Chì mi na Mòr-bheanna / Mist-covered Mountains

Am bliadhna bha cothroman gu leòr agam beanntan àlainn is drùidhteach na Gàidhealtachd fhaicinn ri linn na h-obrach agam no còmhla ri luchd-tadhail, agus chuir sin nam chuimhne an t-òran ainmeil Chì mi na Mòr-bheanna. Mar às àbhaist thòisich mi ri rannsachadh. ‘S e Iain Camshron a sgrìobh e ann an 1856, is esan à Baile a’ Chaolais ach ag obair fad bhliadhnaichean ann an Glaschu, agus mar sin ‘s e òran cianalais airson a dhachaigh a th’ ann. Mar phort chuireadh fonn slaodach air, a bha na thionndadh mìth-òrain Bheurla, Johnny stays long at the Fair. Dh’fhàs am fonn seo ainmeil mar cheòl na pìoba, agus chluicheadh e aig adhlachaidhean Sheòrais VI, JF Kennedy, agus Màthair na Ban-rìgh.

Tha grunn chlàraidhean den òran Ghàidhlig ann, eadar Alba agus Alaska (ceanglaichean gu h-ìosal), ach ‘s ann san tionndadh Bheurla, The Mist-covered Mountains of Home, a tha e as ainmeile.  Tha YouTube làn chlàraidhean dheth, a’ mhòr-chuid mar dhreach ionnsramaideach, bhon chluicheadair-giotàir, John Renbourn,  gus na Vatersay Boys agus na Scots Guards. Chluich fiù ‘s còmhlan Mark Knopfler e airson an fhiolm Local Hero.

Agus tha tionndadh àlainn Albais ann cuideachd, ach le faclan gu tur eadar-dhealaichte mu na Fuadaichean: Smile in your sleep, bonnie baby (Hush, hush).

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This year I had plenty of opportunities to see the beautiful, impressive mountains of the Highlands in the course of my work or with visitors, and that brought to my mind the famous Gaelic song Chì mi na Mòr-bheanna (I’ll see the high mountains). That of course set me to researching it. It was written by John Cameron in 1856. He came from Ballachulish but worked for many years in Glasgow, so it’s a typical song of Highland homesickness. It was set to a slow air which was a version of the English folk-song Johnny stays long at the Fair.  This tune became very popular as pipe music and was played at the funerals of George IV, JF Kennedy, and the Queen Mother.

There are many recordings of the Gaelic song, from Scotland to Alaska (some links below), but it is most famous in its English version, The Mist-covered Mountains of Home.  YouTube is full of recordings of it, mainly as an instrumental, from guitarist John Renbourn to the Vatersay Boys and the Scots Guards. It was even played by the Mark Knopfler band for the film Local Hero.

And there’s a beautiful Scots version too, though with completely different words about the Clearances: Smile in your sleep, bonnie baby (Hush, hush).

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ChÌ mi na Mòr-bheanna

Séist
O chì, chì mi na mòr-bheanna
O chì, chì mi na corr-bheanna
O chì, chì mi na coireachan
Chì mi na sgorran fo cheò

Chì mi gun dàil an t-àite san d’rugadh mi
Cuirear orm fàilte sa chànain a thuigeas mi
Gheibh mi ann aoidh agus gràdh nuair a ruigeam
Nach reicinn air tunnachan òir

Chì mi na coilltean, chì mi na doireachan
Chì mi ann màghan bàna is toraiche
Chì mi na fèidh air làr nan coireachan
Falaicht’ an trusgan de cheò

Beanntaichean àrda is àillidh leacainnean
Sluagh ann an còmhnuidh as còire cleachdainnean
‘S aotrom mo cheum a’ leum g’am faicinn
Is fanaidh mi tacan le deòin

 

Translation of original Gaelic:

Chorus
Oh I’ll see, I’ll see the great mountains,
Oh I’ll see, I’ll see the steep mountains,
Oh I’ll see, I’ll see the corries,
I’ll see the peaks beneath the mist.

I’ll see very soon the place of my birth,
I’ll be welcomed in the language I understand,
I’ll receive hospitality and love when I arrive,
That I would not sell for tons of gold.

I’ll see the woods, I’ll see the thickets,
I’ll see fair fertile meadows there,
I’ll see the deer at the bottom of the corries,
Hidden in a garment of mist.

High mountains with beautiful slopes,
People of the kindliest habits living there,
My step is light as I go leaping to see them,
And I’ll stay there with pleasure for a good while.

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English version of the song: The Mist-covered Mountains of Home

Chorus

O ro, soon shall I see them,
Hi ro, see them, oh see them.
O ro, soon shall I see them,
The mist-covered mountains of home!

1 There shall I visit the place of my birth,
They’ll give me a welcome the warmest on earth,
So loving and kind, full of music and mirth,
The sweet-sounding language of home.

2. There shall I gaze on the mountains again,
On the fields and the hills and the birds in the glen,
With people of courage beyond human ken,
In the haunts of the deer I will roam.

3. Hail to the mountains with summits of blue,
To the glens with their meadows of sunshine and dew,
To the women and the men ever constant and true,
Ever ready to welcome one home.

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Ceanglaichean / Links:

Various Gaelic (esp. Griogair Labhruidh, from Ballachulish): http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/chi_mi_na_mor_bheanna/

Tania Opland (Gaelic, Alaska): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgTzxScVhXM

Vatersay Boys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D3PkGzDGoU

John Renbourn:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fwUuGVUjpA

Mark Knopfler Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK_Klo0ZvBM

Smile in your sleep, bonnie baby (Corries):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwi9fBF4H_U