A note on Copyright.
Although all the songs are traditional, the versions of the lyrics
presented here have been researched from various sources and adapted
for IONA's arrangements. If you are going to reprint any of these lyrics
please include:
© 2011 Barnaby Productions Inc.
If you use them in performance, please acknowledge the source.
If you use them in a money making venture, please talk to us first.
We are not greedy!
Capitaine, capitaine, voyage ton flag. Allons chez l'aut' voisin D'mander la charité Pour les'autres v'nez nous joindre Les'autres vous v'nez nous joindre Pour le gumbo ce soir |
Translation: Captain, captain, wave your flag. Let's go to another neighbor's. Asking for charity For the others didn't join us The others didn't join us for the gumbo tonight! |
| Les Mardi Gras s'en vient de tout partout, Tout l'autour au tour du moyen, Ça passe une fois par an, demandé la charité, Quand-même ça c'est une patate, une patate ou des gratons |
The Mardi Gras come from all around, All around the center of town. They come by once per year, asking for charity. Sometimes it's a sweet potato, a sweet potato or pork rinds. |
| Les Mardi Gras sont dessus un grand voyage, Tout l'autour au tour du moyen, Ça passe une fois par an, demandé la charité, Quand-même ça c'est un poule maigre, ou trois ou quatre coton de maïs. |
The Mardi Gras are on a great journey, All around the center of town. They come by once per year, asking for charity. Sometimes it's a skinny chicken, or three or four corn cobs |
Capitaine, capitaine, voyage ton flag. Allons chez l'aut' voisin D'mander la charité Pour les'autres v'nez nous joindre Les'autres vous v'nez nous joindre Pour le gumbo ce soir |
Captain, captain, wave your flag. Let's go to another neighbor's. Asking for charity For the others didn't join us For the others didn't join us The gumbo tonight! |
Ars' an gobha fuiricheamaid. Ars' an gobha falbheamaid. Ars' an gobha ris an ogha, Na sheasamh aig doras an t-sabhail, Gu rachadh e a shuirghe. |
Translation: The blacksmith said, "I'll wait". The blacksmith said, "I'll go". The blacksmith said, in his confusion, Standing at the door of the barn, That he was going to go courting. |
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Chorus: 'Si eilean nam bothan nam bothan, Eilean nam bothan nam bothan, Eilean nam bothan nam bothan, Am bothan a bh' aig Fionnghuala, 'Si eilean nam bothan nam bothan, Eilean nam bothan nam bothan, Eilean nam bothan nam bothan, Am bothan a bh' aig Fionnghuala |
Chorus: Island of bothies, of bothies, Island of bothies, of bothies, Island of bothies, of bothies, Fingal's bothies, Island of bothies, of bothies, Island of bothies, of bothies, Island of bothies, of bothies, Fingal's bothies |
Bheirinn fead air fulmairean. Bheirinn fead air falmairean, Liuthannan beaga na mara. Bheireamaid greis air an tarrainn, Na maireadh na duirgh dhuinn. Chorus |
I'd knock spots off the birds. I'd knock spots off the hakes, Little lythes of the sea. We would take a while hauling them in, If our hand lines last Chorus |
| Cha d'thuirt an dadan a' seo. Cha d'thuirt an dadan a' seo. Cha d'thuirt an dadan a' seo. Bheireamaid greis air an tarrainn, Na maireadh na duirgh dhuinn. Chorus |
We got nothing here. We got nothing here. We got nothing here. We would take a while hauling them in, If our hand lines last. Chorus |
| Thuirt an gobha fuirighidh mi. 'S thuirt an gobha falbhaidh mi. 'S thuirt an gobha leis an othail, A bh' air an dòrus an t-sàbhail, Gu rachadh e a shuirghe. Chorus |
The blacksmith said, "I'll wait". The blacksmith said, "I'll go". The blacksmith said, in his confusion, Standing at the door of the barn, That he was going to go courting. Chorus |
Titrwm, tatrwm, Gwen lliw'r wyn, Lliw'r meillion mwyn rwy'n curo, Mae'r gwynt yn oer oddi ar y llyn O flodyn y dyffryn deffro. Chwyth y tân, mi gynnith toc, Mae hi'n ddrycinog heno. |
Translation: Jason P. Morgan Pitter, patter Lamb-coloured Gwen, The colour of the soft clover, I am knocking, The wind is cold from on the lake Oh flower of the valley, awaken! Blow the fire, it will light soon, It is stormy tonight. |
| Os ymhell o'm gwlad yr af Pa beth a wnaf a'm geneth? Pa run a'i mynd a hi efo mi Ai gadael hi mewn hiraeth? Hed fy nghalon o bob man I fryniau a phantiau Pentraeth. |
If far from my land I go What will I do with my girl? Should I bring her with me Or leave her in longing? My heart flies from everywhere To the hills and hollows of Pentraeth |
| Weithiau'n Llundain, weithiau yng Nghaer Yn gweithio'n daer amdani, Weithiau yn gwasgu fy mun mewn cell Ac weithiau ymhell oddi wrthi: Mi gofleidiwn flodau'r rhos Pe bawn i'n agos ati. |
I'm sometimes in London, and sometimes Chester Working desperately for her Sometimes finding myself in a cell And sometimes far from her. I would embrace my rose-bloom If I was close to her. |
| Titrwm, tatrwm, Gwen lliw'r wy, Lliw'r meillion mwy rwy'n curo, Mae'r gwynt yn oer oddi ar y llyn O flodyn y dyffryn deffro. Chwyth y tân, mi gynnith toc, Mae hi'n ddrycinog heno |
Pitter patter, Lamb-coloured Gwen, The colour of the soft clover, I am knocking, The wind is cold from on the lake Oh flower of the valley awaken! Blow the fire, it will light soon, It is stormy tonight. |
Get you a copper kettle, get you a copper coil.
Cover in new made corn mash and never more you will toil.
You'll just lay there by the juniper, while the moon is bright,
Watch them jugs a-fillin' by the pale moonlight
My daddy he made whiskey, my grandaddy did too.
We ain't paid no whiskey tax since 1792.
We just lay there by the juniper, while the moon is bright,
Watch them jugs a-fillin' by the pale moonlight.
Build you a fire of hickory, hickory, ash and oak.
Don't use no green or rotten wood, they'll get you by the smoke.
While we lay there by the juniper, while the moon is bright,
Watch them jugs a-fillin' by the pale moonlight.
© 2011 Barnaby Productions Inc.
Tail toddle, tail toddle
Tammie gars my tail toddle
But an' ben wi' diddle doddle,
Tammie gars my tail toddle.
When I'm deid I'm oot o' date
When I'm seik I'm fu' o' trouble
When I'm weel I stap aboot
An' Tammie gars my tail toddle.
Jessie Rack she gied a plack
Helen Wallace gied a boddle
Quo' the bride, " It's ower kittle
For to mend a broken doddle."
Oor guid-wife held ower to Fife
For to buy a coal riddle
Lang or she cam' back again
O Tammie gart my tail toddle.
Boddle: 1/6 of a penny
But and ben: up and down
Gars: makes
Diddle-doddle: side to side
Doddle: plug (euphemism)
Kittle: difficult
Plack: 1/3 of a penny
Tail:(euphemism)
Toddle: backward and forward motion
© 2011 Barnaby Productions Inc.
A Sheáin Bháin, beir orm 'S a Sheáin Bháin, bréag mé A Sheáin Bháin, beir orm Is tabhair sa gcoca féir mé |
Translation: Fair-haired Sean catch me, Fair-haired Sean lie to me, Fair-haired Sean catch me, And take me into the hay loft |
| Nach deas a d'fhás an coiricín Nach deas d'fhás an círín Nach deas a d'fhás an coiricín Ar Chaitlín Ní Ghríofa |
It's lovely the way the cock's crest grows, It's lovely the way the hen's crest grows, It's lovely the way the cock's crest grows, For Kathleen Griffin. |
| Shúil mise Sasana An Fhrainc uilig trí chéile Is ní fhaca mé aon siobaire Ba dheise ná do chírín |
I walked to England, France all together, And I never saw a crest as nice as The one on your hen. |
| Nach deas an baile an baile seo Nach deas an baile é Maoras Nach deas an baile chuile baile Ach Claidhneach glas na bhfaochain |
Isn't this town nice, Isn't Maoras a nice town, Isn't every town nice, Except Clidhnach, green with periwinkles |
| Is cuma liom cá rachaidh tú Is cuma liom cá mbíonn tú Is cuma liom cá rachaidh tú Ach thú beith ann san oíche |
I don't care where you go, I don't care where you are, I don't care where you go, As long as I have you at night |
| A Sheáin Bháin, beir orm 'S a Sheáin Bháin, bréag mé A Sheáin Bháin, beir orm Nár phóg tú aréir mé |
Fair-haired Sean catch me, Fair-haired Sean lie to me, Fair-haired Sean catch me, Didn't you kiss me last night |
| . Dans les prisons de Nantes Y'avait un prisonnier. |
Translation: In the prisons of Nantes There is a prisoner. |
|
Personne ne le vint vouer Que la fille du geolier. |
No-one comes to see him except the jailer's daughter. |
|
Un jour il lui demande "Oui, que dit-on de moue?" |
One day he asks her "What are they saying about me?" |
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"On dit de vous en ville Que vous serez pendu." |
"In town they say that you'll be hung." |
|
"Mais s'il faut qu'on me pende, Deliez-moi les pieds." |
"But if I must be hung then untie my feet". |
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La fille était jeunette, Les pieds lui a delié. |
The girl was young she untied his feet. |
|
Le prisonnier alerte, Dans la Loire s'est jeté |
The alert prisoner jumped into the Loire. |
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Des qu'il fut sur les rives, Il se prit à chanter. |
Once he reached the bank he began to sing. |
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"Je chante pour les belles, Surtoût celle du geôlier." |
"I sing for the lovely women especially the jailer's daughter." |
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"Si je reviens à Nantes, Oui, je l'epouserai." |
"If I return to Nantes I'll certainly marry her." |
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Dans les prisons de Nantes Y'avait un prisonnier... |
In the prisons of Nantes There is a prisoner... |
A trooper lad came here at e'en
Frae riding he was weary.
A trooper lad came here at e'en
And the moon was shining clearly.
Chorus:
Lassie, I'll lie near ye yet,
Bonnie lassie, I'll lie near ye,
And I'll gar all your ribbons reel
In the morning 'ere I leave ye
She's ta'en the trooper by the hand
And led him tae the chamber.
She's gi'en him breid and wine tae drink
And his love, it flared like tinder.
She's made her bed baith wide and lang,
Made it like a lady.
She's pu'ed her petticoats o'er her heid
Crying, "Trooper, are ye ready?"
He's ta'en off his big top coat
Likewise his hat and feather.
He's ta'en his broadsword frae his side,
Oh an' he's laid doon aside her.
The trumpet sounds at Burreldales,
Sayin' man and horse mak' ready.
The drums are beat at stoneman hill,
Lads, leave yer mams and daddies.
The fifes do play at cromlech bank,
Let's leave the Lewes o' Fyvie!
The trooper tae the fair maid said,
"Bonnie lassie, I maun leave ye".
"Fan will ye come back again?"
"An' fan will we be married?"
"Fan frost an' snow are warm as sun."
"Oh it's then I will na tarry"
She's pu'ed her coatie o'er her heid
An' followed him doon thro' Stirling,
But she grew so fu' that she could na bow
And he's left her in Dunfermline.
Cheese and breid for carles and dames,
Corn and hay for horses,
Aye cups o' tea are for auld wives,
An' lads for bonnie lasses.
© 2011 Barnaby Productions Inc.
Where has your daddy gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your daddy gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Where has your daddy gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your daddy gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Wash your face and comb your hair,
Climb on board and I'll take you there.
Go where your daddy's gone.
Gone away to Fer Moh
Go where your daddy's gone,
Go where your mammy's gone...
Where has your mammy gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your mammy gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Where has your mammy gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your mammy gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
See the pig dressed up so fine,
Glazing in the window pane.
Go where your mammy's gone.
Gone away to Fer Moh.
Go where your daddy's gone,
Go where your mammy's gone,
Go where your brother's gone...
Where has your brother gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your brother gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Where has your brother gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your brother gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Sing a carol ‘round the fire,
There's no need of a chapel choir.
Go where your brother's gone.
Gone away to Fer Moh.
Go where your daddy's gone,
Go where your mammy's gone,
Go where your brother's gone,
Go where your sister's gone...
Where has your sister gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your sister gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Where has your sister gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your sister gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Take a whisk and tease the boys,
There's another dozen joys!
Go where your sister's gone.
Gone away to Fer Moh.
Go where your daddy's gone,
Go where your mammy's gone,
Go where your brother's gone,
Go where your sister's gone,
Go where your lover's gone...
Where has your lover gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your lover gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Where has your lover gone, so early in the evening?
Where has your lover gone, gone away to Fer Moh".
Meet you underneath the light,
Steal a kissing in the night.
Go where your lover's gone,
Gone away to Fer Moh.
Go where your daddy's gone,
Go where your mammy's gone,
Go where your brother's gone,
Go where your sister's gone,
Go where your lover's gone,
Go where you're going to...
Where are you going to, so early in the evening?
Where are you going to, gone away to Fer Moh".
Where are you going to, so early in the evening?
Where are you going to, gone away to Fer Moh".
Altogether off we go,
Going to St. Ive's Fer Moh.
And all go together now,
Off we go to Fer Moh!
© 2011 Barnaby Productions Inc.
Document last modified on September 2, 2012 - IONA.