Luaidh

(C. Macdonald / R. Macdonald)

Luaidh, luaidh
Luaidh, O luaidh

'Nuair a chunnaic mi thu
'Nuair a dhùisg mi bho'm bhruadar
'S a' mhadainn ùr 's a' dearrs' a' ghrian
O cha robh mi fada smuaintinn
Gum b'e seo gaol mo mhiann

'Nuair a dh' aithnich mi do chliù
'Nuair a chunnaic mi do shùilean
'Nuair a dh' fhairich mi do bhlàths
Cha robh ni air talamh a dh' iarrainn
An toil agam uil' air bàrr

Bhon t-earrach gu teas an t-samhraidh
Gu'n reothadh aig deireadh bliadhn'
Daonnan bidh do cridhe a' bualadh
Gaol mo mhiann

'Nuair a dhùisg mi bho'm bhruadar
'S a' mhadainn ùr 's a' dearrs' a' ghrain
O cha robh mi fada smuaintinn
Gu b'e seo gaol mo mhiann
Gaol mo mhiann

Love / Translation

Love, love
Love, O love

When I saw you
When I awoke from my dreaming
In the new morning and the rays of the sun
I did not take long in thinking
That this was my desire

When I realised your being
When I saw your eyes
When I felt your warmth
There was nothing on earth I needed more
My joy on the crest

From spring to the heat of summer
To the frosts at the year's end
Your heart will always keep beating
My desire

Mairi Bhàn

(C. Macdonald / R. Macdonald)

O mo Mhairi bhàn tha na blàthan air na gallan
Tha 'n eala bhàn aig tàmh air na lochan mar a bha
Is tha na sgòthan olc 's dorch air am fuadach, air an sgaradh
Grian ùr ag èirigh suas
Grian tha abaich le gaol mo Mhairi bhàn

Na sheasabh air a' chidhe, gruagach bhòidheach, òighe maise
Cho aotram is cho saor, s&ugrve;ilean lasadh blàth le gàire
'S tha aiseag mòr mo chridhe seòladh bho sgrios gu sìth 's sonas
'S tus an lus an gàrradh marbh
An reul san adhair chiar, mo Mhairi Bhàn

'S daor a cheannaich sinn an saors' a chuir crìoch ri blàr 's ri cògaidh
Daor na cuimhnichean nach fhàg fàsach cianail an Roinn-Eorpa
'S tha gach là a tha nam choinneamh airson nan gillean nach bi tilleadh
Ar clann gun fhathast ann
'S saoghal loma-làn le gaol mo Mhairi bhàn

Nach toir thu dhomh do làmh, do phog, do gheall, do ghaol 's do chridhe
'S gun coisich sinn le sunnd tro gharradh òg na cruinne
Tha geallach làn ar fiùghair a' soillse air a' mhachair
'S air an t-slighe tha feitheamh oirnn
Slighe a mhaireas ri gu bràth, mo Mhairi bhàn

Tha 'n eàla bhan aig tàmh air na lochan mar a bha

Fair HairedMary / Translation

My fair-haired Mary, the blossom is now on the young branches
The white swan is at rest on the lochs, as always was
The dark foreboding clouds have now cleared away and scattered
A new sun is rising
A sun ripe with love, my fair-haired Mary

Standing on the pier, a beautiful young girl, a fair one
Light hearted and free, eyes full of spirit and laughter
And the big ship of my heart is sailing from destruction to happiness
For you are the flower in a dead garden
The star in the darkest sky, my fair-haired Mary

Heavy was the price we paid for the freedom that put an end to conflict and war
Difficult the memories that will never leave the dreadful wilderness of Europe
Now I live each day before me for the boys that will not be returning
For the children still to be born
And for a world overflowing with love, my fair-haired Mary

So give me your hand, your kiss, your promise, your love, your heart
And let us walk in joy through the young garden of creation
For the moon of all our hopes is shining on the machair
And on the path that stretches before us
The path that reaches to eternity, my fair-haired Mary

The white swan is at rest on the lochs, as always was

*(handsome young men)

Nighean Òg Nan Sùilean Ciùin

(C. Macdonald / R. Macdonald)

Thòisich là' mar là' sam bith eile
Dh' èirich grian le cuid dòchais is blàiths
Ach mu chrioch na h-oidhche cò shaoileadh
Gun do chaochail mo shaoghal gu bràth
Dhùisg na solais an talla a bhaile
Chaidh an ceòl a-mach tarsainn a' chuain
'S ann an sin a chiad chunnaic mi a' ghruagach
Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin

Bha soillse anns an aite san robh i seasamh
Aingeal cho àlainn is grinn
Le falt dorch a' tighinn tarsainn a guailinn
Òigh cho bòidheach sa chunnaic mi riamh
Dh' fhalbh mo chùram mar shaighead
Is m' anam mar chlach-iùil bhuam
'S gu grad bhiodh sinn dannsa ri chèile
Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin

Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin
Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin
Gu grad bhiodh sinn dannsa ri cheile
Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin

Tha na bliadhnaichean air dhol seachad
'S iomadh grian a dh' eirich bhon là'
Tha cho drùite 's cho glaiste nam chuimhne
Cho buan ri cearcal, ri fàinne,
Ach chan eil àm nas beannaichte air talamh
Seach nuair tha gaol abaich is ùr
Ach dh'fhàs an gaol sin nas doimhne

Nighean ùg nan sùilean ciùin
Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin
Dh'fhàs an gaol sin nas doimhne
Nighean òg nan sùilean ciùin

Lìon i mo bheatha le stòras
'S gach là is gach oidhche le sùnnd
Nuair a bhios briathran gaoil air do bhilean
Tha t' anam faisg air an àrd-shlighe bhuan
Ach fhad 's bhios rionnag san adhar air fhàgail
'S mi le anail bith mi moladh do cliù
Gruagach òg mo dhàn 's mo luach

Young Girl With The Gentle Eyes / Translation

The day began just like any other
The sun rose in warmth and expectation
But by the end of the evening who would have thought
That my life would be forever changed
The lights came on in the village hall
The music drifted across the water
And it was there I first saw
The young girl with the gentle eyes

A light shone on the spot where she stood
An angel, beautiful and fine
Dark hair falling across her shoulders
As beautiful a girl as I had ever seen
My being flew off like an arrow
And my soul reacted like a magnet
And before long we were dancing together
Young girl with the gentle eyes

Young girl with the gentle eyes
Young girl with the gentle eyes
Before long we were dancing together
Young girl with the gentle eyes

Now the years have passed away
Many suns have risen since that day
That’s so entrenched and locked in my memory
As everlasting as a ring, as a circle
There is no more blessed time on earth
Than when love is first ripe and new
But that love has grown deeper
Young girl with the gentle eyes

Young girl with the gentle eyes
Young girl with the gentle eyes
That love has grown deeper
Young girl with the gentle eyes

She filled up my life with treasures
Each day and night with joy
When the words of love are on your lips
You are getting close to the higher eternal ways
But as long as there is a star left in the skies
And as long as I have breath, I will sing your praises
Young girl, my desire and my worth

Am Bàrd Deireannach

(C. Macdonald / R. Macdonald)

'Se pàipear-naidheachd là an-diugh
A dh'inns dhomh mu do chuairt
Air cuan deireannach a' ghràidh

'Fagail na Caraidh moch Di-Màirt
Air an t-slighe tha nas àirde
Na drochaid òb Cheann a' Bhàigh

'S tu chuireadh fonn ri gach smuain
Earrann ri gach cuan
Briathran ri gach cuairt

Am bàrd, am maraiche còir
Seòladh gu to ghlòir
Air a' gheòla oirdhearc le do sheòrs'

Seasaidh gach eithear taobh ri taobh

Aig acarsaid a tuath
Thig mucan mara tron an t-sàile

'S ged thig soillse 's gràs dhuinn fhathast
Dh'falbh là a' bhàird
Gun nì air talamh ghabhas d-àite

Tha grian eile ag èirigh
Air baile truagh fuar
Tha sinn a' caoidh ginealach nan naoimh
'S a' ghrian a dh'falbh leibh
Gu bith ùr

Am bàrd, am bàrd deireannach
Am bàrd, am bàrd deireannach

The Last Bard / Translation

It was today's newspaper
That brought me news of your journey
On that last ocean of love

Leaving the Caraidh on a Tuesday morning
Your route now much higher
Than the bridge at the Bayhead inlet

You who would put a melody to every thought
A verse for each ocean
Words for every journey

The bard, the kind-hearted mariner
Sailing to your glory
On the magnificent ship with your people

The boats will stand side by side
In the north harbour
The whales will keep coming through the brine

And although light and grace will still surround us
The day of the bard is gone
And there's not a thing in the world to take your place

Another sun is rising
On a poor, cold village
And we lament the generation of saints
And the sun you took with you
To a new existence