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This is a lovely old folk song in Scottish Gaelic. In the video is a wonderful performance by Scottish folk singer Julie Fowlis. Fowlis grew up in North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides, in a Gaelic-speaking community. She has been involved in singing, piping and dancing since she was a child. She is a member of the Scottish sextet, Dòchas, who were voted winners of Best Newcomer award at the Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004, where Fowlis herself was nominated for the Best Gaelic Singer award. In 2005, Fowlis released her first solo album Mar a Tha Mo Chridhe (As My Heart Is). The album was produced by Iain MacDonald and Fowlis and instantly gained her worldwide acclaim. It was the busiest year until then in her career, with the release of a new album with Dòchas as well. Fowlis has travelled worldwide with the group and as a solo artist with her own live band.
Her second solo album Cuilidh was released in March 2007, becoming a worldwide top-seller in the Traditional and World Music charts. Her album is a collection of songs from her native North Uist home. Her husband, Éamon Doorley plays bouzouki on the album and is a member of Irish traditional group Danú.
Fowlis won the Horizon award at the 2006 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, won Folk Singer of The Year at the 2008 awards and was nominated for the Folk Singer of the Year award at the 2007 awards. She appeared on Later With Jools Holland on BBC Two on May 25, 2007, and performed Hùg air Bhonaid Mhòir on the show. Notable fans of Fowlis include Björk, Ricky Gervais and Radiohead’s Phil Selway.
In 2008, Julie recorded an album with long-time friends and collaborators Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Ross Martin and husband Éamonn Doorley. The album, entitled ‘Dual’ was released in October 2008, under Fowlis’ ‘Machair Records’. Fowlis also toured extensively around Scotland, Ireland, central Europe and America and launched both her solo albums while on tour. Fowlis recorded a version of the Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’ for Mojo Magazine to celebrate the anniversary of The Beatles’ ‘The White Album’. The song, performed in Scottish Gaelic was released as a download single from Fowlis’ own website in October 2008.
On 24 April 2009 through her online mailing list, Fowlis announced that she would begin recording her third studio album in May and that she would preview tracks from the project on her May 2009 tour of England. On 10 August 2009, she announced the album’s title, Uam’ (Scottish Gaelic for ‘From Me’). In Europe the album was subsequently released 26 October the same year.
In 2012, Fowlis contributed to the Pixar film Brave with the songs “Touch the Sky” and “Into the Open Air”, sung in the off-screen musical thoughts of the lead character Merida.
Oganaich ùir a rinn m' fhàgail
Curfá: Hi ri-abh o hiùraibh o ho Hi ri-abh o ro hùbhag Hi ri-abh a hiùraibh o ho
(repeat chorus after each line below)
Chum thu air deireadh air chàch mi Gun fhios dha m'athair no m' mhàthair Gun fhios dham phiuthar no m' bhràithair A bhean ud thall aig a chuibhle Fhios agad fhèin mar a tha mo chridhe Caimbeulach òg oirre shiubhal 'S nach fhaigh mi baisteadh an Uibhist Gu ruig mi fear a' chùil bhuidhe Chum thu air deireadh air chàch mi
Oh noble youth who has left me
Chorus: Hi ri-abh o hiùraibh o ho Hi ri-abh o ro hùbhag Hi ri-abh a hiùraibh o ho
You have kept me behind all the others Unknown to my father or mother Unknown to sister or brother Oh woman at the spinning wheel You know how my heart is A young Campbell in your possession I will not get a baptism in Uist Until I reach the yellow-haired man You have kept me behind all the others
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