The Drunken Piper
(a.k.a. "Far Am Bi Mi Fhin" or "Where I
Will Be?")
Words & Music:
Traditional Scottish
Gaelic
Natalie McMaster's version of this is a wonderful meshing
of old & new. Correspondent
Gordon was kind enough to point out that this song was in Scottish Gaelic and
not Irish Gaelic (he also corrected the English translation of the
title!). Also, there are
only 57,000 Scottish Gaelic speakers left, so, if any of you folk singers want
to get authentic, feel free to learn the language and add to the speaker base
keeping the language alive!
CHORUS:
Am
Far am bi mi fhn is ann a bhios mo dhchas.
G
Far am bi mi fhn is ann a bhios mo dhchas.
Am
Far am bi mi fhn is ann a bhios mo dhchas.
Em
Am
Far am bi mi fhin bigh mo dhochas ann.
VERSE 1:
Am
Siubhal air na cladaichean 's a'coiseachd air a'ghainmhich,
G
Siubhal air na cladaichean 's a'coiseachd air a'ghainmhich,
Am
Siubhal air na cladaichean 's a'coiseachd air a'ghainmhich,
Em
Am
Far am bi mi fhin bidh mo dhchas ann.
CHORUS:
VERSE 2:
Thid mi fhin is Sine null gu taigh a'phobair,
Thid mi fhin is Sine null gu taigh a'phobair,
Thid mi fhin is Sine null gu taigh a'phobair,
'S n sinn brod an ruidhle leinn fhin air an lr.
CHORUS:
VERSE 3:
Is mar d'thoir am pobair puirt
dhuinn airson ruidhle,
Is mar d'thoir am pobair puirt
dhuinn airson ruidhle,
Is mar d'thoir am pobair puirt
dhuinn airson ruidhle,
Tha fdheal aig a' chiobair is pob
aig a' cheard.
CHORUS:
ALT. VERSE 3:
Fhuair mi fios bho Shne gu robh tromb is cr aic'
Fhuair mi fios bho Shne gu robh tromb is cr aic'
Fhuair mi fios bho Shne gu robh tromb is cr aic'
Ged a bhiodh gach pobair is fidhleir 'nan tmh.
Translation notes by Philippa from Mudcat Caf:
CHORUS: "Wherever I am, is where I want to
be." {my interpretation.
"dochas" means "hope or
expectation". Another
possible translation: "...is where my hopes lie"} My own thoughts are:
"Where I will be and there would be my hope."
"Where I will be is where my hope will be."
Verse 1: "Travelling the beaches &
walking on the sand."
Verse 2: "Sine [Eng.=Jean] and I will go to
the piper's house and dance a reel on the floor."
Verse 3: "As the piper gives us a tune for the reel,
the shepherd has a fiddle & the craftsman has a pipe."
Alt. Verse 3: "I heard from Sine that she had a
jaw's harp & a comb, although every fiddler and piper would be there."