3.4. Heartland (1985 Ridge Records) 3.4.1. Cho Mealt – Much Deception |
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3.4.1. Cho Mealt – Much Deception
Nuair a bha sinn og is saor
Thoisich sinn a seinn 'sa Ghaidhlig
Sniomh ceol is a sgriobhadh orain
'S a cluaich 'nar comhlan 'son ar
bheoshlaint
O cho meallt is a tha an saoghal
Dh'fhag sinn eileanan an iar
'S thoisich sinn a cluich tro Alba
is bha gnothaichean mar bu choir
Gun do nochd an duine mor a Lunnain
O cho meallt is a tha an saoghal
'Abair ceol a th'agaibh an seo
O nach tig sibh comhla riumsa
Is ni sinn ahhartas tron an t-saoghal
Direach cur t-ainm aig bonn a' phaipear
O cho meallt is a tha an saoghal
'Chan athairreach min an ceol agaibh ann
Chan atharraich mi na h-orain Chaidlig'
Ach chuala sinn mu dheireadh thall
Na briagan's na faclan falamh
O cho meallt is a tha an saoghal
Sibhse a tha og agus saor
Stad mas cur sibh ainm ri paipear
Is cum a mach suil 'son nan daoine mora
An saoghal fuar tha ag adhradh airgead
O cho meallt is a tha an saoghal
When were young and of independent spirit
We started singing in Gaelic language
Making music, writing songs
Playing in a band for our livelihood
There is much deception in the world
We left the islands of the west
And started playing throughout Scotland
And all was well
Until the big man from London appeared
There is much deception in the world
"This music has potential
Why don't you consider letting me take control
And we will make great progress in the world
Just sign your name at the bottom of this
page"
There is much deception in the world
"I will not change the nature of your music
I will not alter your attitude to Gaelic language
songs"
But all we heard at the end of the day
Were lies and empty words
There is much deception in the world
Now all of you that are young and of
independent spirit
Take heed before you sign any contract
And keep a good look out for the `big' talkers
From a cold world that makes profit its only
goal
There is much deception in the world
3-53
3.4.2. This Darkest Winter
On a long dark loch
On a Uist moor
Before the winter turned
We watched the circle round the moon
And the storm clouds gather round
So I turned to you
But you were gone
So I turned for home alone
Over last year's rotting corn I walked
Where the harvest winds had blown
The Blinding Lines
Have turned away
Shadows from your door
And my worn heart
Is young today
This darkest winter gone
Where the darkness whines
On an eerie wind
In the hour before the dawn
We scanned this wasted land for life
All seemed void and without form
So I turned to you
But you were gone
So I stood and watched alone
Where the doubtless clouds of firstlight formed
Their shapes across the soul
(Chorus)
So I turned by collar
To the wind
And I asked myself in vain
Did I walk out there with you today
Or did I come alone?
But then I saw
A distant sight
A heart behind the grey
Come shining through the darkest sky
Establishing my way
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
3-54
3.4.3. Lifeline
Hear the call of the wind
Feel the dying answer
Steel on the mind
Cold in the veins
Torture and trial
Sunrise over the limits
Conquest and fire
I'm alive
I'm alive
I'm alive on a lifeline
I'm alive
I'm alive
Spirits provide
I'm alive
I'm alive
I'm alive on a lifeline
Come to the mountain and climb
You cry in the wilds
Hope on the ledges
Your heart's in the stars
Night's in your eyes
The rockface inclines
hold her, leave her
Rise to glory
Over mankind
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
3-55
3.4.4. Air a' Chuan – On the Open Seas
Tha am ball air fhuasgladh
Is tha sinn a' gluasad
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Tha sinn a' seoladh
Tro thonnan uaine
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Aur cursa deonach
Tha sinn a' seoladh
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Fad bho thir
Is an talamh aghmhor
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Is mi a' sealltainn man cuairt
Is mi cho fada bhuat
Cail ach muir, tonnan is cuan
O mo run
Tha a' ghaoth a' seideadh
Nan tonnan fiadhaich
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Tro thonnan fiadhaich
Is droch shide
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Cho domhain an cuan
Cho luachmhor an uair
Nach mair fada buan
O mo run
Sinn a' treabhadh
Tron an oidhche
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Siubhal sabhailteachd
Is madainn shunndach
Air a' chuan, air a' chuan
Thig crioch air an t-saoghal
Is thig crioch air daoin
Ach mairidh ceol is mairidh gaol
O mo run
The ropes have been undone
And we are set adrift
On the open seas
We are sailing on
Through the green waves
On the open seas
On a willing course
We keep sailing
On the open seas
Ever far from land
And the glorious soil
And as I look around me
All I feel is my distance from you
Separated by the relentless ocean
My love
The wind is rushing
Through the wild waves
Through the raging seas
And the brooding weather
On the open seas
The ocean is unfathomable
And the time that lever lasts
Is too previous
My love
And so we journey on
Through the night
On the open seas
Searching for safe waters
And the peaceful morning
The world will come to an end
An end must come for mankind
But music and love
They'll last forever
My love
3-56
3.4.5. Dance Called Ameria
The landlords came
The peasant trials
To sacrifice of men
Through the past and that quite darkly
The presence once again
In the name of capital
Establishment
Improvers, its a name
The hidden truths
The hidden lies
That once nailed you
To the pain
They did a dance
Called America
They danced it round
And waited at the turns
For America
They danced their ladies round
To the candles
Of enlightenment
Once lit they say don't burn
To turn the darkest room of suffering
To a greater state of pain
Don't tell me that's behind you now
Don't greet me
Don't meet your dying blind
It's our very last stand together
So let’s sever
No regrets
(Chorus)
There were days
That once held confidence
Strength of will and mind
The camouflage that once washed your fathers
Your sons and daughters time
Another Tounge
My love, my island
You've gone international
With all the praying men of God
Who stood
And watched it all go on
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
3-57
3.4.6. The Everlasting Gun
So here you go you're on your own
The flower blooms so freely
For fortune, musket, fyfe and drum
Your faking days won't leave you
'Cause young man now you nurse the gun
You're nervous in the morning
'Neath shattered skies your body lies
On the dark side of reason
The blood is lusting in your heart
Your flesh red hot and lonely
And vengeance gulps the bitter cup
That once held wine so sweetly
But young man legends still unfold
For regiment for glory
You search for gold like you've been told
And the light of day won't leave you
For fickle kings you click the heel
Where a bleak moon leans so weary
Forgotten names on faceless graves
Your father's home awaits you
Oh, the warrior is not the fool
The refugee of freedom
But the outlawed man who holds no gun
On the dark side of reason
But run
You'll never turn and run
The everlasting gun
Your day will surely come
You'll never run
3-58
3.4.7. Skye
How can't you see
The wilderness growing free
Time wounded and scarred
Stroking away the years
It's hard to believe
But memories are old ghosts
Mountains of black and gold
Sunsets falling over the moor
Oh take me there
's na horo eile , horo bho
's na horo bho , hillean o
's na horo eille ho , Take me there !
You take your dream
You make life what you feel
Appearances lead to deceive
This drama so far from me
Destiny
On facts aching wings
Wild geese fly low over your shores
Hearts sailing over the trees
Oh take me there !
's na horo eile , horo bho
's na horo bho , hillean o
's na horo eille ho , Take me there !
Chi mi'n t-eilean uaine
Tir nam beanntann arda
Ceo a'tuiteam tron a'ghleann
Na shineadh air do raointeann
3-59
3.4.8. Cnoc na Feille – The Hill and the Market Stance
Gun dragh gun d'chuir e an t-eagal oirnn
Solus Cnoc na Feille
Hoginn oro horo illean horo eile
Bha feadhainn ann a chunnaic e
'S cach ag inns' nam briagan
Hoginn oro horo illean horo eile
Ach muinntir an da shealladh
Chitheadh iadsan co-dhiubh e
Hoginn oro horo illean horo eile
Tha lach is giadh is curracag
'Nan caraidean air a'mhachaire
Hoginn oro horo illean horo eile
Tha feannag air a crochadh suas
Ceangailt le ropa
Hoginn oro horo illean horo eile
Tha coineanach 'sa ghainmheach
Ne sheasamh, abair urchaire
Hoginn oro horo illean horo eile
Hoginn o, hoginn o, horo horo illean
Hoginn o, horo illean, hoginn o hoginn o
It is without doubt that it frightened us
The light on the hill at the market stance
There were those who could see it
Others liked to believe they could
Those with the second sight
They had no difficulty
The duck, the goose and the lapwing
Are together sharing the machairlands
A dead crow hangs on the fence
Tied by a length of rope
A rabbit is sitting in the sand dunes
Presenting himself a perfect target
3-60
3.4.9. The Wire
We listened into the Iceage
And we built up man round the Picts
And the daybreak hammered out warning
To the weak
We dreamed on moor with passion
And on the long lochs bluer than eyes
'Till the mists of bygone ages
heard our cries
I've seen us among thousands
All of one name waiting to run
And when the charge came heather on heartbeat
Steel on gun
The old rock leaves us with fossil
From the ancient pagan rites
From the universal inroads
back to Christ
As we look out over the morning
And the days of this life's spring
And the joy of Gaelic's lifeblood
Made me sing
Watching your beauty on this journey
With the lick of youth in your eyes
Let us sow this olden heartland
Reap in time
Transmitting, transmitting
Breaking down the wire
Transmitting, transmitting
Breaking down the wire
3-61
3.4.10. An Ataireachd Ard – The High Surge
An ataireachd Bhuan
Cluinn Fuaim na h-ataireachd ard
The torunn a' chuain
Mar chualas lean s' e nam phaisd
Gun mhuthadh gun truas
A sluaireadh gainneamh na tragh'd
An ataireachd bhuan
Cluinn fuaim na h-ataireachd ard
'S na coillten a siar Chan iarrain
fhuireach gu brath
Bha m'inntinn 's mo mhainn
A riamh air lagan a bhaigh
Ach iadsan bha fial
An gniomh an caidreamh 's an agh
Air sgapadh gun doin
Mar thriallas ealtain roimh namh
Ach suibhlaidh mi uat
Cha ghluais mi tilleadh 'nad dhail
Tha m'aios is mo shnuadh
Toirt luaidh air giorrad mo la
An am dhomh bhi suaint
Am fuachd 's an cadal a bhais
Mo leabaidh dean suas
Ri fuaim na h-ataireachd ard
The ceaseless surge
Listen to the surge of the sea
The thunder of the ocean
As I heard it when I was a child
Without change
Without pity
Breaking on the sand of the beach
The ceaseless surge
Listen to the high surge of the seas
In the woods of the west
I would not want to remain forever
My mind and my desire were always
On the little hollow by the bay
But those folk
Who were generous in affection
In their happiness
And in their acts
Have been scattered defenceless
As a flock of birds flees
In front of their enemy
I shall move away
I shall no longer stay beside you
My age
And my looks
Speak of the shortness of my days
But when I am wrapped
in the cold sleep of death
Make up my bed
By the sound
Of the high surge of the seas
3-62
3.4.11. The Ferry
Well the captain called from ship to shore
And the green light slipped away
The captain called for another song
The day was getting late
For the distant light of the Weavers Point
The Lochmor faced the gale
With your Gaelic sons in the city long
Round the saloon by the stairs
She tossed around the sun went down
And she fought her way to the shore
The fever of this sea believes
The boys are coming home
3.4.12. Tuireadh Iain Ruaidh
Instrumental