Annotation:Land of the Trees (The)
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LAND OF THE TREES, THE (Dùthaich nan craobh). Scottish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. A song that appears in The Celtic Lyre: A Collection of Gaelic Songs, with English Translantions, vol. 2 (1898), by Fionn (Henry Whyte). The phrase Dùthaich nan craobh refers to North America. The first couple of stanzas go:
Scots Gaelic English Translation Gur e mis' tha fo smuairein,
'S mi a' seòladh thar chuantan,
'Us mi 'g ionndrainn nan duanag
'S trie a f huair mi 'o m' ghaol.
Di-dòmhnuich m' an d' f hàg mi,
'Us mi coiseachd na sràide,
Thachair orm-sa mo mhàldag,
Le 'blàth-shùilean caoin.
With tears my eyes burning,
And my thoughts ever turning
With a soul-filling yearning,
To the land on the lee.
Where I left my love grieving,
On the morn I was leaving;
Cruel Fortune 's deceiving,
That tore her from me.
The melody also appears in Highland bagpiper repertoire as a slow air or lament. The song has been set to different airs.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), vol. 2, 1988; p. 9. Captain John Campbell and Archibald Campbell (The Kilberry Book of Ceol Meadhonach), 1908; No. 13, p. 7.
Recorded sources: Fiona J. Mackenzie - "A Good Suit of Clothes" (2009).
See also listing at:
Hear Fiona J. Mackenzie's recording of the song at Am Baile [1]
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