Dé Danann were first to find her - see her web site www.mauraoconnell.com for more information.
Ae Fond Kiss
Maura O'Connell Lyrics
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Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me.
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy:
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met-or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweeli alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
In Maura O'Connell's song "Ae Fond Kiss," we see a person bidding farewell to a loved one with a heavy heart. The singer is filled with intense emotion as they tenderly express their love in the lines "Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!" The phrase "fond kiss" suggests a deep affection between the two, but the "fareweel" and "sever" highlight the sadness and finality of their separation. The singer is in such grief that they can only offer their tears and heavy sighs as a pledge of their love.
In the second stanza of the song, the singer reflects on the power of love and how it can overcome our rational thinking. The lines "I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy, Naething could resist my Nancy" suggest that the singer is incapable of finding fault in their love interest, Nancy. They express that they fell in love with Nancy at first sight and that they will love her forever. However, they also acknowledge the pain of heartbreak and wonder if they had never fallen in love in the first place, could they have avoided this sorrow?
Overall, "Ae Fond Kiss" is a poignant and melancholic song about saying goodbye to a loved one. The singer's heartache is palpable, and their words remind us of how deeply love can affect us, both in joy and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
With one last kiss, we part ways;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
A final goodbye, forever lamented;
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
My tears will attest to the ache in my heart for you;
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
The torment within me will manifest with sighs and groans;
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
There are those who believe that fortune brings misfortune, but not me;
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Even when hope is gone, I will still believe that fortune will smile on me again;
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me;
I am not uplifted by the usual things that bring joy and happiness;
Dark despair around benights me.
Despair casts its shadow over me, enveloping me in darkness;
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
I cannot be blamed for being infatuated with you, my dear Nancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy:
It was impossible not to be captivated by my sweet Nancy;
But to see her was to love her;
Simply beholding her was enough to inspire a deep, abiding love within me;
Love but her, and love for ever.
My love is reserved for her alone, and it will endure forever;
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
If we had never loved each other so tenderly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
If we had never loved each other so wholeheartedly without reservation,
Never met-or never parted,
If we had never crossed paths - or never left each other's side,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Our hearts would never have suffered the pain of separation.
Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Goodbye, my first and fairest love!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Farewell, my best and dearest love!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
May you have all the joys and treasures in the world,
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
May you find peace, contentment, love, and all the pleasures of life!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
With one last kiss, we part ways;
Ae fareweeli alas, forever!
A final goodbye, forever lamented;
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
My tears will attest to the ache in my heart for you;
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
The torment within me will manifest with sighs and groans;
Writer(s): Peter Knight, Robert Burns
Contributed by Cooper W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.