Help interpret song recording?

An toil leat ceòl, bàrdachd no ealain sam bith eile? Am faca tu rudeigin inntinneach air an TBh? Innse dhuinn air / Do you like music, poetry or any other art form? Did you see anything interesting on the telly? Tell us about it
GilleChriosd
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Help interpret song recording?

Unread post by GilleChriosd »

Could anyone help me understand the final quatrain of a field recording of the song Gràdh Geal Mo Chridh made on Eriskay in 1950?
I recognise the first three verses from other versions but the last one sounds completely different to anything noted or recorded elsewhere. I think I can make out some words like "ghraidh", "gleann", and "leat", but I'm not a native speaker so struggle to understand what the singer sings in that verse.

The audio file is at:

http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/pl ... 88B3149F31

(3rd verse starts at 3.00 minutes)

I do have a couple of other questions about the chorus on the recording if someone was willing to help a little more:

The singer clearly and consistently pronounces " Bheir mi " as "' 'eir mi ". Is this a dialect feature, just a performance quirk, or something else (perhaps " Thoir mi ")?

In the second line of the chorus I think she sings " (Bh)eir mi, oro, eile bhois ", which is unique to this version and makes sense in the context of the song. But the last line of the chorus is usually sung as " 'S mi fo bhròn 's tu 'gam dhìth ", whereas she seems to sing " Mi fo leamhain 'gad a dhuìth ". As far as I can tell "leamhain" means "elms" in English, but that seems a bit odd. Is she actually singing " 'S mi fo dheamhain " =? I'm tormented/bedevilled without you? Or am I completely wrong and it is something else altogether?

I'd be very grateful for help with any this, but particularly the words of the final verse.
Last edited by GilleChriosd on Sun Jun 02, 2019 10:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.


akerbeltz
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Help interpret song recording?

Unread post by akerbeltz »

She sings fo leòn, not fo leamhan :priob:

It would help if you posted what you have transcribed so far so we don't have to do it from scratch? Just makes it a bit quicker.
GilleChriosd
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Help interpret song recording?

Unread post by GilleChriosd »

Thanks very much for that!
Good suggestion about the transcribing. So here what I can hear of the whole song based on other known versions. I've done what little I can with the fourth verse (starting at 3:00 minutes on the audio), but mostly left it blank, hoping for further help:

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hì
Bheir mi oro eile bhois
'S mi fo leòn gad a dhuìth

'S iomadh oidhche fhliuch is fhuar
'Ghabh mi cuairt is mi leam-fhin,
Gus an d'rainig mi'n t-àit
Far'n robh gràdh geal mo chridh'.

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hì
Bheir mi oro eile bhois
'S mi fo leòn gad a dhuìth

Dh'fhàg thu sìlteach mo shùil
Dh'fhàg thu tùrsach mo chridh'
Dh'fhàg thu tana-glas mo shnuadh
'S thug thu ghruag bhàrr mo cheann

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hì
Bheir mi oro eile bhois
'S mi fo leòn gad a dhuìth

Ged nach eil mi fhathast pòst'
Tha mi'n dòchas gum bi
Fhad' 's a mhaireas mo dhà dhòrn
Cha bhith lòn oirnn a dhìth

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hì
Bheir mi oro eile bhois
'S mi fo leòn gad a dhuìth

(Last verse beginning at 3.00 minutes)
............................??
..... ghraidh ...........??
........... gleann .... leat??
.................... sinn cuinn??

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hì
Bheir mi oro eile bhois
'S mi fo leòn gad a dhuìth

I could hazard a guess at some of the blanks but I fear it might be such nonsense I'be embarrassed. If someone can solve that puzzle for me it would complete a fascinating little journey of discovery about that song. Mòran taing.
akerbeltz
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Help interpret song recording?

Unread post by akerbeltz »

Tricky one ... she's not easy to understand. I've made the following amendments, maybe someone else can pick out something based on that?

The -s in bhois goes with the 's in the following line, pretty sure.

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
bheir mi ò hu ò hì
bheir mi òro eile bhò
's mi fo leòn ga do dhìth

'S iomadh oidhche fhliuch is fhuar
ghabh mi cuairt is mi leam fhìn,
gus na ràinig mi 'n t-àit’
'n robh gràdh geal mo chridh'.

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
bheir mi ò hu ò hì
bheir mi òro eile bhò
's mi fo leòn ga do dhìth

Dh'fhàg thu sìlteach mo shùil
dh'fhàg thu tùrsach mo chridh'
dh'fhàg thu tana glas mo shnuadh
's thug thu ghruag far mo chinn

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
bheir mi ò hu ò hì
bheir mi òro eile bhò
's mi fo leòn ga do dhìth

Ged nach eil mi fhathast pòst'
Tha mi 'n dòchas gum bi
Fhad 's a mhaireas mo dhà dhòrn
Cha bhi lòn oirnn a dhìth

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
bheir mi ò hu ò hì
bheir mi òro eile bhò
's mi fo leòn ga do dhìth

Ach ...
a’s a’ ghràidh o bhith linn
toil do chàirdean gur leat
do thoil fhèin os an cionn.

Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
bheir mi ò hu ò hì
bheir mi oro eile bhò
's mi fo leòn ga do dhìth
GilleChriosd
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Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:27 pm
Language Level: Non-native - self taught beginner
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Help interpret song recording?

Unread post by GilleChriosd »

Thanks very much for that. It's real progress. I'm glad it's not just me finding it hard to follow her :). As you say, perhaps others might have a view?
GilleChriosd
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:27 pm
Language Level: Non-native - self taught beginner
Corrections: I'm fine either way
Location: Sasainn

Help interpret song recording?

Unread post by GilleChriosd »

After numerous listens, I now think the first line of verse four is "Ach toil tàr suas starradh"

So the whole verse would be:

Ach toil tàr suas starradh
A’s a’ ghràidh o bhith linn
Toil do chàirdean gur leat
Do thoil fhèin os an cionn

I am more than happy to be told that is wrong or plain nonsense, but it does sound like the words she sings. Thanks for taking the time to help.
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