The Rankin Family is a Canadian folk music family group from Mabou, Cape Br… Read Full Bio ↴The Rankin Family is a Canadian folk music family group from Mabou, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

The Rankins come from a family of 12, all of whom would entertain the neighbours musically every third weekend as part of a ceilidh.

Five of the siblings began performing professionally in 1989. The Rankins released their own independent cassettes The Rankin Family (1989) and Fare Thee Well Love (1990) featuring original songs and a combination of traditional jigs, reels and Celtic folk songs. Their television debut was on the CBC variety show On The Road Again in 1989.

Their most successful album was EMI's re-release of Fare Thee Well Love in 1992, which went quadruple platinum, selling over 500,000 copies; the title track was one of the year's biggest Top 40 hit singles in Canada.

The group has won many Canadian music awards, including 15 East Coast Music Awards, 6 Juno Awards, 4 SOCAN Awards, 3 Canadian Country Music Awards and 2 Big Country Music Awards.

On September 17, 1999, the group issued a press release stating that they would no longer perform as a group in order to pursue independent interests and careers.

John Morris Rankin was killed in a car accident in Cape Breton on January 16, 2000.

Jimmy Rankin has continued to write songs and has released two solo albums: Song Dog (2001) and Handmade (2003).

In November 2006, it was announced that the four surviving Rankins — along with John Morris's daughter Molly — would be releasing a new album and reuniting for a cross-Canada concert tour.

On June 3, 2012, Raylene Rankin appeared on CBC Radio's The Sunday Edition where she spoke about her decade-long struggle with cancer. She died on September 30, 2012 at the age of 52.

Discography

* The Rankin Family (independent, 1989)
* Fare Thee Well Love (independent, 1990)
* Fare Thee Well Love [CD re-issue] (Capitol, 1992)
* The Rankin Family [CD re-issue] (Capitol, 1992)
* North Country (EMI, 1993)
* Endless Seasons (EMI, 1995)
* Grey Dusk Of Eve (EMI, 1995)
* Collection (EMI, 1996)
* Do You Hear...Christmas (EMI, 1997)
* Uprooted (EMI, 1998)
* Souvenir:1989-1998 (2003)

Parlour Medley
The Rankin Family Lyrics

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(John Morris Rankin)
Hiù bhi Màiri Anna
Màiri Anna, Màiri Anna
Hiù bhi Màiri Anna
Màiri Anna 's Ruaraidh
Tha Màiri Anna bhòidheach
Am bliadhna dol a phòsadh
'S dùil aice ri òig-fhear

'Ic Dhomhnaill 'ic Ruairidh
Swing her around on the ball of her heels
The more she spins the better she feels
'S ged thigeadh na càirdean
'Na bheil an Ceann Tàile
Tha Màiri Anna 'g ràdha
Gum b' fhearr leithe Ruaraidh
Yours' a nickel, mine's a dime
Yours' so pretty 'n mine's so fine

Yours' a lady, mine's a baby
Mine's a baby

Overall Meaning

The Rankin Family's song Parlour Medley is a beautiful and joyful celebration of traditional Scottish music and culture. The lyrics of the song are in Scottish Gaelic and English, and they showcase different aspects of daily life and relationships in a small Scottish town. The opening lines introduce the character of Màiri Anna, a beautiful girl who is getting ready to marry a young man named Ruaraidh. The song then goes on to describe Màiri Anna's happiness and excitement about the upcoming marriage, as well as her fondness for Ruaraidh. The chorus of the song is a playful invitation to dance with Màiri Anna, who is described as a skilled dancer.

The second half of the song is sung in English and features a catchy and upbeat melody. The lyrics are simple but effective, and they illustrate the contrast between two different couples. The first couple is described as having more resources and being more sophisticated, with the woman being a "lady" and the man handsome and rich. The second couple, on the other hand, is portrayed as young and carefree, with the woman being a "baby" and the man being her lover.

Overall, the Parlour Medley is a joyful and uplifting tribute to Scottish music and culture. It celebrates love, friendship, and the simple pleasures of life, and reminds us of the importance of community and traditions.

Line by Line Meaning

Hiù bhi Màiri Anna
John Morris Rankin greets Màiri Anna with a traditional Scottish Gaelic phrase

Màiri Anna, Màiri Anna
Repeating Màiri Anna's name in a sing-song manner

Hiù bhi Màiri Anna
John Morris Rankin reiterates his greeting

Màiri Anna 's Ruaraidh
John Morris Rankin acknowledges Ruaraidh's presence alongside Màiri Anna

Tha Màiri Anna bhòidheach
John Morris Rankin compliments Màiri Anna's beauty

Am bliadhna dol a phòsadh
John Morris Rankin informs that Màiri Anna is getting married this year

'S dùil aice ri òig-fhear 'Ic Dhomhnaill 'ic Ruairidh
John Morris Rankin suggests that Màiri Anna is hopeful of having a young Donald son of Ruairidh as her partner

Swing her around on the ball of her heels
Encouraging someone to hold Màiri Anna's hand and spin her around on the ball of her heels

The more she spins the better she feels
Implying that the more Màiri Anna is spun around, the better she feels

'S ged thigeadh na càirdean 'Na bheil an Ceann Tàile
John Morris Rankin wonders whether the friends from the Tail of the Bank will arrive or not

Tha Màiri Anna 'g ràdha Gum b' fhearr leithe Ruaraidh
John Morris Rankin tells that Màiri Anna wishes Ruaraidh was with her

Yours' a nickel, mine's a dime
Implies that one person has a nickel and the other has a dime

Yours' so pretty 'n mine's so fine
The two people are comparing their coins, one being pretty and the other being fine

Yours' a lady, mine's a baby
One person's coin is referred to as a lady, while the other is referred to as a baby

Mine's a baby
Reiterates that one person's coin is a baby

Contributed by Natalie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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