Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...

Subject: Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Apr 04 - 04:10 AM

From this thread:

Can anyone help me with a lyric. It goes to 'Danny Boy' aka 'The Londonderry Air' aka 'The Lament for Cuchulainn', and contains the following lines:

Oh softly sleep, the raging hills of sorrow,
Oh softly sleep, the gentle vales of pain,
As those who know they have no more tomorrow
But yet must rise to face the dawn again.

Author, rest of words, any information please.

Best wishes,

Barrie Roberts.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 05:15 AM

Refresh ... any offers?

Subject: Lyr Add: LONDONDERRY AIR
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 10:37 AM

Found on a German website:
http://home.t-online.de/home/fermate/new20026.htm#Londonderry%20Air%20(Irish)
It seems to be advertising a CD: "Strawberry Fair and Other Folksongs from Europe."

LONDONDERRY AIR

O quiet rest the darkling vales of sorrow,
O softly sleep the stormy hills of pain
The way they go who have no more tomorrow,
And turn not back to look upon their kind again.

But O to wake and feel the wind a-blowing
Across the sea from that too distant shore.
To know the pain, the bitter pain of going
From that dear land of my dreams I shall see no more.

O softly shine the mountain tops of glory,
O quiet gleam the happy fields of love.
The way they go who have no more a story,
And weep no more to wake and find the stars above.

But O to hear the busy seabirds crying
Last calls of home that rend me ere we part.
O were that I in my lone grave were lying
In that fair land where I've buried my own dead heart.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...
From:
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 03:53 PM

That is lovely. Thanks, Jim for finding it, and Steve, for requesting it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...
From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts
Date: 09 Apr 04 - 04:04 PM

'Twas I -- a mere interloper -- who provoked Steve into asking about 'O softly sleep'. In 1966/7 I heard an unknown singer do it at Jon & Jackie Swift's old Peanuts Club in Birmingham, UK. It stuck in my head & has remained there ever since. I am extremely impressed to have the whole of it and deeply grateful to Jim who came up with it. Strength to all your elbows and keep mudcatting!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...
From: GUEST,Alice Booth
Date: 15 Mar 10 - 09:10 PM

These lyrics are in a community song book of my grandfather's, and were consequently the first version of Londonderry Air I learnt. I have no idea when they were written or who by, but they have always struck me as especially poignant and lovely and I am glad that they are known by some others at least!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oh softly sleep, the raging hills ...
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Mar 13 - 06:07 AM

I've just discovered this se of lyrics to The Londonderry Air in a 1927 'Daily Express community songbook' copyright in all countries by the London Express newspaper Ltd. Unsure of the origins/source of the words though.