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Lyr Req: Young MacDonald

17 Jan 02 - 07:09 PM (#630029)
Subject: Lyr Add: Young MacDonald
From: Jimmy C

I came acroos this song in a collection of Canadian Folk Songs. Can someone explain the chorus - Is it a native language or perhaps a little Scots Gaelic ?.

What or who is huki wari (1st verse) malcha goya(2nd verse) and .metrachee.(3rd verse)

Young MacDonald
He is young and fair and handsome
He's my fancy late and early
There's another who doth claim him
I don't blame her, huki wari.

Refrain
Aye grattalion, oh grattalion
Aye grattalion bounsa guiles
Telim meen geneel denoosa
Thisakerry suas learchin.

In the fields he fought the battles
Brave enacted western arms
There were thousands there to greet him
He did spot the malcha goya.

Refrain

You all know this young MacDonald
He was brought up here in Glengarry
Now he's off to Colorado
With his name and his metrachee.

17 Jan 02 - 07:12 PM (#630033)
Subject: Lyr Add: YOUNG MACDONALD
From: Jimmy C

Sorry, here is the song again with the breaks.

Young MacDonald


He is young and fair and handsome
He's my fancy late and early
There's another who doth claim him
I don't blame her, huki wari.

Refrain
Aye grattalion, oh grattalion
Aye grattalion bounsa guiles
Telim meen geneel denoosa
Thisakerry suas learchin.

In the fields he fought the battles
Brave enacted western arms
There were thousands there to greet him
He did spot the malcha goya.

Refrain

You all know this young MacDonald
He was brought up here in Glengarry
Now he's off to Colorado
With his name and his metrachee.

24 Oct 09 - 07:44 PM (#2752033)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young MacDonald
From: GUEST,Neil J.MacDonald

The song 'Young MacDonald' is english and Scots gaelic or
Erse!!
          I've known the chorus and another verse since I was a youngster.I'm now 74! The Glengarry referred is the county where Simon Fraser is buried and whence came the Nor'wester Finnan McDonald!!
         The verse I refer to is:
                     Young MacDonald is my name,
                     I'm a miner by trade:
                     I do work both night'n'day
                     All for a maid in Canada
                         Canadian73@mts.net

26 Oct 09 - 06:47 PM (#2753255)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young MacDonald
From: Jim Dixon

Google indicates that this song is in The Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs by Edith Fowke (Harmondsworth, Eng.; Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books 1973).

Surely that book would contain an explanation, wouldn't it?

26 Oct 09 - 06:59 PM (#2753265)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young MacDonald
From: GUEST

Notes from Fowkes's book:

This macaronic song with its mixture of English and Gaelic is obviously derived from an old Gaelic wauking (sic) or milling song, but i have failed to find the original. The English words suggest that it is partly a translaton of the original Gaelic verses combined with a local rfeerence to "young MacDonald" who was 'brought up here in Glengarry' and is 'off to Colorado'. The first two stanzas have the quality of traditional Scottish love lyrics; the third has the more prosaic tone of a local song. The original Gaelic chorus and phrases at the end of each stanza have become too garbled to be translated.   ..... MacDonald is one of the commonest names in Ontario's Glengarry county.