|
1. book of golden stories
book of golden stories
days of open roads
now the autumn leaves are falling
we'll meet on the edges
memories, no regrets
now the minstrel boy is calling
chorus:
but as long as i can see the morning
in miracles, much more than i can say
it's enough to keep me still believing
in drifting hearts so far away.
you took me through the pages
good happiness is shared
lost in the web of changes
this could be the last dance
waltzing in the wind
'till the minstrel comes to save us.
chorus
yes, as long as i can see the morning
and blossom comes to bud again in spring
it's enough to keep me still believing
your memory is everything
book of golden stories
book of golden stories
book of golden stories
book of golden stories
days of open roads
now the autumn leaves are falling
2. the stamping ground
april comes to the new grass
on the hills of gold
tha feur ur air bar an tallamh,
bar an tallah, horribh o
where winter falls in the long cold north
black waters wait in ice and snow
tha feur ur air bar an tallamh,
bar an tallah, horribh o
black waters wait in ice and sun
through the glens where your great rivers run.
back on the stamping ground
to where it all began
back on the stamping ground
we come again.
so we tend and we nurture
all the seeds we've sown
tha feur ur air bar an tallamh,
bar an tallah, horribh o
through all the frosts and rains
the west winds blow
till the fields turn ripe
and the harvest stored
tha feur ur air bar an tallamh,
bar an tallah, horribh o
through all the frosts and rains
the west winds send.
we will wait here till the winter's end.
back on the stamping ground
to where it all began
back on the stamping ground
we come again.
so it's blood on blood
our bond, our word
tha feur ur air bar an tallamh,
bar an tallah, horribh o
for the strength and weakness
of our days
is to take you there
on a journey shared
tha feur ur air bar an tallamh,
bar an tallah, horribh o
so take this thing
make is sparkle and glow
it's much greater than we may ever know.
chorus
back on the stamping ground
to where it all began
(it's blood on blood)
back on the stamping ground
(it's our bond our word)
we come again
back on the stamping ground...
back on the stamping ground
3. an sabhail aig neill
craicann searrach agus or
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
se suid an sgeul na ath-mhor
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
's iomdh la, 's iomadh la, chaidh sinn suas ga h-iarraidh
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
le crap spaid is puchaid iarainn.
tha na gillean ruith gun sguir
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
ginealachan, ginealachan, sniomh ma mo shuilean
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
sibhse a sheas aig ceann a bhathaich
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
tha sibh air m'inntinn gach la.
insse sinn an sgeul dh'an chlann
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
an aite seileach bar a bheann
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
's iomadh la, 's iomadh la 'bhitheas e air n'intinn
thall aig an sabhal, an sabhal aig neill
an sgeul a nhaireas ri gu sioradh
horo eiribh o
horo ro bho, ro ho-ro
english translation
neill's barn
the skin of a foal, and gold
over by the barn, neil's barn
that is the ahmore story
over by the barn, neil's barn
many's a day we went up to search for it
over by the barn, neil's barn
with a broken spade and an iron bucket.
the boys are running without stopping
over by the barn, neil's barn
the gernerations weaving away in front of my eyes
over by the barn, neil's barn
but those that used to stand at the corner of the byre
over by the barn, neil's barn
they are on my mind each day.
we will tell the story to the children
over by the barn, neil's barn
the place of willows on top of the hill
over by the barn, neil's barn
many's a day it will be on their minds
over by the barn, neil's barn
the story that will go on forever
horo boys o
horo ro bho, ro ho-ro
4a. wall of china
they say the wall of china's seen from the moon
they keep building empires to immortal fools
but where the world goes small you stood alone
to face goliath and the might of rome
where the rock sets hard your arms hit strong
digging out your road ten thousand paces long
fragments of survival in the driving rain
with the blood and tears that bare your name
on and on the meek the strong
on and on the meek the strong
they built the wall of china with a million men
they thought their broken promises would wear you down
but they didn't count on things they couldn't see
one island man with heart of steel
on and on the meek the strong
on and on the meek the strong
on and on the meek the strong
on and on the meek the strong
4b. one man
one man to change the world
one word to bring it down
one stand to right a wrong
only the meek can break the strong
5. the engine room
instrumental
6. one thing
walk out the door
you're eyes filled with tears
or stay and confront me
and face all your fears
linger in silence
neither distant nor near
it's not going to change a thing.
lay down beside me
and question my faith
or hold me without
the love we have made
share all your secrets
or hide them away
it's not going to change a thing.
the picture is painted
the colours are bold
one for each season
of life i suppose
it no longer matters
the story is told
it's not going to change a thing.
lie here and talk
of whatever you want
or dare to compare
all the things we've done wrong
what care the world
when we're all dead and gone?
it's not going to change a thing.
the picture is painted
the colours are bold.
one for each season
of life, i suppose.
it no longer matters
the story is told
it's not going to change a thing.
repeat
it's not going to change one thing.
7. the ship
i awoke in the dusts of an autumn morning
faces oil-lit kneeling round the family chairs
i never knew that a heart could take such filling
spaces everwhere.
all the front doors opened and the men came walking
suits and shoes, heads of silver and grey
it's one short road from a darkened cradle
to the endless light of day.
she walked like a bride down the aisle of her childhood
the shops, the schoolyard, the church on the hill
where she trembled on the day she was touched and
broken
marie was born again.
all ears to the trawler-band in the evenings
forty crans and the spirits run wild
the storms, the drownings, the tables, the drinking
the sea had claimed their lives.
there's a peat smoke rising from the village chimneys
you take your chances with the red haired girl
all the boats take their rest in the heart of the harbour
that night in a changing world.
and the ship's come round
and she's waiting at the harbour
be prepared to get on board
be prepared
i never knew that the light o ages
breaks the way before us
sail away, sail away
|
8. the summer walkers
sometimes when you journey
through the pages of a book
you're taken places beyond words
you let them speak their truth
today i've opened treasures
that my eyes could scarce believe
they're the words of confirmation
everything that makes me sing
summer comes to sutherland
and you bend the hazel bow
you harness up the ponies
and you head out on the road
by Kilbrek and altnaharra
you journey to your rest
with the guiding might of suliven
for the campsites of the west
chorus:
and it's up by the shin
and up by the naver
and the long winding shores
of loch maree
by ben hope and ben loyal
by stack and by arkle
the road reaches far
now the summer is here
now your words are not of sentiment
shallow or untrue
but wells of living water
and from their clear deep sides we drew
the songs, the tin, the horses
this country's great and ancient wilds
your faith in god and man and nature
and the keenness of your guile
chorus
so have you stood out on coldbackie
ad the time the sun goes down
or up on the king of campsites
in the hills about brae tongue
that's when music filled your evenings
it's all so different now, this world
for you were the summer walkers
and the fishers of the pearl
chorus
so as we close another chapter
that we label archive gold
still the conon flows each morning
and the dew falls from the sloe
but today you took me walking
through the land that we have lost
while our children sit at websites
with no access to the cost.
chorus
9. running to the light
running round the sacred mountain
the rushing stream
feel the power
in everything
by the water, where the air is clear
surrender everything
old hearts grow younger again
they promise bring
the greenest plants are tender
they're full of sap in spring
empty the places in the mind
running to the light
running to the light
those who stride too far too soon
will not hold pace
only the calm
will win the race
through the forest, the sea of mountain pine
surrender everything
only those who
greatness see in little things
worthy are the simple they're happy in their ways
self will wither out of sight
running to the light
running to the light
arise, soul,
soar above the singing river
go lying down
into the ground
quickened by the stream
when all is said and done
the race moves on
running, running
10a. oran ailein
teine oidhche geamhradh
'nar sheasamh air an lar
sheinn sinn oran ailein
seist is rann
's an treana ruith cho taibhseil
mar cuimhne, tron ghleann
's iomadh loit nach tig slan
english translation:
alan's song
by the fire of a winter's night
standing around the floor
we sang alan's song
verse and chorus
and the train ran so ghostly
like a memory, through the glen
there are so many wounds that do not heal
10b. leaving straithconon
we're the emigrant ones,
not the last in the line
you're your father's son,
and i am mine
and all of our northwords
turn distand and small
in the end they mean nothing,
no, nothing at all.
right here's the river's source,
and it flows out to the world
and the heart of caledonia
is drowning in the flood
was there hunger in our striving?
did the light shine in our dark?
was everything we ever needed
always right here from the start?
we stood on a hundred gangways,
that's the way it's always been.
i walked out beyond calvary
with all my kith and kin
in the war of the world
we conquer and roam
lie the wounds that stay bleeding
and raw in the soul.
after the raging flame,
the ember burn slow
we're leaving, leaving, leaving,
till there's nowhere left to go
the seas, the slums, the battlefields,
the shipyards, the tides,
the straths, the glens, the drove roads,
all the prairies and the mines.
it's a still, autumn morning,
and it covers loch meig
and all the trees across the valley
in a blaze of dying green
i've seen too many tail-lights,
didn't need to say goodbye
we're just souls across a shrinking world
in a distant starlit night
please believe me
something in me died
leaving strathconon
and your mountains behind
please believe me
something in me died
leaving strathconon
and your father's home behind
11. big songs of hope and cheer
the satellites are raining down
on the international roof
there's nothing secret
nothing sacred any more.
all the soldiers of the world
are turning history around
they're with me now
they're breaking down the door.
pictures in a room
(i can't take it any more)
have i awakened to a strang land?
pictures in a room
(somebody help me please)
'cause i can't sing the pains of hope
in a torn world.
one mother's daughter's
seen her brothers
taken to the shadow lands.
now she's waiting for six soldiers to return.
and another mother's dautgher's down
on chanel 21
she's opened up her love to let it burn.
and the satellites are raining down
on a sunday afternoon
she's hoping for the world to take it all.
where we face our sweetest demons
in the hands of flesh and love
she's aching and the stations of the fall.
pictures in a room
(i can't take it any more)
have i awakened to a strange land
(somebody help me please)
'cause i can't sing the pains of hope
in a torn world
and the companies say
"give us more of these big songs of hope and cheer
hits and hooks and riffs that shine as new."
and the refugees come in, live and dying
miles across the snow
and there's nothing that this stunning world can do.
pictures in a room....
pictures in a room
(i can't take it any more)
have i awakened to a strange land?
pictures in a room
(somebody help me please)
'cause i can't sing the pains of hope
in a torn world
(repeat)
12. oran
anail mo bheatha, anail mo bhith
(anail mo bheatha)
a' gairm nam anam is a' togal mo chridhe
(a' togal mo chridhe)
's mi nam sheasamh ma d' choinneamh
gun fhiamh gun mhiann
(nam sheasamh ma d' choinneamh)
thig Uallach na madainn
nuair a dh' eireas a' ghrian
(nuair a dh' eireas a' ghrian
tha an salm mar lasir,
a boillsgeadh gach aite
(tha an saim mar lasair)
dh'fhosgail mo bhilean nuair a' thoisich an la
(nuair a' thoisich an la)
oran, naomha, buan
tog gu ard guth an t-sluaigh
oran, tha mi reidh
eirich, eirich bhar an t-sleibh
seinn, seinn, seinn
oran ur, oran an uir
english translation
song
breath of my life, breath of my existence
(breath of my life)
proclaiming in my soul, uplifting my heart
(Uplifting my heart)
i am standing before you without fear or desire
(i am standing before you)
the concerns of the morning will come
when the sun rises
(when the sun rises)
the psalm is like a flame, illuminating all around
(the psalm is like a flame)
my lips opened when day began
(when day began)
song, sacred, eternal
lift on high the voice of the people
song, i am reconciled
let it rise up from the moorlands
sing, sing, sing
a new song, the song of the dust
|
