The lyrics are in the Irish language, and the song is to date the only British hit single ever to have been sung in that language. The chorus "Fol lol the doh fol the day, Fol the doh fol the day", is ancient Irish mouth-music which is common in traditional music. The song won an Ivor Novello award, and launched Clannad's global career. It has since appeared in several Hollywood movies, most notably Patriot Games, in which an IRA terrorist is seen watching the music video for the song on his television. Its use in a Volkswagen commercial introduced Clannad to an American audience.
Clannad's debut trans-Atlantic album, Anam, was released in the United States in 1992 and became an enormous American success - spurred on by an overwhelming reaction to "Harry's Game", including extensive video exposure on VH1. The song went on to garner the Billboard Music Award for World Music Song Of The Year and to reach the Billboard 100 charts three years after its release
The lyrics of this song are also used in the trance song "Saltwater" by Chicane.
The song has been covered by countless different acts, most notably Phil Coulter, U2 and Celtic Woman
Theme From Harry's Game
Clannad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A dtainig ariamh
An ghealach is an ghrian
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Fol the doh fol the day
Imtheochaidh an ghealach's an ghrian
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Fol the doh fol the day
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Fol the doh fol the day
Imtheochaidh a dtainig ariamh
An duine og is a chail ne dhiadh
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Fol the doh fol the day
Translation
I will go east and go west
(To the places) from whence came
The moon and the sun
The moon and the sun will go
And the young man
With his reputation behind him
I will go wherever he came from
The young man with his reputation behind him
The lyrics of Clannad's "Theme From Harry's Game" are poetic and evocative, conjuring a sense of timelessness and mystery. The song is sung in Gaelic, a language which is considered a key part of Ireland's cultural heritage. The first verse speaks of going east and west, tracing the path of the moon and the sun, two celestial bodies that have fascinated humans for centuries. The chorus, with its repeated refrain of "Fol lol the doh fol the day," adds a sense of rhythm and repetition, giving the song a hypnotic quality.
The second verse introduces the idea of a young man with a reputation, a figure who may be a hero or a villain, a lover or a fighter. The singer declares her intention to follow him wherever he came from, suggesting that this young man may be the key to unlocking some deeper mystery or truth. Overall, the song is a haunting portrait of a world that is both ancient and eternal, a land of myth and legend that still holds untold secrets for those who are willing to seek them out.
Line by Line Meaning
Imtheochaidh soir is siar
I will go east and go west
A dtainig ariamh
To the places from whence came
An ghealach is an ghrian
The moon and the sun
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Chorus: Fol the doh fol the day
Imtheochaidh an ghealach's an ghrian
The moon and the sun will go
An Daoine og is a chail 'na dhiadh
And the young man with his reputation behind him
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Chorus: Fol the doh fol the day
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Chorus: Fol the doh fol the day
Imtheochaidh a dtainig ariamh
I will go wherever he came from
An duine og is a chail ne dhiadh
The young man with his reputation behind him
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Chorus: Fol the doh fol the day
Fol lol the doh fol the day
Chorus: Fol the doh fol the day
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CIARAN MARION BRENNAN, PAUL BRENNAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martintroy371
Imtheochaidh soir is siar I will go east and go west
A dt�inig ariamh an ghealach is an ghrian From whence came the moon and the sun
Fol lol the doh, fol the day Fol lol the doh, fol the day
Fol the doh, fol the day Fol the doh, fol the day
Imtheochaidh an ghealach's an ghrian The moon and the sun will go
An duine �g is a ch�il 'na dhiadh And the young man with his reputation behind him
Fol lol the doh, fol the day Fol lol the doh, fol the day
Fol the doh, fol the day Fol the doh, fol the day
Fol lol the doh, fol the day Fol lol the doh, fol the day
Fol the doh, fol the day Fol the doh, fol the day
Imtheochaidh a dt�inig ariamh I will go wherever he came from
An duine �g is a ch�il ne dhiadh The young man with his reputation behind him
Fol lol the doh, fol the day Fol lol the doh, fol the day
Fol the doh, fol the day Fol the doh, fol the day
@lorrainefeletti5194
My mum was from County Cork and spoke Gaelic. She loved this song and it always reminds me of her and her love of the true Irish language. R.I.P Breda. Forever loved and missed. Vich noch dio lat. ❤❤xxx
@preacherman9018
My heart goes out to you.
The love of a child and parent is one of the most powerful forces on earth. God bless you and yours.
I hope the following short video is a blessing to you.
https://youtu.be/qv0rnnUdk-I
@mothmagic1
No matter how many times I hear this it always sends a shiver down my spine.
@Wildfox01
I admire the mystic feel to this song. Spiritually uplifting.
@rohansrider
This was also in the film Patriot Games. It was used in a clever way to emphasise the impact of the previous series about the Northern Irish problems .
@teambammotorsport7249
same for me it's one of those songs that does that anyone from this era
@markleandan8707
Me too ! 😯
@ubermick4208
Jaysus, right??
@stephenhowlett6345
One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. Celtic through and through.
@basic6154
just music originating from humans in a different place