Carlos Nuñez was born in Vigo (Galicia, Spain), and is considered as one of… Read Full Bio ↴Carlos Nuñez was born in Vigo (Galicia, Spain), and is considered as one of the best bagpipe players in the world.
He started playing the bagpipe at the age of eight, and now his virtuosity with the 'gaita' (bagpipe) has led him to be called 'the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes'. He had been playing and touring with The Chieftains for many years and because of that he became the honorary '7th Chieftain'.

Yann Derrien
Carlos Núñez Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yann Derrien cesse de t'effrayer
Ne suis ni diable ni malin non plus
Je suis ta mère, ne peux te retenir
A Sant Jakez j'avais promis d'aller

Refrain :
Long si long est le chemin qui mène à Compostelle
Sept sortes de langages il te faudra parler

Onze sortes de démons aux morsures mortelles
Tu devras rencontrer avant d'y arriver

Sur le chemin de son pèlerinage
Trouve un grand chien aussi noir que l'enfer
Yann Derrien, renonce à ton voyage
Ou tu seras jeté au fond des mers

Refrain

Oh Sant Jakez, étoile de Galice
Faites un miracle et je serai sauvé
Aussitôt fut défait le maléfice
A Compostelle il était arrivé

Refrain

Et les trois âmes il a délivré
L'âme de son père

L'âme de sa mère
Et aussi sa propre âme

Overall Meaning

The song Yann Derrien by Carlos Núñez is a traditional Breton folk song about a young man named Yann Derrien who is afraid to embark on a pilgrimage to Compostela because he has been warned of the dangers he will face on his journey. The song takes the form of a conversation between Yann Derrien and his mother, who reassures him that she cannot stop him from going and that he should not be afraid. She reminds him of the challenges he will face on the journey - he will need to speak seven different languages and encounter eleven different demons before he reaches his destination. One of these trials will be encountering a black dog on the pilgrimage route, and Yann Derrien is warned that if he does not turn back, he will be cast into the depths of the sea.

The second verse of the song sees Yann Derrien calling upon Sant Jakez, the patron saint of Galicia, to perform a miracle that will save him from the dangers of the journey. This prayer seems to be successful, as the third verse describes Yann Derrien's arrival at Compostela, where he was able to deliver not just his own soul, but those of his mother and father as well.

The song is an evocative portrayal of the spiritual journey that pilgrims undertake when they travel to Compostela, and the many trials and tribulations they must overcome in order to make it to their destination. It also speaks to the enduring power of faith and the belief that miracles can happen if one has enough faith.

Line by Line Meaning

Yann Derrien cesse de t'effrayer
Yann Derrien, stop being afraid

Ne suis ni diable ni malin non plus
I am neither a devil nor a sly one

Je suis ta mère, ne peux te retenir
I am your mother, I cannot hold you back

A Sant Jakez j'avais promis d'aller
I had promised to go to Saint James

Refrain :
Chorus:

Long si long est le chemin qui mène à Compostelle
The road to Compostela is so long

Sept sortes de langages il te faudra parler
You will need to speak seven languages

Onze sortes de démons aux morsures mortelles
Eleven kinds of demons with deadly bites

Tu devras rencontrer avant d'y arriver
You will have to meet them before getting there

Sur le chemin de son pèlerinage
On the path of his pilgrimage

Trouve un grand chien aussi noir que l'enfer
Find a big dog as black as hell