Lyrics from The Fruited Thorn

NOW WESTLIN' WINDS

By Robert Burns – as sung by Dick Gaughan

Now westlin' winds and slaughtering guns
Bring autumn's pleasant weather
The moorcock springs on whirring wings
Among the blooming heather
Now waving grain, wild o'er the plain
Delights the weary farmer
And the moon shines bright as I rove at night
To muse upon my charmer

 The partridge loves the fruitful fells
The plover loves the mountain
The woodcock haunts the lonely dells
The soaring hern the fountain
Through lofty groves the cushat roves
The path of man to shun it
The hazel bush o'erhangs the thrush
The spreading thorn the linnet

Thus every kind their pleasure find
The savage and the tender
Some social join and leagues combine
Some solitary wander
Avaunt! Away! the cruel sway,
Tyrannic man's dominion
The sportsman's joy, the murdering cry
The fluttering, gory pinion

But Peggy dear the evening's clear
Thick flies the skimming swallow
The sky is blue, the fields in view
All fading green and yellow
Come let us stray our gladsome way
And view the charms of nature
The rustling corn, the fruited thorn
And every happy creature

We'll gently walk and sweetly talk
Till the silent moon shines clearly
I'll grasp thy waist and, fondly pressed,
Swear how I love thee dearly
Not vernal showers to budding flowers
Not autumn to the farmer
So dear can be as thou to me
My fair, my lovely charmer

EILEEN FHIANAIN

Seisd
Is truagh nach robh mi còmhla riut
Sna h-àitean far am b'eòlaich sinn
Is dh'fhaodainn-sa gu sòlasach
Bhith siubhal bheann is ghleann
Is machraichean gach latha leat.

Bha mi greis sa bhaile mhòr
'S gu dearbh cha robh mi sona ann
Na sràidean cruaidh is faramach
Cha tèid mi air ais gu bràth
'S gach daoine th' ann cho aineolach.

B' fheàrr leam a bhith 'n seo gu bràth
Am measg nan daoin' is aithne dhomh
Chan iarrainn ach bhith còmhla riut
Is laigh is èirigh slàn
'S gach latha a bhios mi maireann leat.

English translation:

ST FINNAN'S ISLE

Chorus
I am sad I was not with you
In the places we know so well
And I would joyfully
Walk the bens and glens
And machairs with you daily.

I was a short time in the city
And indeed I was not happy there
The streets so hard and noisy
I'll never go back
The people are so ignorant.

I’d prefer to live here for ever
Amongst the people I know
I only want to be with you
To lie and rise with you
And live with you as long as I live.

LORD GREGORY

Traditional Irish ballad, as sung by Cathal McConnell

I am a King’s daughter
And I’ve strayed from Capaquinn
I'm in search of Lord Gregory
Pray God I find him
The rain beats my yellow locks
And the dew does wet me skin
My babe is cold in my arms
Lord Gregory, let me in

Lord Gregory's not here
And he cannot be seen
For he's gone to bonnie Scotland
To bring home his new queen
Leave now those windows
And likewise this hall
For it's deep in the sea
You should hide your downfall

Who will shoe my bairn's little feet?
Put gloves on her hand?
Who will tie my bairn's middle
With a long and green band?
Who will comb my bairn's yellow locks
With an ivory comb?
Who will be my bairn's father
Till Lord Gregory comes home?

Do you remember, love Gregory
That night in Capaquinn
When we changed pocket handkerchiefs
Though it was against my will?
Yours was fine linen love

Whilst mine was coarse cloth
Yours cost one guinea love
Whilst mine but one groat

My curse on you Mother
And my curse it bein’ sore
Sure I dreamt that the lass of Arran
Came a’rappin at my door
Oh lie down there you foolish son

Lie down and go to sleep
For it's long ago her weary locks
Were a’ wavin in the deep

Then go saddle me my black horse
The brown, or the bay
Go saddle me my best horse
In the stable this day
And I'll roam over valleys
And mountains so wild
And I’ll find the lass of Arran
And I'll lay down by her side

Nighean Nan Geug

as sung by Cathy Ann MacPhee

A nighean nan geug
O hao ri u
Tha muigh leis an sprèidh
O hao ri ohan, o hao ri u

Tha muigh leis an sprèidh
O hao ri u
Na gabh eagal no fiamh
O hao ri ohan, o hao ri u

 Na gabh eagal no fiamh
Tha mis' an seo sian

 Tha mis' an seo sian
A nighean nan geug

 A nighean nan geug
Mo thruaighe mo chlann

 Mo thruaighe mo chlann
Bean eile nan ceann

 Bean eile nan ceann
Gam bualadh gu teann

 Gam bualadh gu teann
Gam biadhadh gu gann

 Gam biadhadh gu gann
'S an athair 's a' ghleann

 'S an athair 's a' ghleann
A nighean nan geug
 

English translation:

OH RAREST OF MAIDENS

Oh rarest of maidens
O hao ri u (rhythmic vocables)
Who is out tending the cattle
O hao ri ohan, o hao ri u

 Who is out tending the cattle
O hao ri u
Do not be afraid
O hao ri ohan, o hao ri u

Do not be afraid
I am here to protect you

I am here to protect you
Oh rarest of maidens

Oh rarest of maidens
My poor wee ones

My poor wee ones
Another women looks after them 

Another women looks after them
She beats them sorely 

She beats them sorely
She feeds them poorly

She feeds them poorly
When their father is away in the glen

 When their father is away in the glen
Oh rarest of maidens

As I Roved Out

An Irish Ballad as sung by Andy Irvine of Planxty 

As I roved out on a bright may morning
To view the meadows and flowers gay
When whom should I spy but my own true lover
As she sat under yon willow tree 

I took off my hat and I did salute her
I did salute her, most courageously
When she turned around, well the tears fell from her
Saying, False young man, you have deluded me.

A diamond ring I owned I gave you
A diamond ring to wear on your right hand
But the vows you made love, you went and broke them
And you married the lassie that had the land

If I married the lassie that had the land my love
It’s that I’ll rue till the day I die
But when misfortune falls, no man can shun it
I was a blindfolded I’ll ne’er deny.

 Now at nights when I go to my bed of slumber
The thoughts of my true love run in my mind
When I turn around to embrace my darling
Instead of gold, it is brass I find

And I wish the Queen would call home her army
From the West Indies, America and Spain
And every man to his own wedded woman
In hopes that you and I will meet again

Mary and the Gallant Soldier

Traditional Irish, as sung by Paul Brady

Come all ye lads of high renown
That would hear of a fair young maiden
As she roved out on a summer's day
To view the soldiers parading
Well they marched so bold and they looked so gay
The colours flying and the bands a playin’
Well it caused young Mary for to say
I'll wed you my gallant soldier

She viewed the soldiers on parade
As they stood at their leisure
Mary to herself did say
Well at last I've found my treasure
But oh how cruel my parents must be
To banish my love so far from me
Well I'll leave them all and I'll go with thee
My bold undaunted soldier

Oh Mary dear my truest love
I pray don't be unruly
For when we're in a foreign land
Believe me you'll rue it surely
And perhaps in battle I might fall
With a shot from an angry cannonball
And you so far from your daddy's hall
Be advised by your gallant soldier

I have fifty guineas in my fold
Likewise a heart that's bolder
Well I'll leave them all and I'll go with thee
My bold undaunted soldier
And don't say no and let me go
And I will face the daring foe
And we'll march together to and fro
And I'll wed you me gallant soldier

And when he saw her loyalty
And Mary so true hearted
He said ma darlin’ married we'll be
And nothing but death will part us
And when we're in a foreign land
I'll guard you darlin’ wi my right hand
In we’ll hope that God might stand a friend
For Mary and her gallant soldier

Blackbird (What a Voice)

As sung by Lizzie Higgins

What a voice, what a voice
What a voice I hear
It’s like the voice of my Willie dear
But if I had the wings like that swallow high
I would clasp in the arms of my Billy boy 

When my apron it hung low
My true love followed through frost and snow
And noo my apron it is tae my shin
He passes me by and he ne’er speirs in 

It is up into yon white house brae
He called a strange girlie up in tae his knee
He called a strange girlie up in tae his knee
And he’s telt her a tale that he once told me 

There is a blackbird sits on yon tree
Some says it is blind and it cannae see
Some says it is blind and it cannae see
And so is my true love tae me 

I wish I wish I wish in vain
I wish I was a maid again
But a maid again I will never be
Till the apples they grow on the orange tree

I wish I wish that my babe was born
And smilin’ on some nurses knee
And as for me I was dead and gone
And the long green grass growin’ over me

Bratach Bana

'Ic larla nam Bratach Bana x 3
Chunna' mi do long air saile

Seisd
Hi 'illean beag ho ill o ro x 3
Hu hoireann o hu o e ileadh 

Chunna' mi do long air saile x 3
Bha stiuir oir oirr' 's da chrann airgid 

Bha stiuir oir oirr' 's da chrann airgid x 3
 'S cupaill de shioda na Gaillmhinn 

 'S cupaill de shioda na Gaillmhinn x 3
Sioda reamhar ruadh na Spainne

 Sioda reamhar ruadh na Spainne x 3
Cha b'ann an Glaschu a bha e 

Cha b'ann an Glaschu a bha e x 3
No 'n Dun-Bheagain, 's beag o'n lar e 

No 'n Dun-Bheagain, 's beag o'n lar e x 3
No 'n Dun-Tuilm nam bratach bana   

English Translation: 

WHITE BANNERS

Son of the Earl of the white banners
I saw your ship on the sea 

Chorus
Hi 'illean beag ho ill o ro x 3(rhythmic vocables)
Hu hoireann o hu o e ileadh

I saw your ship on the sea
She had a helm of gold and two masts of silver

She had a helm of gold and two masts of silver
Shrouds of silk from Galway 

Shrouds of silk from Galway
Rich red silk from Spain 

Rich red silk from Spain
It was not seen in Glasgow

It was not seen in Glasgow
Nor in small Dunvegan

Nor in small Dunvegan
Nor in Duntulm of the white banners

If I was a Blackbird

Traditional Irish, as sung by the late Andy M Stewart

I am a young sailor my story is sad
For once I was carefree and a brave sailor lad
I courted a lassie by night and by day
But now she has left me and sailed far away

Chorus
Oh if I was a Blackbird, could whistle and sing
I’d follow the vessel my true love sails in
And in the top riggin’ I would there build my nest
And I'd flutter my wings o’er her lily white breast

Or if I was a scholar and could handle the pen
One secret love letter to my true love Id send
I'd tell of my sorrow my grief and my pain
But now she has left me in yon flowery glen

I sailed o’er the ocean my fortune to seek
Though I missed her caress and her kiss on my cheek
I returned and I told her my love was still warm
But she turned away lightly and great was her scorn

I offered to take her to Donnybrook fair
And to buy her fine ribbons to tie up her hair
I offered to marry and to stay by her side
But she sails in the morning she sails with the tide

My parents they chide me and will not agree
Sayin’ that me and my false love married should ne’er be
Ah but let them deprive, let them do what they will
While there’s breath in my body she’s the one I love still

Griogal Cridhe  

‘S iomadh oidhche fhliuch is thioram
Sìde nan seachd sian
Gheibheadh Griogal dhòmhsa creagan
Ris an gabhainn dìon

Dhìrich mi dhan t-seòmar mhullaich
 'S theirinn mi 'n taigh-làir
 'S cha d' fhuair mise Griogal cridhe
Na shuidhe mun chlàr

Seisd
 Òbhan, òbhan, òbhan i ri, òbhan i ri ò …
Òbhan, òbhan, òbhan i ri,
'S mòr mo mhulad, 's mòr

Eudail mhòir de shluagh an domhain
Dhòirt iad d' fhuil an-dè
'S chuir iad do cheann air stob daraich
Tacan beag bhod chrè 

Marwari lyrics translated into English:

    My love, while you are away
Do not believe that I am at peace
My days are of suffering
Like those of a fish without water

Chan eil ùbhlan idir agam
 'S ùbhlan uil’ aig càch
‘S ann tha m' ubhal cùbhraidh caineal,
'S cùl a chinn ri làr 

Nuair bhios mnathan òg' a' bhaile
Nochd nan cadal sèimh
Sann bhios mis' air bruaich do lice,
Bualadh mo dha làimh ……Obhan, obhan… 

Marwari lyrics translated into English:

    Dhola my deepest love, Dhola, Dhola Ji
Dhola, I have found three gems in the desert
Oh my love, Dhola
I have found three gems Dhola, Maru and saffron

English Translation (of the Gaelic)

BELOVED GREGOR

    Many's the night, be it wet or dry
Or the weather of the seven elements
Gregor would find a nook for me
 Where I could take shelter 

Chorus
Obhan, obhan, obhan iri obhan i ri o
Obhan obhan obhan i ri
Great is my sorrow, great

I climbed to the highest room
And descended to the ground floor
 And I could not find beloved Gregor
Sitting at the table

My greatest treasure in all the world
They spilt your blood yesterday
And they put your head on an oak stob
A little distance from your body.

Marwari lyrics translated into English:

    My love, while you are away
Do not believe that I am at peace
My days are of suffering
Like those of a fish without water

I have no apples at all now,
The others have all the apples
My fragrant, sweet apple
Lies with the back of his head on the ground. 

When the young women of the village
Are sleeping soundly tonight
I will be at the edge of your grave
Beating my palms in sorrow

Marwari lyrics translated into English:

Dhola my deepest love, Dhola, Dhola Ji
Dhola, I have found three gems in the desert
Oh my love, Dhola
I have found three gems Dhola, Maru and saffron

The Marwari lyrics are from an epic Rajasthani ballad, DHOLA MARU. Dhola and Maru were star crossed lovers, but their love for each other was profound. In this couplet the poet is admiring their commitment and love for each other, implying that they were two gems and the third was their love (akin to saffron – a colour that stands for steadfastness, bravery and sacrifice)

Translations kindly provided by Govind Singh and Divya Bhatia