1. Solas is an American musical group officially formed in 1996, playing Irish traditional music as well as original compositions that dabble in the country, rock, and americana genres. The band's original lineup consisted of Seamus Egan (flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, tin whistle/low whistle, guitar, bodhrán), Winifred Horan (fiddle), John Doyle (guitar), John Williams (accordian), and Karan Casey (lead vocals). Over the years, only Egan and Horan have stayed with the band. The current members are now Egan, Horan, Deidre Scanlan (lead vocals), Eamon McElholm (guitar), and Mick McAuley (button accordion/piano accordion, concertina, low whistle, backing vocals).
2. Solas is a French rock band. The band released an album with the title 'Viens Sur Moi' in 2006.
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Solas Lyrics
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I sat me with my true love
My sad heart strove the two between
The old love and the new love
The old for her the new that made me
Think on Ireland dearly
While the soft wind blew down the glen
T'was hard the woeful words to frame
T'was worse the tide that bound us
But harder still to bear the shame
Of foreign chains around us
And so I said the mountain glen
I'll seek at morning early
And join the bold united men
While soft wind shakes the barley
While sad I kissed away her tears
My fond arms 'round her flinging
When a foe man's shot burst on our ears
From out the wild wood ringing
And a bullet pierced my true love's side
In life's young spring so early
And on my breast in blood she died
While soft wind shakes the barley
And blood for blood without remorse
I've taken at oulart hollow
I've lain my true love's clay full corpse
Where I full soon will follow
Around her grave I've wandered drear
Noon, night, and morning early
With a breaking heart when ever I hear
The wind that shakes the barley
The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a traditional Irish song that tells the tale of a man who must choose between his old love and new love, while he contemplates the beauty of his homeland, Ireland. The lyrics illustrate the internal conflict of the man as he stands between two women, representing his old and new love. The soft wind blowing down the "glen" heightens the sense of nostalgia for Ireland as he ponders his life's choices. The song takes a political turn when the man joins the "bold united men" fighting against foreign rule and then witnesses the death of his true love. The final verse speaks of revenge and his commitment to laying his true love to rest.
The powerful imagery in the Wind That Shakes the Barley portrays the broad themes of love, freedom, and political independence. The song is an ode to Ireland and the plight of the Irish people as they fought to maintain their culture and way of life. The melody of the song is soft and melancholic, and the lyrics are rife with meaning, which has kept the song alive for generations.
Line by Line Meaning
I sat within the valley green
I found myself sitting among the lush greenery of the valley
I sat me with my true love
I sat down with my beloved partner
My sad heart strove the two between
I felt conflicted between two emotions in my heart
The old love and the new love
I was torn between the love I had for Ireland and the love for my partner
The old for her the new that made me
I loved my partner, but my loyalty to my homeland was also strong
Think on Ireland dearly
I held my homeland dear in my thoughts
While the soft wind blew down the glen
The gentle breeze swept down the valley
And it shook the golden barley
It rustled the golden barley field nearby
T'was hard the woeful words to frame
It was difficult for me to express my feelings
T'was worse the tide that bound us
It was even harder that we were constrained by outside forces
But harder still to bear the shame
The greatest challenge was dealing with the dishonor we felt
Of foreign chains around us
Being bound by the control of outsiders
And so I said the mountain glen
I decided to express my frustration in the mountainous valley
I'll seek at morning early
I vowed to seek others who shared my beliefs in the early morning
And join the bold united men
I will unite with the courageous men who believe as I do
While soft wind shakes the barley
With the breeze shaking the barley in the field
While sad I kissed away her tears
While comforting my partner and wiping her tears
My fond arms 'round her flinging
I held her close in a loving embrace
When a foe man's shot burst on our ears
Suddenly, we heard the sound of an enemy's gun
From out the wild wood ringing
The sound echoed from the nearby woods
And a bullet pierced my true love's side
My partner was shot in the side by an enemy bullet
In life's young spring so early
At such a young age and in the prime of her life
And on my breast in blood she died
She died in my arms bleeding
While soft wind shakes the barley
As the barley swayed in the gentle breeze
And blood for blood without remorse
I was consumed by a desire for revenge
I've taken at oulart hollow
I have retaliated in Oulart Hollow
I've lain my true love's clay full corpse
I have buried my beloved partner in the earth
Where I full soon will follow
I will soon join her in the afterlife
Around her grave I've wandered drear
I have mourned and visited her grave with sorrow
Noon, night, and morning early
Throughout the day and night, without fail
With a breaking heart when ever I hear
My heart always heavy with grief when I hear
The wind that shakes the barley
The gentle breeze that reminds me of my loss and pain
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LISA GERMAINE GERRARD, BRENDAN MICHAEL PERRY, DP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind