Beautiful Wasteland

Posted on:
  1. “M’ionam Air A’ Ghille Bheag”
  2. In Exile – ‘Ille Dhuinn Chaidh Tu”M Dhith
  3. The Tree
  4. Am Mur Gorm – The Blue Rampart
  5. Beautiful Wasteland
  6. Co Ni Mire Rium?
  7. Shelter
  8. Hebridean Hale-Bopp

 

M’ionam Air A’ Ghille Bheag

M’ionam air a ghille bheag,
Cuin a bheir e gun dhomh?
Cuin a bheir e cot’ agus cleoc as a’ bhuth dhomh?
M’ionam air a ghille bheag,
Cuin a bheir e gun dhomh?

Nuair dh’fhasas e laidir
“S a dh’fhagas e’n duthaich

Nuair stiuireas e gheola
‘S a sheolas e’n iubhrach

Nuair dh’fhagas i Grianaig
An iar bidh a cursa

Bidh siuil ri croinn arda
“S mo ghradhsa ga stiuireadh

Nuair ruigeas i na h-Innsean
Thig sioda ‘gam ionnsaigh

B’fhearr leam fhin gum beireadh an teile,
‘N teile dhe na heireagan,
B’fhearr leam fhin gum beireadh an teile
dh’eireagan Shleit am maireach

Gheibheadh tu fhein, a ghaoil, an t-ugh,
Gheibheadh tu fhein, a ghraidh an t-ugh,
Gheibheadh tu fhein, a ghaoil an t-ugh
Nam beireadh na heireagan bana

 

‘Ille Dhuinn Chaidh Tu”M Dhith – In Exile

‘Ille dhuinn chaidh tu’m dhith
Slain gu’n till thu’s gu’n ruig thu
Ille dhuinn chaidh tu’m dhith

Ille dhuinn a dh’fhalbh a Brogaich
Bidh mi bronach gu’n tig fios ort

Ille dhuinn an leadain dualaich
‘S ann Di-luain a fhuair mi fios uat

Ille dhuinn an leadain dualaich
‘S og, a luaidh, a bhuair thu mise

Ille dhuinn an leadain chraobhaich
Thug mi gaol araon gun fhios duit

Ille dhuinn an leadain bhoidhich
‘S ann fo bhron a dh’fhag thu mise

Ille dhuinn, ma dh’fhag thu’ n duthaich
‘Smor mo churam nis nach tig thu

 

 

The Tree

Crathadh d’aodaich a ghaoil
Thig thu’n taobh-sa mu Shamhainn
Crathadh d’aodaich a ghaoil
Thig thu ma bhios gaoth ann

Bith thu nad ruith air a’ rathad
Bith thu nad ruith air a’ rathad
Bith thu nad ruith air a’ rathad
Sior chrathadh d’aodaich

With sails unfurled my love
you will come this way abour Halloween
With sails unfurled my love
You will come if there is a fair wind.

You will make haste on the way
under full sail

Am Mur Gorm

Mur b’e thusa bhiiodh an Cuilithionn
‘na mhur eagarra gorm
ag crioslachadh le bhalla-criche
na tha ‘nam chridhe borb

Mur b’e thusa bhiodh a’ ghaineamh
tha’n Talasgar dumhail geal
‘na clar biothbuan do mo dhuilean
air nach tilleadh an run-ghath

‘S mur b’e thusa bhiodh na cuantan
‘nan luasgan is ‘nan tamh
a’ togail cair mo bhuadhan
‘ga cur air suaimhneas ard

‘S bhiodh am monadh donn riabhach
agus mo chiall co-shint’
ach chuir thusa orra riaghladh
os cionn mo phianaidh fhin

Agus air creachainn chein fhasmhoir
chinn blathmhor Craobh nan Teud
‘na meangach duillich t’aodann
mo chiall is aogas reil

The Blue Rampart

But for you the Cuillin would be
an exact and serrated blue rampart
girdling with its march-wall
all that is in my barbarous heart

But for you the sand
that is in Talisker compact and white
would be a measureless plain to my expectations
and on it the spear desire would not turn back

But for you the oceans
in their unrest and their repose
would raise the wave crest of my mind
and settle it on a high serenity

And the brown brindled moorland
and my reason would co-extend
but you imposed on them an edict
above my own pain

And on a distant luxuriant summit
there blossomed the Tree of Strings
among its leafy branches your face
my reason and the likeness of a star

 

Beautiful Wasteland

It rarely makes the news today, the place where I was born
They called it a wasteland, a wilderness gone wrong
Where the twisted trees have fallen, the branches stripped and bare
In the silence of the night time, innocence is here.

I embraced my father’s warnings, and studied in your schools
to justify your theories and convoluted rules
Travelled to the corners, where everybody knows
My country’s been wearing, the emperor’s clothes

Beautiful Wasteland, is me
Beautiful Wasteland, is me
If only you’ll see, you’ll believe.

I’ll take you there, to the bracken slopes, where the summer’s rolling in.
I’ll take you there.

We’re lying by the ocean, our western breeze is still
She’s the heart of all seasons, a mother to my soul
When the century is over, and the shipping days are done
Like a child for the first time I will lie here again.

Co Ni Mire Rium?

Co ni mire rium, O hoireann o
Co ni mire rium, hu hoireann o
Co ni mire rium

Co ni sugradh, co ni cinnealtas, o hoireann o

Co ni a, mur dian na gillean a, o hoireann o

Latha dhomh ‘s mi falbh ‘sna fireachan, o hoireann o

Thachair orm a’ ghruagach chinnealta, o hoireann o

Theann mi null is fhuair mi bruidhinn dhi, o hoireann o

‘S dh’fhoighneachd mi gu de bu chinneadh dhi, o hoireann o

Thuirt i riumsa “Tha bann – Siosalach” o hoireann o

Co Ni Mire Rium?

Who will flirt with me? Who will be nice to me?

Who will, unless the young men will

One day I took into the mountains

I came across a nice young lass

I went over and got her to talk with me

And I asked her what her name was

She said “I’m a Chisholm”

 

Shelter

We’re building a shelter
on the edge of mount Verona
It’s a corrugated palace
with a tree lined avenue

If you’re frightened of the future
and you’re watching o’er your shoulder
If you’re getting kind of anxious and nervous
Come and stay here till it’s through

This a’int no ark of Noah
no mockery of history
a taxi ride to nowhere
just a drifting boat at sea

My sister is working
for every day pleasure
the car in the driveway gleaming
the kids watching MTV

She was born to the Parish
says there’s no way of leaving
says her rainbow is slowly fading … fading

This aint no ark of Noah
no mockery of history
a taxi ride to nowhere
Just a drifting boat at sea

This aint no ark of Noah
no mockery of history
a taxi ride to nowhere
just a drifting boat at sea

Hebridean Hale-Bopp

(This is made up of 3 songs)

O Ho Phirearaig

O ho Phirearaig, a’ Phirearaig, a’ Phirearaig
O ho Phirearaig ga prithig anns an Inn’s

Phirearaig as ainmeile a bha riamh an Alba
Tha dubh is geal is dearg innt’
Is earball a, choin innt’

Null Thar Nan Eileanan

‘Over the Isles to America”

Null thar nan Eileanan dh’America gu’n teid sinn
Null thar nan Eileanan dh’America gu’n teid sinn
Null thar nan Eileanan dh’America gu’n teid sinn
Null rathad Shasuinn’s dhachaidh rathad Eirinn

These words are evidently modern and refer to the Highlanders going to America either as emigrants or as soldiers to fight our battles about the middle of the last century. In neither case would they be in a jovial mood. The air is an old one to which these words have been added.

 

Bithidh Fionnladh Aig Innearach

Bithidh Fionnladh aig innearach
Bithidh Fionnladh aig innearach
Bithidh Fionnladh le ‘bhriogais odhar
A ‘cur fodh na h-innearach

Bho Thulaichean gu Bealaichean
‘S bho Bhealaichean gu Tulaichean
‘S mur faigh sinn leann ‘s na Tulaichean
Gu’n ol sinn uisge Bhealaichean