As a film composer, Burwell has had a long working relationship with film makers the Coen brothers, scoring every film they have made. He enjoys working with leftfield directors and has also scored all of Spike Jonze's films. Among his best known non-Coen Brothers film scores are And the Band Played On (1993), Conspiracy Theory (1997) and The Spanish Prisoner (1997), Hamlet (2000), Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007), In Bruges (2008) and Twilight (The Score) (2008), The Blind Side (2009), Carol (2015), Wonderstruck (2017) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). Carol And Three Billboards were nominated for Best Original Score in 2015 and 2017.
In April 2005, Burwell composed and conducted music, performed by The Parabola Ensemble, for the plays « Sawbones » written and directed by the Coen Brothers, « Hope Leaves the Theater » written and directed by Charlie Kaufman and « Anomalisa » written and directed by Francis Fregoli. This was a segment of the sound-only production Theater of the New Ear, which debuted at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, NY with support from Sirius Satellite Radio, United Talent Agency and Sony Pictures.
He recently created a track called « Bella’s Lullaby » for the film Twilight (2008). The soundtrack released on November 4, 2008.
Burwell married Christine Sciulli in 1999.
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Burwell started out as an arranger for rock bands in his native New York. Besides his work for film - for which he is best known - Burwell was one half of avant-pop duo Thick Pigeon with songwriter Stanton Miranda, with whom he still occasionally records (notably on the soundtrack to 'Psycho III').
Morag's Lament
Carter Burwell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moch sa mhaduinn is mi g'éirigh
Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat
Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì
Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho
Ailein Duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat
These lyrics are from a Scottish Gaelic folk song called "Ailein Duinn" (Translates to "Brown-haired Alan"), which tells the tragic story of a woman named Morag mourning the loss of her beloved Alan. The opening lines "Gura mise tha fo éislean, Moch sa mhaduinn is mi g'éirigh" can be translated to "I am downcast, early in the morning, as I arise." This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as Morag expresses her deep sadness and heartache.
The chorus "Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat, Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì, Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho" is a mournful lament as Morag longs to walk with her beloved Alan once more. She asks him to take her hand and lead her away from her sorrow, and the repetition of "Hì ri bhò hò" creates a haunting, almost hypnotic effect.
Overall, "Morag's Lament" is a beautifully melancholic song that captures the pain of losing a loved one. The mournful melody and Morag's poignant lyrics have made it a popular traditional Scottish song.
Line by Line Meaning
Gura mise tha fo éislean
I am full of sadness and sorrow
Moch sa mhaduinn is mi g'éirigh
Early in the morning I awake
Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat
I would travel with you
Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì
With the sound of the waves crashing
Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho
With the wind on our faces
Ailein Duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat
Dark-haired Allan, I would travel with you
Contributed by Natalie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Melissa Brown
beautiful song. gets me all the time when i listen to it
Czarny Alibaba
I remember that song and always cry when I hear ita pamiętam tą piosenkę i zawsze płacze gdy ją słyszę
madenkind
@BigRobArnold Ailein duinn ("Dark-haired Alan") is a traditional Scottish song for solo female voice, a lament that was written in Gàidhlig for Ailean Moireasdan ("Alan Morrison") by his fiancée, Annag Chaimbeul ("Annie Campbell"). In 1788, Ailean, a sailor, set off with his ship to Scalpay, Harris, where he and Annag would be married. In a tragic twist, the ship sailed into a storm and all on board were lost.
lynlou127
Beautiful...
madenkind
@BigRobArnold Annag was devastated and lost her will to live, dying several months later. Her body was later discovered on the beach, not far from where Ailean's body was found. Before she died, Annag composed this lament for her lost love.
madenkind
@BigRobArnold From Wikipedia btw.