AM

Hi Alice!

Thank you for your support. "ts very nice av ye.

Largo

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 16 Mar 98 - 05:11 AM

Largo,
a wild guess: perhaps the one you are looking for is "Bonnie lass o' Benachie" which you can find by using the search window (upper right).
And for the other song, could it be titled "St. Morag?"
Wolfgang

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Bruce O.
Date: 16 Mar 98 - 12:27 PM

I don't know how I foulded up. I though I added a note yesterday. Besides "Bonnie Lass o' Bennachie" there is the bawdy song Arthur Argo sang, "Back o' Bennachie".
Morag is highland Gaelic for Marion. Robert Burns' "Loud blaw the frosty breezes" is to the tune of "Morag".

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Largo
Date: 17 Mar 98 - 02:44 AM

Thank you all guys!

It's very nice of you, realy.Now about the subject. >to Wolfgang Hell No, it's seems to me Bruce O. guess seems to be much more alike the truth. In variant which I've heard there are words "..bla-bla-bla... the back o'Bennachie". About "Si Morag" song. Bruce O. is absolutely right again (amazingly informed person! :-)) "Si morag" is Gaelic variant of female name Marion or Mary, so in English this song should sound like "Mary". >to Bruce O. Thank you for your reply. It looks very helpful.

If one of you guys or nayone else willl need any info on any russian folk song I'll do my best to help you. My E-mail is [e-mail].

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Largo
Date: 17 Mar 98 - 04:48 AM

Hi All !

I've just realized that problem is not solved yet. >to Bruce O. So, do you have any ideas of where I can get the lyrics? I've just tried to look through couple of sites and found nothin' again :-(.

Best Regards

Largo

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From:
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 04:17 AM

Ooops!

Subject: Lyr Add: WHAUR THE GAUDIE RINS
From: Wolfgang
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 10:04 AM

I copied this from rec.music.celtic (whoever wants to have a better printed version should do a dejanews
[http://www.dejanews.com/] "power search" for "Bennachie")

WHAUR THE GAUDIE RINS

(Refrain)
    Oh, there's meal and there's ale whaur the Gadie Rins
    Wi' the yellow broom and the bonnie whins
    There's meal and there's ale whaur the Gadie Rins
    At the back o' Bannachie.

As I cam' roun' by Bennachie,
A bonnie young lassie there I did see,
A gaed her a wink and she smiled tae me,
At the back o' Bennachie.

    Oh, there's meal ...

Oh I took my lassie on my knee,
Her kilt was shourt abeen her knee,
I says, "My lassie will ye come wi' me,
Tae the back o' Bennachie?"

    Oh, there's meal ...

I says to her, "Pit on your kilt,
Your a gey bra' deem and you're gey weel built,
You can wear your plaidie alang wi' your kilt,
At the back o' Bennachie."

    Oh, there's meal ...

Oh when her mither comes tae ken,
We'll hae tae rin noo fae oor hame,
And sleep in the heather up in the glen,
At the back o' Bennachie.

    Oh, there's meal ...

Oh, here's tae the lassie o' Bennachie,
I'll never gang back for her tae see,
I'll bide wi' my mither until I dee,
At the back o' Bennachie.

    Oh, there's meal ...

Wolfgang

(by the way, Alexander, it is "Si Morag" as you wrote, the "St. Morag" I had seen was a typing error)

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Catfeet
Date: 18 Mar 98 - 05:35 PM

I too have heard Si Morag only once and been ever after searching for the lyrics. I posted on it about a year ago, and didn't get any hits. There was a song, however, that was posted in May of 97 that was very similar in it's content. It was called Donal Argus Morag, and was posted 5/3/97 by Cleod, so if you do a forum search and put Morag in the body, you get the hit. Good luck, and if you do find it, Please, Please post it for me too!

Catfeet

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HILL O' BENNACHIE
From: Bruce O.
Date: 19 Mar 98 - 01:54 PM

The request passed to the scots-l list produced this response, saving me the time to listen and type it up.

From: ASPClinns
Subject: scots-l Hill o' Bennachie/Arthur Argo

I'm not sure to whom exactly I'm replying on this, but here are the words to Arthur Argo's recording of "The Hill o" Bennachie" same tune as "Fisher Lasses". Please pass them on to where they are needed!

Linn

I am Linn S. Schulz in Nottingham & Portsmouth, New Hampshire

THE HILL O' BENNACHIE
Recorded by Arthur Argo on "A Wee Thread o' Blue"

Chorus: It was up among the heather on the hill o' Bennachie
It was there I set a bonnie lassie sittin' on my knee
When a bum' bee start me richt below the knee
And we both came haem a mournin' for the hill o' Bennachie.

Now says I to my friends for ya going to spend the day
I'm going to spend the day on the hill o' Bennachie
For the lads and the lasses they are set so free
Among the bloomin' heather on the hill o' Bennachie.
(Chorus)

As I was a wand'rin' on the hill o' Bennachie
I met a bonnie lassie, she was kilted to the knee.
I took her and followed her and aye she said to me,
"Aye, Jock, your whiskers ticklin'" on the hill o' Bennachie.
(Chorus)

Now says I, me bonnie lassie, will you tak' my advice?
Oh, never let a soldier laddie kiss you more than twice.
'Cause all the time he's kissing you he's makin' up a plan
To hae another rattle at your old tin can.
(Chorus)

Posted to SCOTS-L: The Traditional Scottish Music and Culture Discussion List.

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Largo
Date: 20 Mar 98 - 02:05 AM

Hello All !

Thank you all guys ! Now I hae at least 5 or 6 variants of Back o'Bennachie lyrics. For me It's quite enough. 8-)

>To Wolfgang

Your version of the song looks similar to the one I was lookin' for more than the others I've got here. So you did it right !

>To Bruce O.

Well, so what can I say? ....Jis' Thank you again..... Though, you know, as I can remember, there's one mair song I'm looking for. Guess which ...Right - "Si Morag". So keep in touch if you'll find anything .......8-)

>To Catfeet

Hi Catfeet ! Nice to meet one more person on the thread. So keep looking in it and waiting for Si Morag lyrics. If I'll find it first I'll start new thread. But I think Wolfgang and Bruce O. theese Maestros of Browsing and Masters of Search may do it first. Well, anyway keep in touch.

>To All

My Best Regards and Wishes to you guys ! See you! Largo

Subject: Lyr Add: GIN I WERE WHERE THE GAUDIE RINS
From: Largo
Date: 20 Mar 98 - 06:18 AM

Hurray !!!!!
I go it !!!!!!

Look here folks:

GIN I WERE WHERE THE GAUDIE RINS

O gin I were where the Gaudie rins, where the Gaudie rins, where the Gaudie rins,
O gin I were where the Gaudie rins, at the fit o' Bennachie.
O I should ne'er come back again, come back again, come back again,
O I should ne'er come back again, your lowland lads tae see.

I never had but twa richt lads, but twa richt lads, but twa richt lads,
I never had but twa richt lads that dearly loved me.
The teen was killed in the Lourin Fair, the Lourin Fair, the Lourin Fair,
The teen was killed in the Lourin Fair, and the ither was drowned in the Dee.

Had the gien my lovie man for man, man for man, man for man,
Had they gien my lovie man for man, or yet ae man for three,
He wudna hae lain sae low the day, sae low the day, sae low the day,
He wuda hae lain sae low the day at the foot o' yon arn tree.

But they crooded in sae thick on him, sae thick on him, sae thick on him,
They crooded in sae thick on him, he could neither fecht nor flee.
An' wisna that a dowie day, a dowie day, a dowie day,
An' wisna that a dowie day, a dowie day for me?

The Dee was flowin' frae bank tae bank, frae bank tae bank, frae bank tae bank,
The Dee was flowin' frae bank tae bank when my lovie dreed his dree.
An' wisna that a dowie day, a dowie day, a dowie day,
An' wisna that a dowie day, a dowie day for me?

He bocht for me a braw new goon, a braw new goon, a braw new goon,
He bocht for me a braw new goon and ribbons tae busk it wi' !
An' I bocht for him the linen fine, the linen fine, the linen fine,
An' I bocht for him the linen fine, his winding sheet tae be.

And noo this twice Ive been a bride, Ive been a bride , Ive been a bride,
And noo this twice Ive been a bride, but a wife I'll never be.
O gin I were where the Gaudie rins, where the Gaudie rins, where the Gaudie rins,
O gin I were where the Gaudie rins, at the fit o' Bennachie.

Posted to SCOTS-L: The Traditional Scottish Music and Culture Discussion List.
http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~ibb/scd/Music/

Cool, isn't it?!!!

>to Catfeet

About Si Morag, I get very close to it.
Greetings !!!

Largo

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Bruce O.
Date: 20 Mar 98 - 05:17 PM

There are several texts, but only 1 with tune of "O Gin I Were Where Gaudie Rins" in 'The Greig-Duncan Folks Song Collection., VI, #1223, 1995.

Still haven't the foggiest on "Si Morag"

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Largo
Date: 23 Mar 98 - 05:18 AM

Hi Bruce!

Thanks for keepin' on it.

See you ! Largo

Subject: Lyr Add: 'SI MORAG
From: Largo
Date: 21 Apr 98 - 02:17 AM

Hi Catfeet! I told you I'd find it, didn't I? OK, Here it is, enjoy...

'Si Morag


'Si Morag, 'si Morag, 'si Morag a rinn a' bhanais
'Si Morag, 'si Morag a rinn a' bhanais ainmeil. (Repeat)

Bha i dubh an uiridh
Agus tha i dubh am bliadhna
'S bha i dubh a h-uile latha
Chunnaic mise riamh i. (repeat)

'Si Morag, etc.

Bha fear an tighe aig bean an tighe
'S a' sgallag aig an t-searbhant
Bha'm buachaille aig a' bhanarach
'S mo sheanair aig mo sheanmhair. (Repeat)

'Si Morag, etc.

Bha Seonaid is fidheall aic'
Raonaid is piob aic'
Mor nam dos is feadan aic'
Is Sheinneadh iad an ruidhle. (Repeat)

'Si Morag, etc.

There is another variant of the last string of the third couplet. It is:

agus h-uile duine cluiche an riol e.

And for just in case (I'm not quite sure you DO speak Na Gaidhlig) I place the translation in English:

Translation

Didn't Morag have the most wonderful wedding;
The most wonderful wedding of them all.
Didn't Morag have the most wonderful wedding
much spoken about by everyone.

She was black haired last year
And she is still black haired this year
She's been black haired
Since the first time that I ever saw her.

The man of the house danced with the good wife:
The farm-hand with the maid.
The cowherd danced with the milkmaid
And my grandfather and grandmother danced together too.

Janet played the fiddle
And Rachel played the pipes.
Mor nan Dos played the chanter
And they all played together for the wedding reel.

Well, hope it will help you! Cheers and best Regards, Largo

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 21 Apr 98 - 08:25 AM

'Tis a shame to see someone's hard work go unacknowledged. It has happened to me too. On the other hand when you get a simple thank you (which you do mostly) it makes you feel like it was all worth while. In any case there are always the rest of us who appreciate the effort. Perhaps Catfeet is currently unconnected.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Mountain Dog
Date: 21 Apr 98 - 11:19 AM

Or perhaps, (with apologies to Carl Sandburg), fogged in in Chicago?

Largo, thanks for your research and post. Even those of us with flat feet do appreciate it!

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Jon W.
Date: 21 Apr 98 - 11:33 AM

There's another version of this song called "Donal agus Morag" by Altan on their album Harvest Storm. The liner notes include the Gaelic lyrics and English translation. The chorus goes "Donal, se Donal, se Donal..." or something like that (I don't have the album anymore).

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Catfeet
Date: 21 Apr 98 - 08:48 PM

Ahhhh!!!! YOU FOUND IT!!!! Where!?!? That's it exactly! You have made me a VERY happy woman!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! (she bows in awe!!!)

Catfeet:) :) :)

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Catfeet
Date: 21 Apr 98 - 08:59 PM

Hey Alan?

Give us at least 24 hrs to pick up the messages Eh? No one likes to feel ripped on.

Catfeet

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Largo !
Date: 22 Apr 98 - 02:30 AM

Hi Catfeet !

I'd jis' like to say, 'twas my pleasure to help you. And,... eh... I'd like to appologize for this "dam' " addition to your name :-) and for ... eh... I called you "dude" on the thread couple o'days ago ... :-( Sorry, dear...I jis' didn't think you're woman...

Hope I didn't heart you deep :-)

Cheers, Largo

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Largo
Date: 22 Apr 98 - 02:33 AM

+ previous mssg

I meant "hurt", dear... :-)

Largo

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 22 Apr 98 - 03:53 AM

Catfeet,
My apologies, but see this thread.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Catfeet
Date: 22 Apr 98 - 10:41 PM

Thanks guys, this is much more civilized than some of the other threads that have been going on lately. Appreciations to where they're due, but some of us only pick up mudcat once a week or so. (besides which, I'm getting married on saturday and it's been eating my brain)

Thanks again Largo,

Catfeet

Subject: RE: Cat-dam' -feet !!! 'Si Morag for ye
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 23 Apr 98 - 03:40 AM

Catfeet,
Congratulations from down under. Will the lucky guy become a fellow Mudcateer?

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: GUEST,Morag
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 06:49 PM

Hey, was just passing through and saw you needed lyrics? These are them for "Si Morag" I think.
Gota love all the songs with the name Morag in it eh?

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: GUEST,Morag
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 06:50 PM

Damn, sorry, my computer is being so annoying, its made me leave three comments now!
This is the link;

http://www.geocities.com/celticlyricscorner/tannas/simorag.htm

Subject: Lyr Add: S I MÒRAG
From: Odair nan Ròn
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 02:44 AM

A Largo chòir,

it seems it is down to dear auld Odair nan Ròn to provide you with the lyrics for 'S i Mòrag':


'S i Mòrag'

'S i Mòrag, 's i Mòrag, 's i Mòrag a rinn a' bhanais,
Mòrag, 's i Mòrag a rinn a' bhanais ainmeil. (Dà thuras / Twice)
-
Bha fear-an-taighe aig bean-an-taighe,
Sgalag aig an t-searbhanta,
Buachaille aig a' bhanaraich,
'S mo sheanair aig mo sheanmhair.
-
'S i Mòrag, etc.
-
Bha Seònaid is fidheall aice,
Raghnaid is pìob aice,
Mòr nan dos is feadan aice,
'S sheinneadh iad an ruidhle.
-
Bha thu dubh an-uiridh,
Agus tha thu dubh am bliadhna,
Is bha thu dubh a h-uile latha
Chunna mise riamh thu.

...and there's more o that where that came from: http://grd.cne-siar.gov.uk:591/search.htm

Another source for Gaelic lyrics, when needed: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/6338/gael_sng.html

The latter is Seòras Seto's page, from Cape Breton. Seòras is, I believe, a fellow mudcatter as well.

And if ye ever need the lyrics for a Gaelic seal song (or "silkie song", as broad Scots would have it), just ask Odair nan Ròn. 'Se do bheatha, 'ille ! Ye're welcome, ma lad.

Tìoraidh ma tha,

Odair

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 07:57 PM

This is a very old, forgotten thread, revived the other day by somebody who presumably stumbled across it via an external search engine and didn't notice that it was ten years dead. 'Largo' himself posted the lyric a few weeks later (ten years ago) in thread Lyr Add: 'SI MORAG

Most if not all of the Gaelic seal songs are here too, and can be found via the onsite search engine.

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 02:03 PM

I have a recently born grand-daughter named Sarah. I think that to me she will be called Morag!

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 08:35 PM

It's a name for which I have considerable affection. The closest English equivalent is 'Sally'; 'Sarah' ought really to be 'Mór'.

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 11:28 PM

No Malcolm, Mor is only a shortened version of Morag. A'bhiel thu tuigsinn? Tha mi an dochas co dhuibh! :-}

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Sep 08 - 12:08 AM

Surely the opposite is the case, 'Morag' being a diminutive form of 'Mor'? I'm not a speaker, no; sadly there hasn't been the time so far to advance beyond the basics, but I hope to resume when I am able; if I live long enough to retire, of course.

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Sep 08 - 12:35 AM

Malcolm, my parents were native Gaelic speakers. My grandmother was Sarah in english and Morag in Gaelic as is my sister. Gaelic is a language of the tongue, not of the book so don't get hung up in the Sassanach concept of grammer.

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Sep 08 - 12:38 AM

By the way "Mo is correct and was often used by my mother.

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Sep 08 - 12:38 AM

"Mor"

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Sep 08 - 01:22 AM

Leaving aside your use of the rather insulting term 'Sassanach', I'd remind you that Gaelic, like most other languages, has an extensive and complex formal grammar, though it was codified later than, for example, English. Presumably you wouldn't dispute that '-ag' is a common feminine diminutive termination?

Subject: RE: HE-E-ELP!!! Need lyr:Si Morag
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Sep 08 - 07:26 AM

Well Malcolm, I'll leave that to your expertise! I don't wish to use this forum to debate what neither of us know a lot about.

Subject: Should auld aquaintance be forgot
From: GUEST,Largo
Date: 25 Jun 09 - 05:57 PM

Hi aa ye fellas!!!!
... 10 long bloody years since my last post on Mudcat.... I jis' occasionally found the thread surfin' the web... sigh, seems like 'twas soooo loooong ago. Since then I became a father of two daughters, gave up my Gaelic study - for no chance to practice, made a career, ruined it, downshifted and like it. Still love folk music and songs. Not that good wi "'Si Morag" yet, but still quite good wi "I'll lay ye doon love" :)) I wonder what's up wi Alan, Bruce O., Catfeet an aa the guys from that years.
Anyway God bless ye aa, folk music lovers, God bless and keep safe Mudcat cyber community of folk music enthusiasts!

Slainte!

Hugs and kisses,
Alexander "El Largo" Bogatkin

---

Nice to see you again, Largo. Haven't heard from Alan in Australia (is that the Alan you mean?) for a long time, but Alison the Fair One says he's doing well. Bruce Olson died in 2003. Catspaw is ever with us, but Catfeet hasn't posted for a year...
All the best to you.
-Joe Offer-