Ar A Ghabhail ‘N A ‘Chuain Damh
I Walked Down By The SeaSongwriters: Ciarán Brennan, Moya Brennan, Noel Duggan, Padraig Duggan. This song appears on Clannad’s fifth album Crann Úll, released in 1980. It is written in the key of A major and it doesn’t follow any standard rhythm. It starts with a chord progression, which is then followed through most of the song. Then as the mandolin appears at first, the song gets a more traditional form – since then it is played in common time which sometimes changes to 7/8 or 5/4 time signature.
One of the main characteristic signs of the song is the notable use of a Fender-Rhodes electric piano in the second section of the song. The other is a flute solo which begins at around 1:50, and is followed by a bluesish acoustic guitar solo.
Do you have any further information about this song? Edit this page and help us expand this section. ^closeIrish
English
I walked down by the sea
Right wearily
My heart, it was tormented
From a northern sky the small clouds did fly
And sorely I lamented
I'm sorry now I swear
That I didn't care
To heed my mother's caution
She spoke to me fair saying don't venture there
Don't go the road to Ballyhaunis
Yet dearly did I love
My fair-haired girl
In the garden that morning early
Your lips as tender as the foam on the ocean's rim
And cheeks like red haw-berries
I put my arm around your waist
But my mind knew no ease
Though the small birds sang so gaily
I wished we were going under white sails blowing
Be it fair or stormy weather
My own heart's dear
If you'd come away
To that land of ships from Ireland
There's no heartache nor there's no pain
That wouldn't find a cure for certain
You are the one I've always loved
So save me now from dying
For without God's grace I'll never survive
On this street in Ballyhaunis