Lyr Add: The Island (Ewan MacColl) [Green Island]

Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN ISLAND
From: Ezio
Date: 30 May 98 - 05:09 AM

GREEN ISLAND

The island lies like a leaf upon the sea.
Green island like a leaf new-fallen from the tree.
Green turns to gold,
as morning breeze gently shakes the barley,
bending the yellow corn.
Green turns to gold,
there's purple shadows on the distant mountains,
sun in the yellow corn.

They came in their long ships from lands across the sea.
They came in their long ships and they saw the land was green.
Wind in the barley,
trout and salmon leaping in the rivers,
sun in the yellow corn.
Leaping ashore
they slaughtered those laboured in the barley,
scything them down like corn.

The long ships sailed away and new invaders came.
With long bow and lance bringing death in England's name.
With sword and with mace,
they went reaping though the fields of barley,
blundering the yellow corn.
Crop followed crop,
they prospered in their killing fields of barley,
harvest of new young corn.

Marching down the years the men of war they came,
with bombs assassin's bullets,-gas and guns.
Ghosts from the past
are chasing shadows through the fields of barley
hiding in the new young corn.
Nine hundred years
they tried to trap the wind that shakes the barley
sun in the yellow corn.

The island lies like a leaf upon the sea.
Green island like a leaf new-fallen from the tree.
Green turns to gold,
as morning breeze gently shakes the barley,
bending the yellow corn.
No force on Earth
can ever trap the wind that shakes the barley
sun in the yellow corn.

--------------

This lyric about Ireland is missing in the DT database, but I can't remember the name of the singer(s). Any help?
Ciao
e.b.

Subject: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: skarpi
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 04:52 PM

Halló all, well I had to listen to some music last night
I had some sad day yesterday and was feeling a little down
and still am but I put on Christy Moore and the cd was Smoke and
Strong Whiskey....... no I did not smoke and I did not get any wiskey
do light up my life and fix my blue day :-)), Green Island is a song
I would try to sing with my band and I am going to put it in Icelandic words but some words needs explaining to do like " the
Barley " ? is it a place In Ireland? I know it´s the history in short version like they came in their longship ( from Norway ) and went away anothers
came in , in the name of England

Does anyone know something about this lyric?
I would like to get it in Icelandic.

I liked this album alot and I will listen to another Christy
Moore albums soon.

All the best Skarpi Iceland.

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:03 PM

Don't know the words to this, but the barley might mean alcohol.

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: michaelr
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:07 PM

Lyrics here. Written by Ewan MacColl.

Barley is of course a type of grain like wheat, oats, etc. It is used in making beer, whisky, and bread.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:15 PM

Right, so for this song you must imagine the wind in a field.

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: GUEST,harp missy
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 01:36 AM

I'd like to put in a plug for Christy's "Live At The Point". Some hilarious songs, some gorgeous ballads and some excellent between-song anecdotes. "Natives" always gives me a shivery feeling.

M

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 04:08 AM

I didn't know the song. But I knew Ewan slightly - like a lot of people through his gigs, talking to him afterwards, once him and Peggy published one of my early songs in their magazine New City Songstre - probably just through kindness. Its nice to come across something you haven't heard before - you can imagine him sitting astride his chair, singing this. thank you MichaelR - its brought him back him back for minute. A nice man.

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: Den
Date: 27 Jun 05 - 08:15 AM

For a good interview with Christy recorded on RTE's the View go here and click on Real Player. He speaks briefly about Ewan MacColl. Great song by the way Skarpi.

Subject: RE: Christy Moore- Green Island....
From: Wolfgang
Date: 28 Jun 05 - 06:42 AM

Also, the lyrics are alluding to the rebel song 'The wind that shakes the barley'.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Green Island
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 11:55 PM

Christy Moore sings GREEN ISLAND on his album "Smoke & Strong Whiskey" (1990). According to Allmusic.com, it's attributed to "Erwin McColl"--which sounds like a misspelling of "Ewan MacColl."

I am unable to find any evidence that anyone else recorded it.

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r4pAmp6aN8

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Green Island
From: Amergin
Date: 29 Apr 08 - 12:00 AM

Ewan MacColl recorded it. I have it on an album around here somewhere.

Christy Moore's site tributes it to Ewan McColl as well.

Subject: DT Corr: The Island (Ewan MacColl)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 02:13 AM

I think the Digital Tradition uses Ezio's transcription above, which is very similar to the Christy Moore recording. This should be closer to MacColl's version. I couldn't find a MacColl recording at YouTube, but there's one on Spotify (search for maccoll island).

THE ISLAND
(Ewan MacColl)

The island lay like a leaf upon the sea,
Green island like a leaf new-fallen from the tree;
Green turns to gold and morning breezes gently shake the barley,
Bending the yellow corn—
Green turns to gold and purple shadows on the distant mountains,
Sun in the yellow corn.

They came in their longships from lands beyond the sea,
They came in their longships and they saw the land was green;
Wind in the barley, trout and salmon leaping in the river,
Sun on the yellow corn—
Leaping ashore, they slaughtered those who laboured in the barley,
Scything them down like corn.

The hornèd helmets with axe and sword in hand,
Hacked and carved a bloody road across the land,
Leaving the island's dead to slumber in the fields of barley,
Blood on the yellow corn—
Leaving the island's dead to rise up in the fields of barley,
New crop of yellow corn.

They left in their longships and new invaders came
With longbow and lance, bringing death in Edward's name;
With sword and with mace they went a-reaping in the fields of barley,
Plundered the yellow corn—
Crop followed crop and prospered in the killing fields of barley,
Harvest of new young corn.

The sloops and galleys came, the armoured men-of-war,
The Virgin Queen's marauders, England's dogs of war;
Essex and Raleigh led their armies through the fields of barley,
Trampled the yellow corn—
Cromwell with pike and musket ravaged through the fields of barley,
Burned Wexford's yellow corn.

Marching down the years, the men of blood they come,
With bombs, the assassin's bullet, CS gas and guns;
Ghosts from the past are chasing shadows through the fields of barley,
Hiding in the yellow corn—
Nine hundred years they tried to catch the wind that shakes the barley,
Sun in the yellow corn.

The island lies like a leaf upon the sea,
Green island like a leaf new-fallen from the tree;
Green turns to gold and morning breezes gently shake the barley,
Bending the yellow corn—
No force on earth can ever trap the wind that shakes the barley,
Or the sun in the yellow corn.

Alternate title: Green Island
words and music by Ewan MacColl, 1988

from The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook, pp 350-351

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Island (Ewan MacColl) [Green Island]
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 03:10 AM

Just been digitising the 'Naming of Names' album with Ewan singing it - much prefer his version to Christie's
One of his most creative and adventurous compositions, in my opinion, along with White Wind and Bring the Summer Home, (on The Peasant's Revolt).
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Island (Ewan MacColl) [Green Island]
From: Felipa
Date: 07 Aug 16 - 05:46 AM

If you want the song to clearly refer to Ireland, I think you need to sing the verse about Raleigh, Cromwell, etc.

Of course there are other clues - "the wind that shakes the barley" and very much the verse re 900 years and CS gas, but my first reaction was that this song could also be about another colony and about slavery, someplace where there would be more "sun in the yellow corn".