The band then added Phil Cunningham (accordion, tin whistle, harmonium, synthesizer, guitar, vocals), Alastair Donaldson, Martin Hadden (bass, guitar, piano) and Andy M. Stewart (vocals, whistle,banjo). Their first LP to be released was Silly Wizard, and they began touring throughout Europe. There were some line-up changes prior to recording their second LP, Caledonia's Hardy Sons (Highway Records).
Silly Wizard played a variety of Scottish folk music, both instrumental and not, from fast jigs and reels to slow airs. While the majority of the music they played were traditional songs, the band did write many of their own. Phil Cunningham wrote generally instrumental music centered on the accordion, and Stewart wrote several songs in a style often distinctly traditional. The group's overall sound changed little until their final album, A Glint of Silver, which introduced the synthesizer as a prominent part of the band, giving them a slightly New Age sound.
They continued recording until the late 1980s, when the band decided to dissolve after performing for seventeen years and releasing nine albums.
Johnny Cunningham passed away on December 15, 2003 in New York.
The Blackbird
Silly Wizard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For once I was carefree and in love with a lad
He courted me sweetly by night and by day
But now he has left me and gone far away
Chorus:
Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and sing
I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in
And I'd flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest
He sailed o'er the ocean, his fortune to seek
I missed his caresses and his kiss on my cheek
He returned and I told him my love was still warm
He turned away lightly and great was his scorn
He offered to take me to Donnybrook Fair
To buy me fine ribbons, tie them up in my hair
He offered to marry and to stay by my side
But then in the morning he sailed with the tide
My parents they chide me, and will not agree
Saying that me and my true love married should never be
Ah but let them deprive me, or let them do what they will
While there's breath in my body, he's the one that I love still
Male perspective...
I am a young sailor, my story is sad
For once I was carefree and a bold sailor lad
I courted a lassie by night and by day
But now she has left me and gone far away
Chorus:
Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and sing
I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in
And in the top rigging I would there build my nest
And I'd flutter my wings o'er her lily-white breast
Or if I was a scholar and could handle a pen
One secret love letter to my true love I'd send
And I'd tell of my sorrow, my grief and my pain
Since she's gone and left me in yon flowery glen
I sailed o'er the ocean, my fortune to seek
Though I missed her caress and her kiss on my cheek
I returned and I told her my love was still warm
But she turned away lightly and great was her scorn
I offered to take her to Donnybrook Fair
And to buy her fine ribbons to tie up her hair
I offered to marry and to stay by her side
But she said in the morning she sailed with the tide
My parents they chide me, and will not agree
Saying that me and my false love married should never be
Ah but let them deprive me, or let them do what they will
While there's breath in my body, she's the one that I love still
The lyrics of Silly Wizard's "The Blackbird" tell the tale of two lovers who are separated by circumstances beyond their control. The first verse is from the perspective of the female lover who laments the departure of her beloved. She remembers the tender moments they shared but now, he has sailed far away. In the chorus, she imagines herself as a blackbird that could follow the ship her lover is sailing on and build her nest in the top rigging. She vows to stay true to her love despite the disapproval of her parents.
The second verse is from the perspective of the male lover, a young sailor. Like his female counterpart, he too misses his lover's embrace and longs for her return. In the chorus, he imagines himself as a scholar who could write love letters to his lover. He remembers the flowery glen where they spent time together, and his heart aches for her. He pleads with her to stay with him, but she chooses to leave with the tide. Despite the disapproval of his parents, he resolves to remain faithful to her.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a young maiden, my story is sad
I was once a happy young woman, but now I am filled with sorrow and heartbreak
For once I was carefree and in love with a lad
I used to be happy and in love with a young man
He courted me sweetly by night and by day
He treated me kindly and romanced me day and night
But now he has left me and gone far away
But now he has left me and gone far away, leaving me alone and heartbroken
Chorus: Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and sing I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in And in the top rigging I would there build my nest And I'd flutter my wings o'er his broad golden chest
If I were a blackbird, I would follow the ship my love was sailing on and build my nest in the top rigging. I would then spread my wings over his chest.
He sailed o'er the ocean, his fortune to seek
He sailed over the ocean to find his fortune
I missed his caresses and his kiss on my cheek
I longed for his touch and his kisses on my cheek
He returned and I told him my love was still warm
He returned and I told him that my love for him had not faded
He turned away lightly and great was his scorn
But he rejected me and showed me great disdain
He offered to take me to Donnybrook Fair To buy me fine ribbons, tie them up in my hair
He offered to take me to the fair and buy me fancy ribbons to put in my hair
He offered to marry and to stay by my side
He offered to marry me and stay by my side
But then in the morning he sailed with the tide
But the next morning, he sailed away again
My parents they chide me, and will not agree Saying that me and my true love married should never be Ah but let them deprive me, or let them do what they will While there's breath in my body, he's the one that I love still
My parents disapprove of my desire to marry my love, but I will remain with him no matter the obstacles because I love him deeply
Male perspective...
This part is a shift to the male perspective
I am a young sailor, my story is sad
I was once a happy young sailor, but now I am filled with sadness
For once I was carefree and a bold sailor lad
I used to be a bold and carefree sailor
I courted a lassie by night and by day
I romanced a young woman both day and night
But now she has left me and gone far away
But now she has left me and gone far away, leaving me alone and heartbroken
Chorus: Oh if I was a blackbird, could whistle and sing I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in And in the top rigging I would there build my nest And I'd flutter my wings o'er her lily-white breast
If I were a blackbird, I would follow the ship my love was sailing on and build my nest in the top rigging. I would then spread my wings over her chest
Or if I was a scholar and could handle a pen One secret love letter to my true love I'd send And I'd tell of my sorrow, my grief and my pain Since she's gone and left me in yon flowery glen
Or if I were a scholar, I would send a secret love letter to my true love and express my sorrow, grief, and pain since she left me in the flower-filled meadow
I sailed o'er the ocean, my fortune to seek
I sailed over the ocean to find my fortune
Though I missed her caress and her kiss on my cheek
Though I longed for her touch and her kisses on my cheek
I returned and I told her my love was still warm
I returned and told her that my love for her had not faded
But she turned away lightly and great was her scorn
But she rejected me and showed me great disdain
I offered to take her to Donnybrook Fair And to buy her fine ribbons to tie up her hair I offered to marry and to stay by her side But she said in the morning she sailed with the tide
I offered to take her to the fair and buy her fancy ribbons to put in her hair. I offered to marry her and stay by her side, but she rejected me and left the next morning
My parents they chide me, and will not agree Saying that me and my false love married should never be Ah but let them deprive me, or let them do what they will While there's breath in my body, she's the one that I love still
My parents disapprove of my desire to marry my love, but I will remain with her no matter the obstacles because I love her deeply
Contributed by Mackenzie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.