Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)

Subject: Lyr Add: CAPE BRETON LULLABY (Kenneth Leslie)
From:
Date: 24 Oct 97 - 03:54 PM

CAPE BRETON LULLABY
(Kenneth Leslie)

Driftwood is burning blue
Wild walk the wall shadows
Night winds go riding by
Riding by the lochie meadows
On to the ring of day
Flows Mira's stream singing

(Chorus)
Cadil Gu La, laddie, la, laddie
Sleep the stars away.

Far on Beinn Bhreagh's side
Wander the lost lambies
Here, there and everywhere
Everywhere their troubled mammies
Find them and fold them deep
Fold them to sleep, singing

Cadil Gu La, laddie, la, laddie
Sleep the moon away.

Daddy is on the bay
He'll keep the pot brewing
Keep all from tumbling down
Tumbling down to rack and ruin
Pray, Mary, send him home
Safe from the foam singing

Cadil Gu La, laddie, la, laddie
Sleep the dark away.

Written by Kenneth Leslie, this lullaby is well known in eastern Canada. It first appeared in print in 1964 in "Songs of Nova Scotia", sung to a different melody. The melody used now is an old Scottish air, played slowly, which Leslie himself would sometimes use.

It was first recorded by Catherine MacKinnon in the 1960's on "The Voice of an Angel" Arc A-628, and has been recorded numerous times since. A good, fairly recent (and good) version is by Teresa Doyle, on "Forerunner", 1991, Bedlam Records TD002.

"Cadil Gu La ", apparently means "sleep until morning." It is apparently the title of a fiddle tune found in the Fraser Collection.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Murray
Date: 26 Oct 97 - 05:59 PM

The Gaelic phrase more properly means "sleep till day". The tune [the only one I've heard--what was the other one??] is a (very pleasant) variation on "Gillie Callum", customarily used for the Scottish solo dance of that name, usually called simply "The Sword Dance".It has Gaelic words, reputedly old, i.e. Gille Callum da pheighinn/ Gille Callum da pheighinn,/ Da pheighinn, da pheighinn,/ Gille Callum bonn-a-sia! --which means "Gillie Callum, two pennies [bis], Two pennies, two pennies, Gillie Callum, coin of six". The reference is supposedly that an early king [Malcolm] was ridiculed by this song when he attempted a new tax.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 27 Oct 97 - 08:50 AM

Timothy and Murray - Thanks so much for posting the song, a CD I can learn it from, and the notes. I'm always looking for lullabies, especially from one of my favorite places.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From:
Date: 27 Oct 97 - 08:08 PM

The information I wrote, I got out of pages from a songbook faxed to me.

I have heard another tune for this song than the usual one, sung (I think) by Draught Porridge. I don't know if it is the "original", but no matter as it is very pleasant.

This song is almost always marked as traditional -- even Doyle marks it that way. Until someone on the Cape Breton music list told me otherwise I didn't know it had a known author.

I have been told more than once that there is a fully Gaelic version of this song but I have yet to hear it or find any recording. I don't know if Leslie wrote that (if it exists) although apparently he had some fluency in Gaelic. I always thought that the imagery in the song was "Gaelic" rather than "English".

I highly recommend Doyle's CD "Forerunner", Susan Marie, although it may be hard to find outside of Canada. (You can order it from Back Porch at www.bpm.on.ca ) There are other recordings of it. One of the women from the Rankin Family also did a nice version some years ago.

Subject: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Muriel
Date: 23 May 98 - 06:23 PM

I'm looking for the words to the Cape Breton Lullaby, written in Cape Breton (can't remember the name of the writer) and recorded by Catherine McKinnon about 30 years ago. I have the English verses (starts "Driftwood is burning blue), but would like to get the Scots Gaelic chorus, as I can't pick it up from the recording.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Subject: Lyr Add: CAPE BRETON LULLABY (Kenneth Leslie)
From:
Date: 24 May 98 - 05:17 PM

CAPE BRETON LULLABY
(Kenneth Leslie)
(Copyright R. Dickson, 530 King St. Shawville, PQ, Canada)

Driftwood is burning blue, wild walk the wall shadows
Night winds go riding by, riding by the lochie meadows
On to the ring of day flows Mira's stream, singing:
Caidil gu la, laddie, la, laddie,
Sleep the stars away.

Far on Beinn Breagh's side wander the lost lambies
Here, there, and everywhere, everywhere their troubled mammies
Find them and fold them deep, fold them to sleep, singing:
Caidil gu la, laddie, la, laddie,
Sleep the moon away.

Daddy is on the bay, He'll keep the pot brewin'
Keep all from tumblin' down, tumblin' down to rack and ruin
Pray, Mary, send him home, safe from the foam, singing
Caidil gu la, laddie, la, laddie,
Sleep the dark away.

"Caidil Gu La" or "Caidil Gu Law (Latha)" is the title of a fiddle tune in the Simon Fraser Collection. One translation given to this Scottish Gaelic phrase is "sleep on to day." Leslie had composed his own melody for "Lullaby," but the melody to which Cape Breton Lullaby is now sung is the old Scottish air at half speed.

Kenneth Leslie was born in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1892. His father, the owner of a small shipping company, was drowned off Amherst Island in the Magdalens in 1905.

Leslie wrote poetry.His collection "By Stubborn Stars and Other Poems" won the Canadian Governor-General's Award in 1938. In the early 1930's he hosted a radio show in Newark, New Jersey, sometimes playing his fiddle and singing in Gaelic.

He was a crusading journalist and political activist, but returned to Nova Scotia in 1950 and continued to publish collections of poetry. He died in 1974.

Quite often this song is put down as traditional, although it was first published in "Songs of Nova Scotia" in 1964. Later it was recorded by Catherine MacKinnon. Leslie himself used to sing the song to a somewhat different tune, a traditional Scottish air played at half speed. I have only heard one version that used an alternative tune, by Draught Porridge, but am unsure if that is the original tune. The most common arrangement is that used by Catherine MacKinnon, who was the first to record it.

Various eastern Canadian acts have recorded this lullaby. A very nice version is by PEI singer Therese Doyle on her CD "Forerunner"; one of the women from the Rankin Family has also recorded it.

I am told that there is also a version entirely in Gaelic, although the short biography of Leslie that I have doesn't mention this. It might have been written recently, but I have never heard it. I doubt it exists, because Cape Breton gaelic singer Mary Jane Lamond would have certainly covered it.

---

Click to Play

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: BAZ
Date: 24 May 98 - 08:43 PM

Draught Porridge?
This couldn't be Noel Murphy and Davey Johnson could it?
These two guys used to go by this name back in the 60's when Davey Johnson wasn't even old enough to drink in the pubs he was playing in. Davey of course went on to play guitar with Elton John but back in those days he was a Banjo player of note.
Regards Baz

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From:
Date: 24 May 98 - 08:57 PM

No, this Draught Porridge was from Canada and used to play in the 1980's. I don't think that they are still together, but I could be wrong.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Ireland O'Reilly
Date: 25 May 98 - 09:27 AM

Cape Breton Lullabye can be found in the "Nova Scotia Song Collection". It's a big blue book with Nova Scotia Tartan on the cover. I don't remember the publisher, but I can find out.

the lullabye was recorded by the Cape Breton Chorale, also. Their rendition is beautiful.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 06 Nov 00 - 06:35 PM

I stumbled across the tune to this a few days ago, and finding the lyrics in the Forum has been a bit of a trial. It's such a lovely tune - I'll post this with MMario's help in the next couple of days. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: MMario
Date: 15 Nov 00 - 02:56 PM

found it! finally! John's lovely midi has been forwarded to alan_of_oz. the NWC file will go to dick shortly.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 16 Nov 00 - 03:10 PM

I've been looking for years (sorry for leaping on to the tails of this discussion) for a song in a story by Alastair McLeod:

Is ann ar chul na mbeanntain ard/Ata teach chonaithe mo ghra/Fear a bhfuil a chroi i mblath...

(It's there at the foot of the high mountains/is the dwelling-place of my love/Man whose heart is in flower)

but apparently it's never been recorded and the tune's lost. Unless anyone here knows otherwise?

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 08:39 PM

G'day,
Thanks to John in Brisbane the tune for "Cape Breton Lullaby" can be found here at the Mudcat MIDI site.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: masato sakurai
Date: 01 Nov 02 - 09:47 AM

Catherine McKinnon's singing of this song can be heard HERE.

~Masato

Subject: Lyr Add: CAPE BRETON LULLABY (Kenneth Leslie)
From: GUEST,this is by unknown
Date: 12 Aug 07 - 12:36 AM

Driftwood is burning blue,
wild walk the wall shadows,
night winds go riding by,
go riding by the Lochie meadows,
On to'the ring of day
flows Myra's stream, singing,
Cadi I gu lo, laddie, sleep the stars away!

Far on Ben Breea's side
wander the lost lambies
here, there, and everywhere,
and everywhere their troubled mammies
find them and fold them deep,
fold them to sleep singing,
Cadi I gu lo, laddie, lo, laddie, steep the moon away!

Daddie is on the Bay;
he'll keep the pot brew in'
keep all from tumblin' down,
from tumblin' down to wrack and ruin.
Pray Mary send him home,
safe from the foam, singing,
Cadil gu lo, laddie, lo, laddie, sleep the dark away!


Sorry but I dont know who it is by... I just typed in Cape Breton Lullaby lyrics... I know this is because I am in Piedmont Choirs and Piedmont Choirs sings it.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From:
Date: 12 Aug 07 - 01:05 AM

Thanks guest, but if you look at the second message, Tim Jacques supplied the proper lyrics many years ago, as well as the author's name. Have no idea where you got that version. Have a look at the correct one when you get a chance.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Aug 07 - 05:46 PM

Dude don't be rude! Well sorry that I didn't look at the dates!

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From:
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 02:08 PM

Wasn't trying to be rude. Just wanted to point out the relevant information supplied earlier.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST,bluenoser8
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 07:56 PM

My favorite version was by none other than Ryan's fancy.It just stirs the soul.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 07:59 PM

P.S. Thanks for the lovely lyrics, I have been looking for years. I did not realize how old this tune was, actually and for some reason I thought it had been written by a Kenzie McNeil, but I sit corrected.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Feb 08 - 11:16 PM

This thread should be linked:

thread.cfm?threadid=7924#48071

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Jim Lad
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 04:49 PM

Ryan's Fancy did this?

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 05:30 PM

Yup.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Jim Lad
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 05:31 PM

Ooh!
Big oil's here.
Denis Ryan singing it, I suppose?

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 05:40 PM

Right again. It's on one of their albums ...

First version I heard was a duet, two female singers doing a verse and chorus, on the first Rise & Follies of Cape Breton album - now that was a 'hauntingly beautiful' rendition. Can't remember who it was - George probably knows - George? (Happy New Year, by the way!)

Subject: Lyr Add: CAPE BRETON LULLABY (from Ryan's Fancy)
From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's Apprentice
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 05:48 PM

From Ryan's Fancy

Cape Breton Lullaby


Driftwood is burning blue, wild walk the wall shadows,
Night winds go riding by, riding by the lochie meadows.
On to the ring of day flows Mira's stream singing:
Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie, sleep the stars away.

Far on Beinn Bhreagh's side wander the lost lambies.
Here, there and ev'rywhere, ev'rywhere their troubled mammies
Find them and fold them deep, fold them to sleep singing:
Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie, sleep the moon away.

Daddy is on the bay, he'll keep the pot brewin',
Keep all from tumblin' down, tumblin' down to rack and ruin.
Pray, Mary, send him home safe from the foam singing:
Caidil gu la laddie, la, laddie, sleep the dark away.

Kenneth Leslie. Arranged by Ryan's Fancy (Looking Back, ©1972, Audat Records)

Charlotte (doesn't have Irish eyes)

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Jim Lad
Date: 07 Feb 08 - 05:54 PM

That's the Alistair MacGillivray version... Stars, Moon, Dark.
Think I heard the song on "The Sounds of Nova Scotia" compilation too.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST,Chris W.
Date: 24 Feb 08 - 07:14 PM

I'm looking for a Noteworthy Composer version of: "Cape Breton Lullaby"
Does anyone have it to send to me?
Thanks,
Chris W.
Victoria, B.C.
[e-mail]

---

MIDI sent. -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From:
Date: 24 Feb 08 - 07:37 PM

Hi meself. I don't have that recording, but would hazard a guess, Jo-Anne Rolls and Raylene Rankin might have been doing it. Raylene and Jo-Anne were two of the finest female singers out of a great troupe of them.

Will see what I can find out.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST,Rose_from_an_angel
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 11:53 AM

Can anyone tell me who sings this?
http://search.playlist.com/tracks/Cape%2520Breton%2520Lullaby
Go to the url and listen to it
I'd like to know the name of them so I can get the sheet music
and have my choir of girls sing it

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 03:50 PM

Raylene wasn't in the first Rise & Follies show. I think that she joined the cast about 1980. I am sure that she sang this song in that show but I am unsure of the year. Jo-Anne may have done it on an earlier show but I don't recall. She probably did harmonize with Raylene on it in any case. I have 3 Rise & Follies lp's but it's not on any of them. However it is on a Cape Breton's Greatest Hits lp(Rise & Follies spinoff) that was recorded in 1981 so that is perhaps the year that it was in the main show. Raylene is the lead singer on this. It sounds like three voice harmony on the chorus so that would be Jo-Anne and Bev MacGillvray.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 04:15 PM

Rose you may be able to get the sheet music here:
http://www.miramusic.net/allister/

I found a part of this song in a medley on the first Rise and Follies lp (dated 1977) Jo-Anne Rolls, Kathy MacGuire, Kathy MacKeigan, and Linda Libbus were all in the cast.

Subject: RE: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: meself
Date: 24 Mar 08 - 04:18 PM

Yes, that's the one I was talking about - thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jan 10 - 09:37 PM

Anyone know the name of the old scottish air this poem is usually sung to?

Subject: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 01:34 AM

I know that the song lyrics were written by Kenneth Leslie but I also know that the most common music it is sung to comes from an old Scottish Air. I would really like to know the name of that air, its composer and date written. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 02:45 AM

I moved you over to this thread, so the discussion doesn't get split any further. I think the answer is way up top in a message from Tim Jaques, but his wording is a little unclear:

"Caidil Gu La" or "Caidil Gu Law (Latha)" is the title of a fiddle tune in the Simon Fraser Collection. One translation given to this Scottish Gaelic phrase is "sleep on to day." Leslie had composed his own melody for "Lullaby," but the melody to which Cape Breton Lullaby is now sung is the old Scottish air at half speed.

I didn't see a date for the tune.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: meself
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 12:30 PM

The Simon Fraser Collection was published first in 1815 - it claims that its tunes were 'Chiefly acquired, during the Interesting Period from 1715 to 1745'.

Having noted the above - I regret to say that to my ear "Caidil gu la" bears no relation to the melody to which Cape Breton Lullaby is commonly sung. Perhaps Tim Jacques was confusing "Caidil gu la" with another tune in the collection ... ?

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 15 Jan 10 - 03:56 PM

I think Tim took his information from Allister MacGillivray's Cape Breton Song Collection. The information is attributed to Ken Leslie's daughter Rosaleen.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: CAPE BRETON LULLABY (K Leslie)
From: GUEST,Murray Hutcherson
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 02:26 PM

CAPE BRETON LULLABY
Kenneth Leslie
(The Cottars' version)

A            G       A
Driftwood is burning blue
A             G    Em
Wild walk the wall shadows
A             F#m7
Night winds go riding by
Em    A      D      A
Riding by the lochie meadows
G         A       Bm
On to the ring of day
B7          E
Flows Mira's stream singing

(Chorus)
A
Cadil Gu La, laddie, la, laddie
G         Em    A
Sleep the night away.


A            G         A
Far on Beinn Bhreagh's side
A          G    Em
Wander the lost lambies
A               F#m7
Here, there and everywhere
Em   A          D       A
Everywhere their troubled mammies
Em            A         Bm
Find them and fold them deep
B7          E
Fold them to sleep, singing

A
Cadil Gu La, laddie, la, laddie
G         Em    A
Sleep the night away.

A       G      A
Daddy is on the bay
A             G   Em
He'll keep the pot brewing
A             F#m7
Keep all from tumbling down
Em       A       D       A
Tumbling down to rack and ruin
Em          A       Bm
Pray, Mary, send him home
B7            E
Safe from the foam singing

A
Cadil Gu La, laddie, la, laddie
G         Em    A
Sleep the night away.
G         Em    A
Sleep the night away.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: GUEST,Murray Hutcherson
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 02:39 PM

Just so folks are aware, the previous post, The Cottars' version chords & lyrics, you'll likely see the chords in the wrong positions relative to the lyrics, depending on the font your web browser uses for this page. The way it looks in my own browser, the chords are several beats before the words they should be played for.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: GUEST,Murray Hutcherson
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 04:06 PM

CAPE BRETON LULLABY
Kenneth Leslie
(The Cottars version)

{A}Driftwood is {G}burning {A}blue
{A}Wild walk the {G}wall {Em}shadows
{A}Night winds go {F#m7}riding by
{Em}Riding {A}by the {D}lochie {A}meadows
{G}On to the {A}ring of {Bm}day
{B7}Flows Mira's {E}stream singing

(Chorus)
{A}Cadil Gu La, laddie, {A7}la, laddie
{G}Sleep the {Em}night a{A}way

{A}Far on Beinn {G}Bhreagh's {A}side
{A}Wander the {G}lost {Em}lambies
{A}Here, there and {F#m7}everywhere
{Em}Every{A}where their {D}troubled {A}mammies
{Em}Find them and {A}fold them {Bm}deep
{B7}Fold them to {E}sleep, singing

{A}Cadil Gu La, laddie, {A7}la, laddie
{G}Sleep the {Em}night a{A}way

{A}Daddy is {G}on the {A}bay
{A}He'll keep the {G}pot {Em}brewing
{A}Keep all from {F#m7}tumbling down
{Em}Tumbling {A}down to {D}rack and {A}ruin
{Em}Pray, Mary, {A}send him {Bm}home
{B7}Safe from the {E}foam singing

{A}Cadil Gu La, laddie, {A7}la, laddie
{G}Sleep the {Em}night a{A}way
{G}Sleep the {Em}night a{A}way

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: ollaimh
Date: 18 Sep 10 - 09:54 PM

i love the song and play it often but i do not think the gaelic is scotts. its irish. so i doubt that leslie was fluent in scotts gaelic. any complete lyrics must be a translation done latter.

we sang the song inschool fifty years ago, and it was atributed to leslie.

its a tricky tune for harp with out faking the accidental--which i do. easier on a fretted instrument.

i think katherine mackinnins version is great as is her version of the "old turf fire"

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 08:06 PM

Well ollaibh, there is not really that much Gaelic in the song. The words fit OK for Scottish Gaelic and perhaps for Irish as well. You are perhaps right about Leslie not being fluent but that is unknown to me for certain.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 20 Sep 10 - 06:14 PM

One of Nova Scotia's celebrities, Liz Rigney recorded the song a little
more than a decade ago. I can't find my copy of the recording, though.

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: GUEST,stacie dunlop
Date: 18 Jan 11 - 01:36 PM

I have a voice student who would sing this beautifully in an upcoming music festival, but I need an arrangement for voice and piano. Aside from the SSA version for three voices, and the one that has guitar chords supplied above (thanks for those!), does any one know of a version for solo voice with piano?

Subject: RE: Origins: Cape Breton Lullaby (Kenneth Leslie)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 11:51 PM

The story of Kenneth Leslie runs very deep. There was far more to the man than being the writer of this beautiful song about my native isle. As a democratic socialist and author and publisher living in the USA during the second world war he dedicated his life to fighting Hitler and anti-Semitism. Like Pete and Woody and so many others he suffered through the post war backlash of anti-American activities (even though he was Canadian) Some of his story is told here:

Kenneth Leslie