3.3. Recovery (1981 Ridge Records)

3.3.1. An Toll Dubh – The Dungeon
3.3.2. Rubh nan Cudaigean – Headland of the Cuddy Fish
3.3.3. 'Ic Iain 'Ic Sheumais
3.3.4. Recovery
3.3.5. Instrumental
3.3.6. Nightfall on Marsco/'S tu mo Leannan
3.3.7. Breaking the Chains
3.3.8. Fuaim a Bhlair – The Noise of Battle
3.3.9. Tir an Airm – Land of the Army
3.3.10. The Old Boys
3.3.11. Dust

 

   
   

3.3.1. An Toll Dubh – The Dungeon
Taobh cùil an doruis cha bhi grian
Suidh aig bòrd
Cha bhi biadh 's cha bhi fìon
Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain
Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain
An Gaidheal 'sa leabaidh
An Gaidheal 'na shuain
Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain
Thàinig e à Sasainn ann
Thàinig e
Le eachaibh luath is iuchair throm
Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain
Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain
An Gaidheal 'sa leabaidh
An Gaidheal 'na shuain
Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain
Air làr 'san toll-dhubh cha bhi grian
Cha bhi gealach
'S dubh an oidhche chaidleas sinn
Le èiginn ar n-eirigh às ar suain
Le èiginn ar n-eirigh às ar suain
An Gaidheal 'sa leabaidh
An Gaidheal 'na shuain
Le èiginn ar n-eirigh às ar suain
On the other side of the door there will be no
sun
Sitting at the table
There will be no food and no wine
On the other side of the door there will be no
sun
There will be no food and no wine
He came from the south
He came
On a fast horse and with a heavy key
He came from the south
On a fast horse and with a heavy key
On the dungeon floor there will be no sun
There will be no moon
Dark will be the night as we sleep
On the dungeon floor there will be no sun
Dark will be the night as we sleep
It is with difficulty that we will rise from our
slumber
It is with difficulty that we will rise from our
slumber
The Gael has gone to bed
The Gael is asleep
It is with difficulty that we will rise from our
slumber
3-44
3.3.2. Rubh nan Cudaigean – Headland of the Cuddy Fish
Buain nam bairnich, nam bairnich, nam
bairnich
Buain nam bairnich air creagan rubh nan
cudaigean
Buain nam bairnich, nam bairnich, nam
bairnich
'S goilidh sinn na bairnich 'san taigh air
rubh nan cudaigean
Goilidh sinn na bairnich, na bairnich, na
bairnich
Goilidh sinn na bairnich 'san taigh air
rubh nan cudaigean
Goilidh sinn na bairnich, na bairnich, na
bairnich
'S cagnaidh sinn na bairnich air cladach
rubh nan cudaigean
Cagnaidh sinn na bairnich, na bairnich,
na bairnich
Cagnaidh sinn na bairnich air cladach
rubh nan cudaigean
Cagnaidh sinn na bairnich, na bairnich,
na bairnich
'S sgaoiligh sinn na bairnich air muir rubh
nan cudaigean
Sgaoiligh sinn na bairnich, na bairnich, na
bairnich
Sgaoiligh sinn na bairnich air muir rubh
nan cudaigean
Sgaoiligh sinn na bairnich, na bairnich, na
bairnich
'Suidhidh sinn le tabh ann air creagan
rubh nan cudaigean
Be hileam bo horam bo eirich is ithibh ith
Be hileam bo horam bo feitheamh air na
cudaigean
Be hileam bo horam bo eirich is ithibh ith
Nach ith sibh na bairnich is ithidh mi na
cudaigean
Harvest of the limpets [barnacles], of the
limpets, of the limpets
Harvest of the limpets on the rocks of the
headland....
Harvest of the limpets, of the limpets, of the
limpets
and we will boil the limpets in the house on
the headland of the cuddy fish
We will boil the limpets, the limpets, the
limpets
We will boil the limpets in the house on the
headland
We will boil the limpets, the limpets, the
limpets
and we will chew the limpets on the shore of
the headland…
We will chew the limpets, the limpets, the
limpets
We will chew the limpets on the shore of the
headland…
We will chew the limpets, the limpets, the
limpets
And we will scatter the limpets on the sea at
the headland…
We will scatter the limpets, the limpets, the
limpets
We will scatter the limpets on the sea at the
headland…
We will scatter the limpets, the limpets, the
limpets
And we will sit with nets on the rocks of the
headland…
Be hileam bo horam bo, rise and eat, eat
Be hileam bo horam bo, waiting on the cuddy
fish
Be hileam bo horam bo, rise and eat ,eat
Won’t you eat the limpets, and I will eat the
cuddy fish
3-45
3.3.3. 'Ic Iain 'Ic Sheumais
A Mhic Iain 'Ic Sheumais
Tha do sgeul air m'aire
Air fa ra ra lo, air fa ra ra lo
Latha Blar a' Cheithe
Bha feum air mo leanamh
A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu
Fal eile bho hiri bho ho fal eile
Latha Blar a' Cheithe
Bha feum air mo leanamh
Lathe Blar na Feitheadh
Bha do leine na ballan
Lathe Blar na Feitheadh
Bha do leine na ballan
Bha fuil do chuim chubhraidh
A drudhadh ro'n anart
Bha fuil do chuim chubhraidh
A drudhadh ro'n anart
Bha fuil do chuirp uasail
Air uachdair gach fearainn
Bha fuil do chuirp uasail
Air uachdair gach fearainn
Cuma nach ghabh thu am bristeadh
Latha ligeadh na fala
Bh'on latha thug thu an cuan ort
Bha gruaim air na beannaidh
Bha snigh air na speuran
'S bha na reultan galach
Nam biodh agam curaidh
Gun cuirinn air chuan i
Fiach a faighinn naidheachd
No brath an duin uasail
Repeat
3-46
3.3.4. Recovery
Watching the morning come in on the land
See the moon roll over Skeabost
See the young men late in the glen
All with camans in hand
Sea winds out on the wilds
Sea waves crash onto Uig
See the black homes strung out on a line
Across the island of Skye
Should have been home before daylight
But it's not easy when you're down and hungry
One from the late run rolled up in a coat
I make my way across the moor
For a late summer in '84
But now there's a new day dawning
I've heard the Braes men talk in Portree
The news from Glendale
Still the morning comes in on the land
See the new sun red and rising
See the corn turn ripe in the fields
See the growth of the glen
And MacPherson's in Kilmuir tonight
What a night for a people rising
oh God not before time
There's justice in our lives
And I can't believe
That it's taken all this time
I can't believe
My life and my destiny
After the clans, after the clearings
Here I am
Recovering
3.3.5. Instrumental
3-47
3.3.6. Nightfall on Marsco/'S tu mo Leannan
Nightfall on Marsco
Cuchullin in sheets
This world of Maclean's words
Around us like spirits released
I came to love you
I came to drink
Though dancing in darkness
I'm cup running over and drunk
Darkest of prisons
Oldest of nights
For the dawning round Garsbheinn
In patience we wait for the light
I am a climber
I am a thief
Oh kingdom of Gabbro
Your strong chains won't hold this love
'S tu mo Leannan, Leannan o
'S tu mo Leannan, Leannan o
'S tu mo Leannan, 'S tu mo Leannan
'S tu mo Leannan, Leannan o
3.3.7. Breaking the Chains
3.3.8. Fuaim a Bhlair – The Noise of Battle
Fuaim a' bhlair, ceol a' chogaidh
An guth 's an naire
Air cluasan eachdraidh
Sgith dh'an bhlar, sgith dh'an chogadh
An t'eallach 's an cradh
Air gualainn eachdraidh
Blàr non Gaidheal, an Gaidheal 's an
codagh
An fhuil 's am bas
Air braighean eachdraidh
Fuaim a' bhlair, ceol a' chogaidh
An guth 's an naire
Air cluasan eachdraidh
Saidhdear mi sa' Fhraing 's sa Ghearmailt
Saidhdear mi air raointean Chanada
Saidhdear mi san Spàinn san Eadailt
Saidhdear mi 'nam aghaidh fhein an
Eirinn
The noise of battle, the music of war
The voice and the disgrace
In the ears of history
Tired of the battle, tired of the war
The burden and the pain
On the shoulders of history
The battle of the Gael, the Gael and the war
The blood and the death
On the braes of history
The noise of battle, the music of war
The voice and the disgrace
In the ears of history
I have soldiered in France and Germany
I have soldiered on the plains of Canada
I have soldiered in Spain and Italy
I have soldiered against my fellow Gael in
Ireland
3-48
3.3.9. Tir an Airm – Land of the Army
An teid thu leam a ribhinn og
Gu tir mo gràidh sitheil sona
'S chi thu saighdearan a' ruith
Am measg nan lusan bèagh 'sa mhonadh
Will you go with me, young lass
To the peaceful, happy land I love
And you'll see soldiers on manoeuvres
Running through the beautiful, wild
moorland greenery
A' Coimhead a mach air maduinn chiuin
Air ball mor cruinn os cionn na beinne
'S bhon is ciuin na tonnan gorm
Tha ceol ru aig ceol na mara
'S an deid thu leam gu tir mo ghraidh
Seall na h-eoin Dhorchas Dhona
Treabhadh speuran as ar cionn
Deanamh air Steornabhagh le cabhaig
Nis leugh t-eachdraich, fosgail suil
Anns gach linn mu dhoigh an Airnm
Stampadh air na croitean seagail
'S beathannan og aig gillean Uibhist
Cha deid mise gu an righ
Cha deid mise an corr a shabaid
O lunnain mheallt, a Bhreatuinn fhoilleil
Cha seas mi ach 'son sith nan eilean
Ho ro horain O
Failte gu tir an airm
Ho ro horain O
Come along with me, my young girl
To the peaceful, happy land
And you will see soldiers running around
Amongst the beautiful wild machair flowers
Looking out on a peaceful morning
On the great round ball above the mountain
And though the waves are calm
There's a new music in the music of the sea
And will you go with me to the land I love
To see the dark evil birds
Ploughing the skies above us
Making for Stornoway at high speed
Now read your history, open your eyes
To every generation and to the ways of the
military
Stamping on the rye in the crofts
And the young lives of the Uist boys
But I cannot go "for the King"
I cannot fight anymore
The deceit of London, the treachery of Britain
I'll only support peace in the islands
Ho ro horain O
Welcome to the Land of the Army
Ho ro horain O
3-49
3.3.10. The Old Boys
The old Boys
Are all leaving
Leaving one by one
Where young birds go flying
Spread your wings and run
But over the fields
By the drystone walls
An eagle will come no more
Welcome
Were the headlands
St Valery behind
No medals worth wasting
On memories of sand
But sweet is the breeze
Over Raasay
The morning awaits you there
What kind
Of heroes
Here for us now
Where leaders, stone preachers
Minnows on flow
But low hang the lights
Over Viewfield
And this night will day see no more
(Chorus)
3-50
3.3.11. Dust
So lead me to the river
Blood runs thicker than the water
Wrap me in your sheets together
Where my earth heart lies forever
The Lowland Scot with English habits
Has brought me to his lowland manners
No they can't understand
The hole that is in my heart
I've lived my life here with the others
I long to live with you my brothers
And my drum will beat this day
Pounding for the Gael
An end to sighs, all hands unite
In the spring that lies behind this sorrow
Deep the faith and pure the light
That shines inside and guides your people
Oh I do believe
Dust will turn the seed
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