To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=40991
10 messages

Lyr Req: Mo Nighean Donn (Dougie MacLean)

10 Nov 01 - 01:16 PM (#589734)
Subject: mo nighean donn Dougie Maclean
From: GUEST,relaxforbaby@yahoo.com

I am looking for the gaelic lyrics and maybe a translation of Dougie Maclean's Mo nighean Donn Any help appreciated, thanks in advance Alison Curtis

10 Nov 01 - 03:02 PM (#589772)
Subject: Lyr Add: MO NIGHEAN DONN
From: Sorcha

I don't know if this is the version Dougie sings. SuperSearch is not working for me right now, and the Forum search returned nothing, so here goes:

Mo Nighean Donn

  Faill óro hug óro, faill óro hug éile,
  Faill ill ó agus óro hug éile,
  Mo nighean donn nam blàth-shùil
  Gur cràiteach ad dhéidh mi.

    

'S bòidhche leam a dh'fhàs thu na blàth-lus an t-sléibhe,
  An ùr-mhaise àilleachd air blàr anns a' chéitein,
  No ròsan a' ghàrraidh fo dheàrrsadh na gréine.

    

A ribhinn ghlan nam blàth-shùil thug bàrr le snas air ceudan,
  Shìnin féin mo làmh dhuit ged bhithinn 'sa chàs' nam éiginn,
  Gu cinnteach thug mi gràdh dhuit gu là mo bhàis nach tréig mi.

    

B' òg a rinn sinn mànran troimh'n fhàsach le chéile,
  'S ged thaobhainn-sa gach àite fo àrdaibh na speuran
  O bhean do mhaise' Mhàiri ri m' mhaireann cha léir dhomh.

    

Do ghuth tha leam cho ceòlmhor ri smeòrach a' Chéitein,
  An tùs grinn na h-òige 's ann shònruich mi fhéin thu,
  A nighean dhonn an òr-fhuilt, 'measg òighean 's tu'n reula.

    

B'olc a rinn na càirdean; cha d' aithnich iad mo cheud-ghràdh.
  Snàmhaidh 'n lach mar 's àill leatha 's ni a' ghaillionn séideadh,
  'Sa nighean dhonn nam blàth-shùil, gun dàil bitheam réidh ruit.

Horo my pretty brown-haired girl with the enticing blue eyes.
If only we could be together though we had nothing,
O' my pretty brown-haired girl with the enticing blue eyes.

Last night I had a dream,
Which left my sleep disturbed;
If I cannot win you,
I would rather be in the ground.

Your slender, shy face
Well suited for the mirror;
The love that I've given you,
Has left me confused and lost.

Your good name and virtues,
Complement each other;
Sweeter than the sound of strings,
Is the music you make under your breath.

Amber on the maiden's breast
Becomes her:
Likewise silk stocking and shoes
With gold buckles to secure them.

But now you have left me
I must learn to live without you;
This is my farewell to you
For I still wish you well.

Hope the translation matches the Gaelic--these are from 2 different websites.

10 Nov 01 - 03:13 PM (#589779)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mo nighean donn Dougie Maclean
From: Sorcha

If the lyrics/translation are not correct, I am sure someone will be along soon to fix them. e mail sent.

11 Nov 01 - 02:26 AM (#590149)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mo nighean donn Dougie Maclean
From: GUEST,Alison

Thank you Sorcha, that's not it but I sure appreciate your trying.

It's starts out Mo Nighean Donn ho gu ( sounds like) any hints or tips on searching this kind of info?

11 Nov 01 - 10:17 AM (#590234)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mo nighean donn Dougie Maclean
From: weepiper

Hello Alison, here are a couple of Galic language links which you might find useful, the first one has a song search facility.
an comunn gaidhealach America
Cli (Gaelic learner's association)
Beannachd leibh

11 Nov 01 - 12:39 PM (#590276)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mo nighean donn Dougie Maclean
From: Malcolm Douglas

There are a number of completely different songs with this title, but those two little words ho and gu make life so much simpler.  I haven't heard the MacLean record, but would guess the song to be  Mo Nighean Donn Ho Gu,  a waulking song.  I found it by searching through Google.com for Mo Nighean Donn Ho Gu, but it can also be found through the first link Weepiper gave, at  An Cliath Clis.

They give the Gaelic text and a translation into English, and indeed a second version,  Chuirinn Suas Ri Do Chluais,  but unfortunately credit no source apart from themselves for either, so we don't know whether these are sets direct from Scotland or from Cape Breton tradition.  One or other may be reasonably close to the set Dougie used; does he not say on the record where he got it?

11 Nov 01 - 06:32 PM (#590422)
Subject: Lyr Add: MO NIGHEAN DONN
From: weepiper

Here's another version of it which I found in a book, 'Eilean Fraoich: Lewis Gaelic Songs and melodies' which I hope is still in print, the copy I have was published in 1982 by an Comunn Gaidhealach Leodhais (no author/editor credited)

Mo nigh'n donn ho gu
Hi ri ri hu lo
Mo nigh'n donn ho gu.

Mo nigh'n donn a' chuil bhain
'Se do ghradh rinn mo leon.

Mo nigh'n donn a' chuil chais
Deud mar chailc 's gruaidh mar ros.

Mo nigh'n donn a' chuil reidh
Bha mi'n deidh air do thoir.

Mo nigh'n donn a choisinn geall
Far na champaich na seoid.

'S bithidh mo lamh-sa 'nad laimh
'S neo-ar-thaing do n' tha beo.

'S bithidh mo lamh mu d' chul ban
Ged a ghearrt i mu'n dorn.

'S bheirinn oidhch' air son oidhch'
Air son caoimhneas do bheoil.

'S theid mi null air a' bheinn
Far 'm beil loinn nan ban og.

'S bithidh mi comhl' ri bean na bainns'
'S bithidh mi'n ceann a' bhuird mhoir.


I'll attempt a translation, be warned my Gaelic is a bit rusty, maybe someone more fluent could correct any mistakes...

My brown lass ho gu
Hi ri ri hu lo
My brown lass ho gu.

My brown lass of the fair hair
It's your love that has wounded me.

My brown lass of the neat hair
Teeth (as white as) chalk and cheeks like the rose.

My brown lass of the smooth hair
I had pursued you.

My brown lass of the little white foot
Where the warriors were encamped.

And my hand will be in your hand
And will not be pulled away by a living soul.

And my hand will will be about your fair hair
Even though it is shorn about my fist.

And I will carry it night after night For kindness of the mouth.

And I will go across the mountain
Where there is a choice of young women.

And I will be together with the bride
And I will be at the head of a big table.


Phew!
This doesn't seem to be the same song as the one Malcolm gives above although it has one or two similar verses (floating verses?) but hopefully one of these is the one you're looking for.

12 Nov 01 - 05:51 PM (#591122)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: mo nighean donn Dougie Maclean
From: weepiper

refreshing before it falls off the bottom...

10 Apr 18 - 01:59 PM (#3916400)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mo Nighean Donn (Dougie MacLean)
From: GUEST,cattia salto

Dougie MacLean in Whitewash 1990
TITLE
"Mo Nighean Donn"
Gur e mise tha fo ghruaim
'S mi 'n taobh tuath dhan an Stòr.
Sèist/
Mo nigh'n donn hò gù
Hì rì rì hù lò
Mo nigh'n donn hò gù
'N-dràst' an loch fada choill
'S nach tig Oighrig nam chòir.
Thog iad a' mhailisi suas
'S bheir siud bhuainn gillean òg.
Cha bhi iad a-muigh ach mìos
'S cha bhi 'n cianalas oirnn.
instrumental
Mo nighean donn choisinn cliù
Ann an cùirt nam ban òg.
Mo nighean donn choisinn geall
Far na champaich na seòid.
Tha mi sgìth cur mo lìon
Ann an iochdar gach òb.
Thèid mi null air a' bheinn
Far eil loinn nam ban òg.
instrumental

10 Apr 18 - 02:11 PM (#3916404)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Mo Nighean Donn (Dougie MacLean)
From: GUEST,cattia salto

english translation
https://www.calumalexmacmillan.co.uk/monigheanndonn
Oh how my mind is heavy
as I'm north west of the Storr.
Sèist | Chorus
My brown haired girl ho gu
Hì rì rì hù lò
My brown haired girl ho gu
Right now I'm in the loch by the forest
And Oighrig (Effie) will not be joning me.
The militia has been risen
And that will take away the young lads from us.
They will be out for a month
This will not leave us full of sadness.
My brown haired girl who gained recognition
At the fair of the young women.
I'm tired of setting my nets
In the lower parts of each cove.

?