Méav: A Celtic Journey

(choir:chant)
My young love said to me, "My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kine."
Then she stepped away from me and this she did say:
"It will not be long, love, till our wedding day."
She stepped away from me and she moved thru' the fair
And fondly I watched her move here and move there.
And she made her way homeward with one star awake
As swan in the evening moves over the lake.
(Choir:chant)
Last night, She came to me, She came softly in
So softly she came that her feet made no din,
And she laid her hand on me and this she did say:
"It will not be long, love, till our wedding day."

(choir: chant)

2. The Last Rose of Summer

Tis the last rose of summer,
Left blooming alone,
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone.
No flow'r of her kindred
No rosebud is nigh
To reflect back her blushes,
Or give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one,
To pine on the stern,
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them

Thus kindly I'll scatter
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow
when friendships decay;
And from love's shining circle
The gems drop away
When true hearts lie wither'd
And fond ones are flow'n
Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

Oh! who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

3. Down by the Salley Gardens
by William Butler Yeats

Down by the Salley Gardens,
My love and I did meet;
She passed the Salley Gardens
with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy,
As the leaves grow on the tree;
But I being young and foolish,
and with her did not agree.

In a field by the river,
My love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder,
She laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take love easy,
as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish,
and now am full of tears.

4. I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls

I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls
with vassals and serfs at my side,
and of all who assembled within those walls
that I was the hope and the pride.
I had riches all too great to count
and a high ancestral name.

But I also dreamt which pleased me most
that you loved me still the same,
that you loved me
you loved me still the same,
that you loved me
you loved me still the same.

I dreamt that suitors sought my hand,
that knights upon bended knee
and with vows no maidens heart could withstand,
they pledged their faith to me.
And I dreamt that one of that noble host
came forth my hand to claim.

But I also dreamt which charmed me most
that you loved me still the same
that you loved me
you loved me still the same,
that you loved me
you loved me still the same.

5. Celtic Prayer

When is the hour at the end of the day
That we must take the time to pray?
And certain song our hearts do say
Our children had a better life today

That we must take the time to pray
And certain song our hearts do say
Our children had a better life today

Our song and dance will bring us peace today

6. Suantraí

CODAIL SUAN, MO CHADRA BHÁN, CODAIL SÁMH, A MHUIRNÍN MHILIS,
LUIGH GO CIÚIN SA CHLIABHÁN,DÚN DO SHÚIL, A LEANBH DHÍLIS.

RÉALTA GEALA ANOCHT AG LUASCADH INS AN SPÉIR, FUAIM NA COILLE AGUS CEOL NA HOÍCHE;
FÁG UAIT AN OLAGÓN, NÍL GÁ AR BITH LEIS CHOÍCHE.


English Translation:

SLEEP SOUNDLY, MY WHITE LAMB, SLEEP DEEPLY, MY SWEET DARLING,
LIE QUIETLY IN THE CRADLE, CLOSE YOUR EYES, MY FAITHFUL CHILD.

BRIGHT STARS TONIGHT ARE ROCKING IN THE SKY, FOREST-SOUNDS AND NIGHT-MUSIC;
LEAVE ASIDE YOUR LAMENTING, THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT ANYMORE


7. Danny Boy

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the roses falling
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

But when he come, and all the flowers are dying
If I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my grave will warm and sweeter be
For you will bend and tell me that you love me
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.

8. Greensleeves

Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
And I have loved you so long,
Delighting in your company.

Chorus:

Greensleeves was all my joy
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Thy smock of silk, both faire and white,
With gold embrodered gorgeously:
Thy peticote of Sendall white:
and these I bought thee gladly.

Chorus

I bought the kerchers to thy head
And wrought so fine and gallantly
I kept thee both at board and bed
Which cost my purse well favouredly.

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have wagered both life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have

Chorus

Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.



9. Dante’s prayer

Chant:
Flos Carmeli,
vitis florigera,
splendor caeli,
Virgo puerpera
singularis.

Mater mitis,
sed viri nescia,
Carmelitis,
esto propitia,
Stella maris

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars

Chorus:
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and the fire

(Chorus)

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

(Chorus)

Please remember me
Please remember me, ...
(Chant)


10. GOLTRAÍ

MISE AG FAIRE SAN OÍCHE, SAN OÍCHE FADA CHIÚIN,
TUSA ID' LUÍ ID'LEABA, ID' CHODLADH FADA SUAN.
D'IMIGH TÚ TRASNA NA TONNTA UAIM
IS NÍ MAITH LIOM 'BHEITH ANSEO LIOM FÉIN;
TUSA, MO GHEALACH 'S MO GHRIAN, I BHFAD I GCÉIN.

UAIGNEAS, GAN BLAISEADH DO BHÉILÍN MEALA, IS ÁILLEACHT GHEAL DO GHNÚIS,
MISE AG FEITHEAMH GAN CHIALL LED' THEACHT, AGUS MÉ AG SILEADH SÚL,
TUSA I D' LEABA SHÍORAÍ ANOCHT, FAOI CHRÉ 'TÁ DORCHA DLÚTH.
GLAOIM ANOCHT IS GACH OÍCHE ORT, FILL AR AIS ARÍS A RÚN!
SINNE A BHEIDH SCARTHA ÓN A CHÉILE ANOIS GO BUAN.

English Translation:

I KEEP WATCH IN THE NIGHT, THE LONG QUIET NIGHT,
YOU SLEEP IN YOUR BED, A LONG SERENE SLEEP.
YOU WENT AWAY FROM ME AND TRAVELED ACROSS THE WAVES
AND I DO NOT LIKE BEING HERE ALONE;
YOU, MY MOON AND MY SUN, ARE FAR AWAY.

LONELINESS, WITHOUT THE TASTE OF YOUR HONEYED LIPS AND THE BRIGHT BEAUTY OF YOUR FACE,
I FOOLISHLY AWAIT YOUR RETURN, AS THE TEARS FALL.
YOU ARE IN AN ETERNAL BED TONIGHT, UNDER DARK, DENSE CLAY.
I CALL TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT, "COME BACK MY DARLING!"
WE WILL BE PARTED FOREVER.

11. Silent Night (Oíche Chiún)

Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé,
Cách 'na suan dís araon.
Dís is dílse 'faire le spéis
Naíon beag, leanbh ceansa 'gus caomh.
Críost, 'na chodladh go sámh.
Críost, 'na chodladh go sámh.

Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé,
Aoirí ar dtús chuala 'n scéal.
Allelúia aingeal ag glaoch.
Cantain suairc i ngar is i gcéin.
Críost an Slánaitheoir Féin.
Críost an Slánaitheoir Féin.



Note:
Suantrai and Goltrai Lyrics and translation by Méav
taken from Andreja Malir's Cd Through the Mirror of Sound
I was given permission (by Andreja and Méav) to publish the lyrics taken from the said Cd.

To get your copy of the CD,
please click on the images below


Méav: A Celtic Journey

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