British broadcaster Mark Radcliffe hailed her voice and songs as “enchanting, beguiling and as fascinating as songs by Kate Bush and Björk” and KT Tunstall described her voice as "formidable and amazingly rhythmic". She was the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year 2008 and has gathered a small army of fans around the world including an impressive list of celebrities including the aforementioned Mark Radcliffe, KT Tunstall plus Ricky Gervais and Phil Selway from Radiohead. In 2007 she was invited to appear on "Later...with Jools Holland" and was a special guest on the critically acclaimed "Transatlantic Sessions" series and has entertained millions of radio listeners around the world with her engaging live sessions and live performances.
She is somewhat of an enigma as she sings in a language only understood by around 60,000 people - which accounts for only approximately 1% of the population of Scotland. She sings in Scottish Gaelic and spends her time touring around the world bringing ancient songs from the Hebridean Islands to new audiences. She is an accomplished musician as well - playing Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, whistles, oboe & cor anglais and three waltzes on the one row melodeon.
She has broadcasting experience, including present two flagship music programmes on BBC Scotland - the traditional music programme "Travelling Folk" and the world music show "Global Gathering". A one hour documentary on her and her musical travels, entitled "Bliadhna Julie/Julie's Year" was broadcast by the BBC in 2007. She was publicly voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2007 at the Scots Trad Music Awards and her album "cuilidh", produced with husband Eamon Doorley, was voted "Album of the Year" at the same awards. She has a clutch of other awards, including BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award 2006 for Best Emerging Artist (the first ever Gaelic Artist to be nominated for such an award) and was also voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2005 at the Scots Trad Music Awards. She remains the only singer to have won this prestigious award twice.
'Ille Dhuinn 'S Toigh Leam Thu
Julie Fowlis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'S toigh leam fhìn thu, laochain
Mas toigh leat mi, is toigh leam thu
'S gur òg a thug mi gaol dhut
Dh'fhalbh mi mar a b' àbhaist dhomh
Air sàillibh coimhead chaorach
'S beag a bha dhem fhor orra
Nuair dhìrich mi suas Criongrabhal
'S e m' inntinn nach robh aotrom
Bha 'm bàta mach gu Saighdeanais
'S i toidhdidh fo cuid aodaich
'S ann a their mo phàrantan
Gur tàmailt leotha m' fhaoineas
Gum faighinn fear na b' fheàrr na thu
Le bàtaichean 's le birlinn
Ged gheibhinn fear na b' fheàrr na thu
Le bàtaichean 's le birlinn
B' fheàrr leam fhìn an gille donn
Is e gun bhonn dhen t-saoghal
Ged gheall mi dhut gun leanainn thu
'S gun dealaichinn ri mo dhaoine
Cha d' rachainn dha Na Hearadh leat
Air cheannachd air an t-saoghal
Ged a bhithinn pòsta riut
Is còir agam air d' fhaotainn
Cha b' fhada bhithinn beò agad
'S an Dòmhnallach às m' aonais
'Ille dhuinn, 's toigh leam thu
'S toigh leam fhìn thu, laochain
Mas toigh leat mi, is toigh leam thu
'S gur òg a thug mi gaol dhut
The song 'Ille Dhuinn, 'S Toigh Leam Thu' by Julie Fowlis is a Gaelic love song that expresses the singer's admiration and love for a certain person. The song begins with the lyrics "Ille Dhuinn, 's Toigh Leam Thu," which means "Young man, I love you, and I love you myself, hero." The singer then declares her love and how she wishes that the person she loves reciprocates it.
The next verses talk about the various experiences that the singer has had, such as watching sheep on the hills or sailing on a boat, but how every thought comes back to the person she loves. The singer talks about how her parents want her to marry someone else and how she would rather be with the person she loves, even though she knows that it may be difficult. Despite all of this, she declares that she loves the person wholeheartedly and that she would do anything to be with them.
Overall, the song 'Ille Dhuinn, 'S Toigh Leam Thu' is a beautiful love song that expresses the yearning and desire to be with someone despite the challenges that may arise. The song evokes a sense of passion and longing that is timeless.
Line by Line Meaning
'Ille dhuinn, 's toigh leam thu
Young man, I love you and cherish you
'S toigh leam fhìn thu, laochain
I love you, my hero
Mas toigh leat mi, is toigh leam thu
If you love me, I love you
'S gur òg a thug mi gaol dhut
And it was when I was young that I fell in love with you
Dh'fhalbh mi mar a b' àbhaist dhomh
I went as usual
Air sàillibh coimhead chaorach
To watch the sheep on the hills
'S beag a bha dhem fhor orra
I paid little attention to them
'S mo leannan air a' chaolas
My beloved on the strait
Nuair dhìrich mi suas Criongrabhal
When I arrived at Criongrabhal hill
'S e m' inntinn nach robh aotrom
My mind was not light
Bha 'm bàta mach gu Saighdeanais
The boat was heading towards Saighdeanais
'S i toidhdidh fo cuid aodaich
Bobbing under the weight of the cargo
'S ann a their mo phàrantan
It was then that my parents said
Gur tàmailt leotha m' fhaoineas
They see my poverty
Gum faighinn fear na b' fheàrr na thu
That I should get the best man for me
Le bàtaichean 's le birlinn
With boats and birlinns
Ged gheibhinn fear na b' fheàrr na thu
Though I may meet the best man for me
Le bàtaichean 's le birlinn
With boats and birlinns
B' fheàrr leam fhìn an gille donn
I would prefer myself the brown-haired lad
Is e gun bhonn dhen t-saoghal
Even if he was penniless
Ged gheall mi dhut gun leanainn thu
Although I promised you that I wouldn't follow you
'S gun dealaichinn ri mo dhaoine
And wouldn't abandon my people
Cha d' rachainn dha Na Hearadh leat
I wouldn't go to Harris with you
Air cheannachd air an t-saoghal
For all the riches in the world
Ged a bhithinn pòsta riut
Even if I were married to you
Is còir agam air d' fhaotainn
I would have the right to obtain
Cha b' fhada bhithinn beò agad
It wouldn't be long before I'd be dead
'S an Dòmhnallach às m' aonais
And the Donald beside me
Contributed by Kaylee I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@martinmcbride858
I have listened to JF from the start of her career and without doubt she is the finest vocalist of her generation and this is my favourite song of the thousands she has recorded. Sublime.
@gleb202
This song is one of the first ones I've heard of hers and it's one of my favorites. Really magical sounding. Just love it.