(Daughter of the Chief of Clan Ranald, do not be jealous of me)

The singer is telling the daughter of the Chief of Clan Ranald that she isn’t after her husband but will praise him nevertheless. She goes on to talk of the various clans who together could support the MacDonalds of Clanranald so that they could rise again.

Lyrics

‘S muladach mi ‘n diugh ‘s mi ‘g éiridh
O ho o lail o
o hi ho ho nailibh
‘S na hò ò lail o

Ni Mhic Ailein na bi ‘n èud rium O ho o lail o…

Cha ‘n ‘eil mi ‘n toir air do chèile

Tha mi teisteil air na dhèigh sin

Rachainn leat tro’ chuan na h-Èireann….

Far an seòladh luingeas ghleusda

Chaidh na Leathanaich tro’ ‘n linnidh

Camaronaich o’n ghormin bhioraich

‘S Domhnullach nach leugh an giorag

Chuireadh Siol Leoid air an uillinn.

Nan druideadh gach eun ri fhine.

Dh’ èireadh na Domhnullaich leinne

(Vocables- pronounced He iùrabhi horrunn horrunn)

The singer laments the death of her sweetheart from Harris who has been lost at sea.

Lyrics

Seisd;
Hì iùraibh i hoireann hoireann
Hì iùraibh I hoireann à
Hì iùraibh i hog is èile,
Leam a b’ èibhinn t’ fhaicinn slàn

Mu ‘n do dh’ fhàg thu tir do dhùchais,
Thug mi cion dhuit agus gràdh ;
B` fhearr leam nach faca mi riamh thu,
Dh’ fhàg thu ann am chliabh am bàs.

Ged nach ‘eil thu ard o’n talamh
Tha thu pearsant air an làr ;
Tha thu bòidheach, direach, dualach,
Mar an luachair suas a’ fàs.

‘S gil’ thu na faoileag a, chladaich,
‘S gil’ thu na ‘n eal’ air an t-snàmh;
‘S gil’ thu na cobhar na tuinne,
‘Nuair a thilleas a mhuir-làn.

A’ direadh beanntan na h-Earradh,
A cromadh le fearann mo ghràidh ;
Tha fear òg a’ tighi‘nn fainear dhomh
‘S gaol mo leannan-s’ air dol bàs.

Nam biodh agam coite bhiorach
‘S seisear ghillean air chul ràmh,
Rachainn a null thar na linne,
Fiach a bheil an gille slàn

(Last night I saw your view)  

A Waulking song (type of work song sung while shrinking tweed) telling of the boat coming through the wild sea, bearing strange gifts from far off lands.

Lyrics:

Bha mi a’ raoir, hao rì
A’ gabhail d’ fhradhairc, hao rì
Chunna’ mi lung, o hao rìa a
Dh’ iar ‘san fhadhail, o ho hao

Chunna’ mi lung, o hao rìa a
Dh’ iar ‘san fhadhail, o ho hao
Struth agus gaoth o hao rìa a
Dh’iar ‘na h-aghaidh o ho hao

Struth agus gaoth…
Dh’iar ‘na h-aghaidh…
O hao ri ‘s na
O hao ria a
Ho ro nailibh o ho hao

O nach Buidhe
Dhuits’ a’ Mhaighread

Theid do leannan
Leatsa a margadh

Bheir e dhachaigh
Dheannan ceairbte

Sporran ghunna
nan iall ailmte

O hao ri ‘s na
O hao ria a
Ho ro nailibh o ho hao

(Last 2 verses repeated at end.)

(Hunter of the Yellow Grouse)

A man has a secret fairy sweetheart. His mother is suspicious of his trips up the hills when he says he is going hunting as he never returns with any game. She tells his brothers that it would be better that he was dead than if he has gone over to the fairies (to many, the fairies were evil and to be avoided at all costs). One day his brothers follow him and see him with his fairy lover. When the fairy leaves, they shoot their brother and leave him to die. This is the song the fairy sings on finding his body on the hillside.

Lyrics:

Gura mise tha gu dubhach
Hao ri ‘s na hurabhi hiù o
Mu shealgair a choilich bhuidhe
Hoireann is hurabhi hó hò
Hoireann is hurabhi i hó hi ri u
Hoireann is hurabhi i hó hò.

Chuala mi do ghlaodh ‘sa’ bhruthach, Hao ri….
Ach ma chuala cha d’ chuir umhail Hoireann is….

Gus an cualas guth an fhithich.
Mile mollachd air na bràithrean

Dh’fhàg iad air mo bheulaibh sgàthan
Fuil do chuim’s do bhéil ‘s do bhràghaid

‘S tù ‘nad shineadh air na blàraibh
Mo shealgair a choilich bhuidhe

(I sat on the rock of the music and Small old men on the hill).

The first song is a light-hearted song about a Scotsman, an Irishman and an Englishman approaching and the second is some mouth-music for dancing.

Lyrics:

Shuidh mi air creggan a chuil e ho hi ri ri e ho ri e ho hao ri hiu ru bho

Chunna mi tighinn an truir e ho hi hi iu ru bho ho
Each is gille, gun ‘s cu e ho hi ri ri e ho ri e ho hao ri hiu ru bho

Each is gille, gun ‘s cu e ho hi ….
Mac an Albannaich air thus e ho hi..

Mac an Albannaich air thus
Mac an gille ‘s tocha leum

Mac an gille ‘s tocha leum
Mac an Èireanich mo rùn

Mac an Èireanich mo rùn
Mac an t-Shasanich an cùl

Gearra bhodaich ‘s a bheinn duibh
Gearra bhodaich as a ghleann
Gearra bhodaich ‘s a bheinn duibh
Bodaich dhubha as a ghleann  x2

Bodaich dhubha dhubha dhubha
Bodaich dhubha as a ghleann
Bodaich dhubha dhubha dhubha
Bodaich dhubha as a ghleann

Bodaich dhubha dhubha dhubha
Bodaich dhubha as a ghleann
Gearra bhodaich gearra dhubh
Bodaich dhubha as a ghleann

(The brown-haired milkmaid)

This is described and sung here as a milking song, but it is part of a longer love song, composed by Alasdair Mac Mhaighistir Alasdair (Alexander MacDonald), the famous 18th Century Gaelic poet. Some think that the milkmaid he is praising is code for Prince Charles Edward Stewart.

Lyrics:

Seisd; A’ bhanarach dhonn a’ chruidh,
Chaoin a’ chruidh, dhonn a’ chruidh,
Cailin deas donn a’ chruidh,
Cuachag an fhàsaich.

A bhanarach mhìogach
‘S e do ghaol thug fo chìs mi,
‘S math thig làmhainnean sìoda
Air do mhìn-bhasan bàna

Nuair a theid thu don bhuaraich,
Cuach is cuman na buaile,
B’ ao-coltach do ghluasad
Ri guanaig na sràide

‘S mòr bu bhinne bhith ‘d èisteachd
‘N àm bhith bleòghan na sprèidhe
Na ‘n smeòrach sa Chèitein
‘M bàrr gèig ann am fàs-choill

(Son of the Earl of the White banners)

A song in praise of a hero and his ship. Maggie’s mother, Flora, sang this song with Calum Johnston, also from Barra, at the 1951 Edinburgh People’s Festival Ceilidh (an event which is widely regarded as a major catalyst for the Folk Revival of the 1960s) organised by Hamish Henderson. Here, Maggie’s son, Calum, takes the part of Calum Johnston.

Lyrics:

Mhic Iarla nam bratach bàna x3
chunna mi do long air sàile

Seisd;
Hi-illean beag hò il ò ro
hì-illean beag hò il ò ro
hi-illean beag hò il ò ro,
hi o rionn ò hù o èile

Chunna mi do long air sàile  x3
bha stiùir òir oirr’ ‘s dà chrann airgid

Bha stiuir oir oirr’ ‘s dà chrann airgid x3
’s cupllichean de shìod’ na Gailbhinn:

’S cuplaichean de shìod’ na Gailbhinn x3
cha b’ann an Glaschu bha e

Cha b’ ann an Glaschu bha e, x3
no ‘n Dùn Bheagain, ‘s beag on làr e;

No ‘n Dùn Bheagain, ‘s beag on làr e, x3
na ‘n Dùn Tuilm nam bratach bàna.

(Sit down and I’ll tell you a story) 

The girl sings that the one she loves is marrying the daughter of a man who is “without honour” and who took advantage of her. She goes on to say that he even broke her rosary beads.

Lyrics:

Dean suidhe ‘s gun gabhainn sgeula
Hi ri linn is hog u bho
Air fallamhnachd  ac’ an Slèibhte
Hiu na hi ri ri e ho
hi ri e ho o libh o hia a hog u bho

Air fallamhnachd  ac’ an Slèibhte ….
Air Domhnall donn laogh mo cheile…

Chuala mi gun d’ rinn e rèiteach

Ri nighean Iarla nam brèid-gheal

Nan cluinninn gum b’ fhior a’ sgeula

Gu de do ghnothach a Cholla

A ‘Coimhead air fear donn gun onair

Chuir mo leaba an cois an doruis

Rinn e sin ’s sgriob e don’ e

Thug e bhuam mo chrios, mo sporran

Bhrist e mo phaidearearain soluist

(I see the sun moving swiftly)

In this lament the singer talks of the sun moving swiftly and setting where her three brothers and her father are lying dead. She sings that even when she tried to give them her own sweet breath and drink their blood, she could not revive them.

Lyrics:

Chì mi ghrian ‘s i falbh gu siùbhlach

Seisd;
É he ho hi e ho, hi ủ ra bhó,
Horo o hi I ồ ho
Hi Na hi ri ri,a ri o
hì u ra bhó

‘S i tighinn timcheall Rubh’ an Duine

Bidh i nochd ann an Glenn Uige

Bidh i ‘n ath-oichdhe’ an ceann Loch Suineart

Och mo chreach, mo spreid ‘s mo spuilleadh

Mo thruir bhràithrean marbh ‘sa chul tigh

‘S fuil an cuim ro leine drudhadh

‘S bha mi fhin le m’ bheul ga sughadh

Gus na thuich air m’ainail chubhraidh

Deagh fhear ‘n taigh’ na laighe ‘san tunga

(Oh, Son of Fair Owen and Vocables pronounced Trowm ho ro nàlliu)

A couple of waulking songs (type of work songs sung while shrinking tweed). The first is a love song for Owen who plays shinty but doesn’t have just an ordinary wooden shinty stick, his is made of gold! The second song tells of a sailor leaving to go Kintail to see his mother’s relations who are good rowers, drinkers and they pay their way.

Lyrics:

A Mhic Iain ‘ic Eòghainn Bhàin
Ó hó hó gu bhó
Hìll ó hóro leathag
Ó hó hó gu bhó

Bu tu ‘n t-iomanaich air tràigh

Caman iubhair a làimh chàich

Caman òir a làimh mo ghràidh

Trom ho ro nàilibh
Bidh mi falbh a’ màireach
Trom ho ro nàilibh

Gu ruige Cinn t-Sàile   Trom ho ro nàilibh

Far a bheil mo chàirdean Trom…

Luchd cinnidh mo mhàthair

B’ e siod na fir dhàicheil

Dh’ iomaireach, dh’ òladh phàigheadh

Bidh mi falbh a’ màireach

(Repeat all verses)

(Beginning of the Ebb tide)

The story here is that a man was going to fetch a midwife for his wife who had gone into labour. Unfortunately, he was waiting for the tide to go out so that he could cross over to the place where the midwife stayed and he fell asleep. He missed the low tide, and a fairy woke him up singing this song. She told him that his wife had died in childbirth

Lyrics:

‘S olc an obair aig teachdairean cadal
Hu ru agus hullirinn o ho ro
Bean òg a’ chuil chleachdaich aig baile ga càradh
ho ro ho aig toiseach na tràghad

Bean òg a’ chuil chleachdaich aig baile ga càradh ….
Mairead ni’ Ruairidh, bean uaisl’ an deagh nàdair….

Dhèanadh an t-aodach,  ‘s gum bu chaol bhiodh a snàithlean

Ach a Mhurchaidh ic Iain, bu tu cridhe na fèile

Bu tu sealgair nan aighean ‘s an latha ghil ghrèine

Tighinn timcheall na leacain gun leagadh tu treud dhiu

(A St Kildan Lament)

This track starts with Flora MacNeil introducing and singing some traditional birdcall which she learned from her mother. We then move to a widow’s lament for her husband from Soay, St Kilda, who fell off a cliff when out to collect seabirds.

Flora sang this lament in the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1957 at a special event all about St Kilda arranged by the collector and academic from Edinburgh University, Francis Collinson and The National Trust for Scotland

Lyrics:

Gura thall ann an Sòaigh
dh’fhàg mi ‘n t-òganach gleusta
Urradh dhèanadh mo thacar
’s labhairt dhachaigh na sprèidhe
’s labhairt dhachaigh na sprèidhe

Ged a chaidh thu sa chreig ud
cha b’e ‘n t-eagal a lèir thu
’S ann a rinn do chas sraonadh
‘s cha do dh’fhaod thu riamh èirigh x2

Nuair a thainig do mhathair
cha do chairich i ‘m breid oirr’
Nuair a thainig do phiuthar
bha sinn dubhach le cheile  x2

Nuair a thainig do bhrathair
cha do chaomhainn e ‘n èigheadh:
Bha sinn dubhach is craiteach
gad amharc an cèin uainn x2

Tha mo chuid-s’ de na h-uighean
aig a’ bhuidhinn as treubhaich’
’S ann thall ann an Sòaigh
dh’fhàg mi n t-oganach gleusta x2

Bha d’fhuil air a’ chloich ud
bha do lot an deidh leumaidh
Bha thu muigh air bhàrr stuaighe
’s muir gad fhuasgladh o chèile x2

Ach bheannachd nan cairdean
‘s lon laidir na feuma
Tha mo chuid-s’ de na h-eunaibh
anns na neulaibh ag èigheach x2