Mary Jane Lamond is a sharer of songs, stories and spirit. This sharing has garnered Mary Jane numerous JUNO and East Coast Music award nominations, critical acclaim, and a worldwide audience.
"Seinn" reflects the Nova Scotia tradition, and showcases traditional and original compositions. Some of the material was learned from the recordings of older Cape Breton singers and fiddlers, some songs were chosen from existing repertoires, and some were written specifically for this project. The record fuses Roots arrangements with a traditional presentation.
On the North Shore of Cape Breton Island, the rich heritage of the region’s Scottish settlers was kept alive through song. It was in Nova Scotia, visiting her grandparents throughout her youth, that Lamond fell in love with Scottish Gaelic traditions and song. While enrolled in Saint Francis Xavier University’s Celtic Studies programme, Lamond released her first album, Bho Thir Nan Craobh, a collection of traditional material that introduced her unique singing voice and a then-unknown fiddler named Ashley MacIsaac. The two talented Maritimers then collaborated on the award-winning radio smash “Sleepy Maggie” as Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac.
Lamond took time-honoured Gaelic songs to the next level on Suas e!, which combined classic texts with contemporary pop sounds. The Globe & Mail praised it for its “refreshing balance between modern and ancient,” and the album earned several Juno and East Coast Music award nominations, as well as a MuchMusic Global Groove Award for the video “Bog a’Lochain.”
The success of Suas e! contributed to an explosion of interest in Celtic culture and Lamond took the songs on the road with a live band. Her experiences on the stage directly influenced the sound of Làn Dùil.
On Làn Dùil Lamond’s renditions of Gaelic songs are fused with original arrangements using a variety of instruments, from the familiar fiddle and bagpipes to Indian tabla.
Brain Ghaidhlig (Gaelic Songs of Cape Breton), focuses on the songs and poetry which are the cornerstone of this tradition. This recording remains true to the simple sharing of music that is the foundation of Gaelic culture – from the engaging milling songs performed by a group of Cape Breton’s finest traditional Gaelic singers to the lively old style fiddling of Joe Peter MacLean, a musician never before captured on recording. Recorded at the beautiful North River Church in Cape Breton, this enhanced cd also features visuals taken during the recording sessions.
Lamond’s solo recording, Stòras (Gaelic meaning “a treasure”), is an interpretation of some of the Scottish Gaelic songs that have become part of Nova Scotia’s Gaelic tradition. Her use of modern instrumentation and arrangements provides a framework.
É Horò
Mary Jane Lamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chì mi 'choille bhos mo chinn I see the forest above my head
Sìnidh mo shùilean air sileadh My eyes begin to weep
Tha mo mhisneachd air a claoidh My courage is overwhelmed
Sèist: Chorus (after each verse):
É ho rò 's 'na bheil air m'aire É ho rò the subject of my thoughts
'S mór an nochd a tha mi 'caoidh Great tonight is my mourning
Ged nach d'fhuair mi thu dhomh fhìn Although I didn't win you for myself
'Sann agam fhìn a bha na bràithrean I had three brothers
Bi mi 'ga àireamh a chaoidh Who I will forever recount
'S truagh nach robh mi aig a' charraig It's a pity that I wasn't at the quay
Nuair a dh'éibh iad soraidh leibh When they bid us farewell
Nuair a ràna' sinn 'n "Table" When we arrived at the Table
Mo chuideachd gu léir ann cruinn My entire family was there
Mo phiuthar 's mo bhràthair-céile My sister and brother-in-law
'S gun stiall eudaich air an druim Without a strip of clothing on their backs
Seiche na bà air a cairteadh A scraped cow's hide
'S air a càradh air mo dhruim Fixed on my back
Mi air stàbhradh leis an acaras And I was starving with the hue
Col'as a' bhàis a' tighinn air m'aghaidh Of death coming over my face
Nam biodh agam cliabh 's corran If I had a creel and a sickle
Feamain iseal 's m'eathar fhìn The low seaweed and my own boat
Cha bhiodh mo chlann air a' bhrochan My children wouldn't be eating gruel
'S an tìr mhosach 'gamo chlaoidh And I wouldn't be oppressed by this miserable land
1
Mary Jane Lamond's song É Horò is a sorrowful lament about the struggles of life in rural Scotland. In the first verse, the singer stands at the doorway and looks up at the forest above, feeling overwhelmed and weeping. The chorus speaks of their deep love for someone who they did not win for themselves, and their profound mourning in the present. The second verse tells of the singer's three brothers and their departure, bidding farewell at the quay. The third verse describes the arrival at the Table, where the singer's entire family is present, but without any clothes on their backs, and the singer themselves is starving, with the hue of death coming over their face. The final lines express a wish for a better life, with a creel and a sickle, low seaweed, and one's own boat, so that children may not eat gruel and they may escape the oppressiveness of the dismal land.
The lyrics of É Horò are deeply evocative of the harsh realities of life in rural Scotland, and the song serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles faced by those living in poverty in the past. The phrases "É ho rò" and "Ill ù ill ò" serve as melodic and memorable refrains, heightening the emotional impact of the lyrics. The song is sung in Scottish Gaelic, which adds to its haunting and melancholic quality. Overall, É Horò is a poignant and beautifully crafted song that captures the sadness and longing of those who have suffered and struggled in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Nuair a sheasas mi 's an dorust
When I stand in the doorway
Chì mi 'choille bhos mo chinn
I see the forest above my head
Sìnidh mo shùilean air sileadh
My eyes begin to weep
Tha mo mhisneachd air a claoidh
My courage is overwhelmed
Sèist: Chorus (after each verse):
É ho rò the subject of my thoughts
'S mór an nochd a tha mi 'caoidh
Great tonight is my mourning
Ill ù ill ò gur mór mo luaidh ort
Ill ù ill ò I love you deeply
Ged nach d'fhuair mi thu dhomh fhìn
Although I didn't win you for myself
'Sann agam fhìn a bha na bràithrean
I had three brothers
Bi mi 'ga àireamh a chaoidh
Who I will forever recount
'S truagh nach robh mi aig a' charraig
It's a pity that I wasn't at the quay
Nuair a dh'éibh iad soraidh leibh
When they bid us farewell
Nuair a ràna' sinn 'n "Table"
When we arrived at the Table
Mo chuideachd gu léir ann cruinn
My entire family was there
Mo phiuthar 's mo bhràthair-céile
My sister and brother-in-law
'S gun stiall eudaich air an druim
Without a strip of clothing on their backs
Seiche na bà air a cairteadh
A scraped cow's hide
'S air a càradh air mo dhruim
Fixed on my back
Mi air stàbhradh leis an acaras
And I was starving with the hue
Col'as a' bhàis a' tighinn air m'aghaidh
Of death coming over my face
Nam biodh agam cliabh 's corran
If I had a creel and a sickle
Feamain iseal 's m'eathar fhìn
The low seaweed and my own boat
Cha bhiodh mo chlann air a' bhrochan
My children wouldn't be eating gruel
'S an tìr mhosach 'gamo chlaoidh
And I wouldn't be oppressed by this miserable land
Contributed by Luke I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
labhrainn
Nuair a sheasas mi 's an dorust
Chì mi 'choille bhos mo chinn
Sìnidh mo shùilean air sileadh
Tha mo mhisneachd air a claoidh
Sèist:
É ho rò 's 'na bheil air m'aire
Tha mo mhisneachd air a claoidh
Ill ù ill ò gur mór mo luaidh
Ged nach d'fhuair mi thu dhomh fhìn ort
'Sann agam fhìn a bha na bràithrean
Bi mi 'ga àireamh a chaoidh
'S truagh nach robh mi aig a' charraig
Nuair a dh'éibh iad soraidh leibh
Nuair a ràna' sinn 'n "Table"
Mo chuideachd gu léir ann cruinn
Mo phiuthar 's mo bhràthair-céile
'S gun stiall eudaich air an druim
Seiche na bà air a cairteadh
'S air a càradh air mo dhruim
Mi air stàbhradh leis an acaras
Col'as a' bhàis a' tighinn air m'aghaidh
Nam biodh agam cliabh 's corran
Feamain iseal 's m'eathar fhìn
Cha bhiodh mo chlann air a' bhrochan
'S an tìr mhosach 'gamo chlaoidh
_______________________________________
When I stand in the doorway
I see the forest above my head
My eyes begin to weep
My courage is overwhelmed
Chorus (after each verse)
É ho rò the subject of my thoughts
Great tonight is my mourning
Ill ù ill ò I love you deeply
Although I didn't win you for myself
I had three brothers
Who I will forever recount
It's a pity that I wasn't at the quay
When they bid us farewell
When we arrived at the Table
My entire family was there
My sister and brother-in-law
Without a strip of clothing on their backs
A scraped cow's hide
Fixed on my back
And I was starving with the hue
Of death coming over my face
If I had a creel and a sickle
The low seaweed and my own boat
My children wouldn't be eating gruel
And I wouldn't be oppressed by this miserable land
ChuckDeFuque
When I stand in the doorway
I see the forest above my head
My eyes begin to weep
My courage is overwhelmed
Chorus (after each verse)
É ho rò the subject of my thoughts
Great tonight is my mourning
Ill ù ill ò I love you deeply
Although I didn't win you for myself
I had three brothers
Who I will forever recount
It's a pity that I wasn't at the quay
When they bid us farewell
When we arrived at the Table
My entire family was there
My sister and brother-in-law
Without a strip of clothing on their backs
A scraped cow's hide
Fixed on my back
And I was starving with the hue
Of death coming over my face
If I had a creel and a sickle
The low seaweed and my own boat
My children wouldn't be eating gruel
And I wouldn't be oppressed by this miserable land
MAGICKMINSTREL718
A celtic song that reaches deep down into your soul!! Beautiful experience!!
labhrainn
Nuair a sheasas mi 's an dorust
Chì mi 'choille bhos mo chinn
Sìnidh mo shùilean air sileadh
Tha mo mhisneachd air a claoidh
Sèist:
É ho rò 's 'na bheil air m'aire
Tha mo mhisneachd air a claoidh
Ill ù ill ò gur mór mo luaidh
Ged nach d'fhuair mi thu dhomh fhìn ort
'Sann agam fhìn a bha na bràithrean
Bi mi 'ga àireamh a chaoidh
'S truagh nach robh mi aig a' charraig
Nuair a dh'éibh iad soraidh leibh
Nuair a ràna' sinn 'n "Table"
Mo chuideachd gu léir ann cruinn
Mo phiuthar 's mo bhràthair-céile
'S gun stiall eudaich air an druim
Seiche na bà air a cairteadh
'S air a càradh air mo dhruim
Mi air stàbhradh leis an acaras
Col'as a' bhàis a' tighinn air m'aghaidh
Nam biodh agam cliabh 's corran
Feamain iseal 's m'eathar fhìn
Cha bhiodh mo chlann air a' bhrochan
'S an tìr mhosach 'gamo chlaoidh
_______________________________________
When I stand in the doorway
I see the forest above my head
My eyes begin to weep
My courage is overwhelmed
Chorus (after each verse)
É ho rò the subject of my thoughts
Great tonight is my mourning
Ill ù ill ò I love you deeply
Although I didn't win you for myself
I had three brothers
Who I will forever recount
It's a pity that I wasn't at the quay
When they bid us farewell
When we arrived at the Table
My entire family was there
My sister and brother-in-law
Without a strip of clothing on their backs
A scraped cow's hide
Fixed on my back
And I was starving with the hue
Of death coming over my face
If I had a creel and a sickle
The low seaweed and my own boat
My children wouldn't be eating gruel
And I wouldn't be oppressed by this miserable land
Milojko Stanojkovic
@labhrainn Wonderful! Thank you very much for the lyrics labrainn!
Lowanna L
Love this, so beautiful.
Ranxerox1911A1
One of the most beautiful concerts I have ever worked. She is a beautiful human. And my lighting added to the ethereal beauty of her show.
ChuckDeFuque
When I stand in the doorway
I see the forest above my head
My eyes begin to weep
My courage is overwhelmed
Chorus (after each verse)
É ho rò the subject of my thoughts
Great tonight is my mourning
Ill ù ill ò I love you deeply
Although I didn't win you for myself
I had three brothers
Who I will forever recount
It's a pity that I wasn't at the quay
When they bid us farewell
When we arrived at the Table
My entire family was there
My sister and brother-in-law
Without a strip of clothing on their backs
A scraped cow's hide
Fixed on my back
And I was starving with the hue
Of death coming over my face
If I had a creel and a sickle
The low seaweed and my own boat
My children wouldn't be eating gruel
And I wouldn't be oppressed by this miserable land
Roman
indescribably beautiful ... !!!
Joe Bernagozzi
Sets my soul right,I use it to get to sleep....it works !
John Unsworth
This is excellent.Mary Jane Lamond comes close to top in female voice. Why not post yours? Would be interesting to see how different we are. Good manners are presumed.
Волков Артем
Ахуенно!!!! Просто переслушиваю....