featuring Bill Davies - piano
Mostly melancolic musings & lanquid lovelorn litagies.
Story behind the song
When Jim sent me the YouTube link to the Julie Fowlis song "Bothan Airigh" - I felt I had never before heard such an exquisite piece of music. I wanted to sing it too. Then I thought "I'm English. It would be ridiculous of me to sing a song in Gaelic." Instead I borrowed the melody, found a translation of the lyrics - read them - disregarded them (because it seemed obvious to me that the translation was literal and had been unable to carry across the lyricism and poetry which the Gaelic must undoubtedly possess) and so wrote my own English lyrics instead.
Lyrics
Black's The Thorn
With honeyed kisses and hair gold-spun she,
Far for the northern shire but yesterday,
My soul's love did leave.
Of else naught so lovely in,
This earth have I seen,
Thy form my gaze long lingers on.
For me-oh, oh me-oh,
Me oh me, oh look for me,
When black's the thorn, white's the blossom,
Look for me-oh.
Lacéd bonnet bright will I buy thee,
Dark shawl too of Gloucester Green,
Tho' all silver I have shall be spenden.
In stone cott' by old barrow's bank,
On High Wold we'll make our home,
Children at play in the garden.
For me-oh, oh me-oh,
Me oh me, oh look for me,
When black's the thorn, white's the blossom,
Look for me-oh.
When's such aplenty in the valley,
Why should we atop our flinted hills,
Be yet still so poor and forgotten?
Yet look we on th'unstruck stars,
And join with the vixen cry,
Begreeted each morning by larksong.
For me-oh, oh me-oh,
Me oh me, oh look for me,
When black's the thorn, white's the blossom,
Look for me-oh.
Very nice song with a great sound. Nice keyboards Bill and James guitars are mixed together just right for this piece. You James are the story teller for sure. Very lovely song. Bravo to you both:) Peace and Blessings, John