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This is a traditional Scottish ‘waulking’ song (òran-luadhaidh) arranged by Clannad. It appears on their second album called Clannad 2, released in 1975.
Waulking was a method of fulling newly woven cloth, shrinking the nap so that the cloth might be warmer when made into clothing or blankets. As many as twelve men and women might sit around the table and with their hands, beat the cloth to the rhythm of a song. Although the structure of milling songs may vary, as well as styles of beating the cloth and participation, one aspect remains constant and serves as a defining characteristic of the genre, that is the solo presentation of the verses and group participation in the chorus. This chorus is often comprised of two to four lines of vocables, another defining feature of the milling genre.
Sèist (after each verse): Dheannain sùgradh ris a nighean duibh N' deidh dhomh eirigh as a 'mhadainn Dheannain sùgradh ris a nighean duibh
Dheannain sùgradh ris a'ghruagaich 'Nuair a bhiodh a' sluagh nan codal
Dheannain sùgradh an àm dùsgaidh 'N àm na siùil a bhith 'gam pasgadh
Di-Luain an dèidh Di-dòmhnaich Dh'fhalbh sinn le Seonaid a Aircaibh
Bha muir gorm a'ruith fo cuinnlein 'S i cur still a grunnd an aigeil
Riof 'gha ceangal 's riof 'gha fuasgladh Muir ma guallain fuaim is fead oirr
Null ma Chaolas na Ròimh B'fheudar dhuinn am bòm a leaiseadh
Null ma Chaolas na Fraing Maide 'na làimh 's gaoth 'gha greasad
Gu 'm bithidh buill nach feum a splaghsáil Ar mo mhaighdean as a thigh'n dhachaidh
Dh'fheumadh pòrsan thigh'n a búth dhith Ged a bhiodh e crún an cairteal
Ged a bhiodh e crún an óirleach Dh'fheumadh pòrsan dheth thigh'n dhachaidh
Chorus (after each verse): I'd have fun with the dark-haired maiden And rise early in the morning I'd have fun with the dark-haired maiden
I'd have fun with the lass While the world would be sleeping
I played when we woke And when the sails were unfurled
On Monday, after Sunday We left the Orkneys on the Seonaid
Blue sea was running under the stubble And sending torrents from the bottom of the abyss
A reef being tied and a reef being loosened The sea at her back noisy and whistling
There about the Strait of Rome We needed to lash the boom
There about the Strait of France The stick was in the hand and the wind was driving
Oh there will be ropes that do not need splicing On my maiden coming home
You would need a portion coming from her shop Although it was a crown a quarter
Although it would be a crown an inch You would need a portion of it coming home
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