Voyager
Clannad Lyrics


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Rothai an t'saoil ag casadh leo
Nil imeacht uaidh go deo
Daoine corr an t'saoil ag goid leo
Ni cuma leo go foill
(the wheels of the world keep on turning
It's inevitable
The corrupt people of this world keep on stealing
Yet, they don't care)

White fool come to a new land
There's a dark moon on the sand
Then nothing was ever the same again
This land is in their hands
A thousand years of tribeland
Strong winds carry the pulse
Greed and lust it stripped the earth bare
When the white fool came to a new land

Cries of an anthem-
Craite
Of fury and unrest-
Tuirseach
Fix your eyes to the sound-
Eist leo
Of the horizon

Rothai an t'saoil ag casadh leo
Nil imeacht uaidh go deo
Daoine corr an t'saoil ag troid leo
Ni cuma leo go foill
(the wheels of the world keep on turning
Its inevitable
The corrupt people of this world keep on fighting
Yet, they don't care)

White fool come to a new land
There's a dark moon on the sand
Then nothing was ever the same again
This land is in their hands
A thousand years of tribeland
Strong winds carry the pulse
Greed and lust it stripped the earth bare
When the white fool came to a new land

The three tribesman
Bhi'os acu




Are a t sean doigh
Eist leo

Overall Meaning

The song "Voyager" by Clannad speaks to the inevitability of change and how society is always moving forward, with the wheels of the world constantly turning. It describes how people who are corrupt and greedy always seem to steal and fight their way to the top, with disregard for those around them. The term "white fool come to a new land" could be interpreted as European colonialism, with its dark and painful history. The dark moon on the sand could represent bloodshed and violence that results from the arrival of these outsiders. The song suggests that everything changed when this happened; a thousand years of tribeland and its culture were wiped away by the new forces.


The lyrics do not specifically mention the pain of the native people or their loss of identity, but suggest it through the expression of unrest and fury. The song reflects on the past and mourns the destruction that has taken place. It asks people to listen to the cries of the past, to acknowledge what happened and maybe learn from it. "Eist leo" means "listen to them", as if the song is pleading for people to pay attention.


Overall, "Voyager" is a song that speaks to larger truths about the human condition, where change is inevitable, and there will always be those who seek to take advantage of it for their own gain, often at the expense of others. It warns of the dangers of greed, and asks us to listen to the past in order to understand the present better.


Line by Line Meaning

Rothai an t'saoil ag casadh leo
The wheels of the world keep on turning


Nil imeacht uaidh go deo
It's inevitable


Daoine corr an t'saoil ag goid leo
The corrupt people of this world keep on stealing


Ni cuma leo go foill
Yet, they don't care


White fool come to a new land
A new land was discovered by a naive explorer


There's a dark moon on the sand
A symbol of bad omens


Then nothing was ever the same again
The discovery of a new land changed everything


This land is in their hands
They took control over the new land


A thousand years of tribeland
The land was inhabited by different tribes for thousands of years


Strong winds carry the pulse
The wind is a metaphor for the rhythm of life


Greed and lust it stripped the earth bare
The desire for material possessions caused destruction


When the white fool came to a new land
The arrival of the white explorer caused irreversible change


Cries of an anthem-
Loud and passionate singing of a patriotic song


Craite
Distressed


Of fury and unrest-
Angry and turbulent emotions


Tuirseach
Exhausted


Fix your eyes to the sound-
Pay attention to the signal of change


Eist leo
Listen to them


Daoine corr an t'saoil ag troid leo
The corrupt people of this world keep on fighting




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CIARAN MARION BRENNAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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