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Cluinnidh Mi Thar Uchd na Mara

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:58 pm
by Mairead
I'm researching some songs on Tobar an Dualchais. There's one called "Cluinnidh Mi Thar Uchd na Mara". You can see the record and hear the song here. I found a transcription and tr*nsl*t**n of the lyrics here, but I've noticed that the version she sings is slightly different than the lyrics provided for Albannach's version. I was wondering if anyone could figure out what words the singer, Margaret MacNeil, uses instead of the ones used by Albannach at these points in the recording:

0:49 - In this line, it sounds like she says something else other than "tìll", something sounding to me like "duar" but I don't know what the word is.
2:33 - It sounds pretty similar, but it sounds like she pronounces the "s" in "Shuain". (Is that down to dialect?) And does she sing "mar" instead of "na"?

Other than switching "òig" and "gaol" in one of the verses, those are the only differences I've been able to detect - though if you hear more, by all means, let me know! I'm looking into sea/fishing songs partly out of my own interest, but also with an eye on doing something with the Scottish Fisheries Museum at some point. (I volunteer there.) Thanks for your help!

*Edit - the link was going to the wrong song, but I've fixed it now!

Re: Cluinnidh Mi Thar Uchd na Mara

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:12 am
by Níall Beag
I thin what you're is " 's shuain " -- it's not unusual for song to pick up or drop ors, ands and buts over time, and I'm sure I here a short /h/ after the /s/.

"mar"... yes, I hear it too. She also uses a different word afterwards - something like "lìobhainn" or "lìomhainn" to my ear.

Re: Cluinnidh Mi Thar Uchd na Mara

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 8:15 am
by Níall Beag
And I think it's "nach d' fhuair gu ..." for the first one. Literally "didn't get to" rather than the Albannach version's "didn't return to"

Re: Cluinnidh Mi Thar Uchd na Mara

Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:32 pm
by Mairead
Good call on nach d' fhuair gu and 's shuain -- I think you're right! I'm not so sure about lìobhainn or lìomhainn -- it does sound like "gh" to me more, though I see where you're coming from. I think liaghain makes a lot of sense in the context of the song, too. Thanks for your help! :)