Thirteen traditional songs in Irish with contemporary guitar accompaniment. Complete texts, translations, and notes supplied.
Includes unlimited streaming of Casadh na n-Amhrán / Turning the Song
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about
The chanson de jeune fille or ‘(forsaken) young girl’s song’ is one of the oldest genres in the European tradition. Pregnancy may be explicit, implicit, or ignored. The main feature of these songs – far rarer in the Gaelic tradition than the man’s lovesong – is the exquisite suffering of the girl, her sense of abandonment, often intensified by gossip or parental disapproval. The latter aspect is dealt with in the second and third verses here – really two closely related quatrains –, but the first and last stanzas display a fine definite sense of storytelling that knows how to deal with essentials; the lost lives leave us with a clear if imaginative picture of isolation and immersion in nature.
lyrics
Jimmy mo Mhíle Stór
Bliain an taca seo d’imigh uaim rún mo chléibh,
Ní thiocfaidh sé abhaile go dtabharfaidh sé cúrsa an tsaoil. Nuair a chífead é rithfead le fuinneamh ró-ard ina chomhair, Agus clúdód le mil é, ’sé Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
Bíonn mo mháthair is m’athair ag bearradh is ag bruíon liom féin. Táim giobaithe, piocaithe, ciapaithe, cráite i mo shaol;
Thugas taitneamh don duine úd dob fhinne ’s ab áille snó,
Ach chuaigh sé ar bord loinge, is é Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
A chailíní deasa, déanaigí brón díbh féin,
Mar go bhfuilimse fuirsithe, stracaithe, cráite ón saol. Thugas cumann don duine ba bhinne is ba bhreátha snó Do chuaigh ar bord loinge uaim, ’sé Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
Raghadsa chun coille ’gus caithfead ann críoch mo shaoil,
San áit ná beidh éinne, ag éisteacht le ceol na n-éan,
Ag bun an chrainn chaorthainn, mar a bhfásann ann féar go leor, Ag tabhairt taitneamh don duine úd, ’sé Jimmy mo mhíle stór.
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Jimmy My Thousand Treasures
It’s about a year now since I lost the love of my life
And he won’t be coming home till he’s done the rounds of the world; When I see him, I’ll charge so hard that I might knock him down And I’ll drown him in honey, he’s Jimmy my thousand treasures.
My mother and father are forever annoying and bothering me, I’m pecked and pestered and plagued and tormented in life
I gave love to the lad of the fairest and loveliest looks,
But he went on board ship, he’s Jimmy my thousand treasures.
All ye girls who have hearts, join in with my cries and my tears For I’m harrowed and harrassed and torn and tortured by life
I gave love to the lad with the sweet talk and loveliest looks,
But a ship took him from me, he’s Jimmy my thousand treasures. I’ll go to a wood and spend there the last of my days,
In a place without people, only listening to the song of the birds. At the foot of the rowan tree, where plenty of grass does grow, I’ll be loving that young lad, he’s Jimmy my thousand treasures.
Fran O’Rourke is emeritus professor of philosophy. With John Feeley he has given recitals of Irish traditional songs
associated with James Joyce from San Diego to Shanghai.
John is Ireland’s leading classical guitarist. He has performed concerts around the world and recorded many CDs, most recently Bach’s Cello Suites 1-3....more
