Jos van Geffen --
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You offered me an eagle's wing
That to the sun I might soar and sing
And if I heard the owl's cry
Into the forest I would fly
And in its darkness find you by.
And so our love's not a simple thing
Nor our truths unwavering
Like the moon's pull on the tide
Our fingers touch our hearts collide
I'll be a moonsbreath by your side (3x)
Then comes the lad with the hazel
And the folding star's in the rack
'Night's a good herd' to the cattle,
He sings, 'She brings all things back.'
But the bond woman down by the boorie
Sings with a heart grown wild
How a hundred rivers are flowing
Between herself and her child.
'The geese, even they trudge homeward
That have their wings and the waste,
Let your thoughts be on Night the Herder,
And be quiet for a space.'
The moon-cradle's rocking and rocking,
Where a cloud and a cloud go by,
Silent rocking and rocking
The moon-cradle out in the sky.
The snipe they are crying and crying
Liadine, liadine, liadine
Where no track's on the bog they are flying:
A lonely dream will be mine!
Where no track's on the bog they are flying:
A lonely dream will be mine!
Down came her father and he's standing at the door
Saying Jeannie you are trying the tricks of a whore
You care nothing for a man who cares so much for thee
You must marry Lord Sultan and leave Annachie
For Annachie Gordon is barely but a man
Although he may be pretty but where are his lands
For the Sultan's lands are broad and his towers they run high
You must marry Lord Sultan and leave Annachie.
With Annachie Gordon I beg for my bread
Before I marry Sultan his gold to my head
With gold to my head and straight down to my knee
I'll die if I don't get my love Annachie
And you who are my parents to church you may me bring
But onto Lord Sultan I'll never bear a son
To a son or a daughter I'll never bow my knee
And I'll die if I don't get my love Annachie.
Jeannie was married and from church was brought home
When she and her maidens so merry should have been
When she and her maidens so merry should have been
She goes into her chamber and cries all alone.
Come to bed my Jeannie my honey and my sweet
To stile you my mistress it would be so sweet
Be it mistress or Jeannie it's all the same to me
But in your bed Lord Sultan I never will lie
And down came her father and he's spoken with reknown
Saying you who are her maidens
Go loosen up her gowns
And she fell down to the floor
And straight down to his knee saying
Father look I'm dying for my love Annachie.
The day that she married was the day that Jeannie died
And the day that young Annachie came home on the tide
And down came her maidens all wringing of their hands
Saying oh it's been so long? You've been so long on the sands
So long on the sands so long on the flood
They have married your Jeannie and now she lies dead.
You who are her maidens come take me by the hand
And lead me to the chamber where my love she lies in
And he kissed her cold lips till his heart it turned to stone
And he died in the chamber that his love she lies in.
Across the lake in Sandwick
Dwelled a youth she held most true,
And ever since her infancy
He had watched those eyes so blue.
The land runs out into the sea -
It's a narrow neck of land -
Where weird and grim the Standing Stones
In a circle where they stand.
One bonny moonlight Christmas Eve
They met at that sad place
With her heart in glee and the beams of love
Were shining on her face.
When her lover came and he grasped her hand
What loving words they said.
They talked of future's happy days
As through the stones they strayed.
They walked toward the lovers' stone
And through it passed their hands.
They plighted there a constant troth
Sealed by love's steadfast bands.
He kissed his maid and then he watched her
That lonely bridge go o'er.
For little, little did he think
He wouldn't see his darling more.
Standing Stones of the Orkney Isles
Gazing out to sea
Standing Stones of the Orkney Isles
Bring my love to me.
He turned his face toward his home
That home he did never see.
And you shall have the story
As it was told to me.
When a form upon him sprang
With a dagger gleaming bright,
It pierced his heart and dying screams
Disturbed the silent night.
This maid had nearly reached her home
When she was startled by a cry.
She turned to look around her
And her love was standing by,
His hand was pointing to the stars
His eyes glazed at the light,
And with a smiling countenance
He vanished from her sight.
She quickly turned and home she ran
Not a word of this was said,
For well she knew at seeing his form
That her faithful love was dead.
And from that day she pined away,
Not a smile seen on her face.
With outstretched arms she went to meet him
In a brighter place.
Standing Stones of the Orkney Isles
Gazing out to sea
Standing Stones of the Orkney Isles
Bring my love to me.
Maybe I can find a place I can call my home
Maybe I can find a home I can call my own
The horses on the cobbled stones pass by
Think I'll get one one fine day
And ride into the country side
And very far away
But now as the daylight disappears
I best find a place to sleep
Think I'll slip into the bell tower
In the church just down the street
Maybe I can find a place I can call my home
Maybe I can find a home I can call my own
Maybe on the way I'll find the dog
I saw the other night
And tuck him underneath my jacket
So we'll stay warm through the night
As we lie in the bell tower high
And dream of days to come
The bells o'er head will call the hour
The day we will find a home
Maybe I can find a place I can call my home
Maybe I can find a home I can call my own
Maybe I can find a place I can call my home
Maybe I can find a home I can call my own
Dickens Dublin transcript:
Joyful mystery, the birth of our lord ... This night our Lady and St. Joseph was going up to get registered and um they were going down the road and they met this man ... and he said have you any room and he said 'Not but there's an old stable over there that I owned ... If yous want to go into it ... And they went over and the Lord came down from heaven at twelve o'clock and loads of beautiful angels was with them ... and when they were walkin ....These three wise kings ... um ... they were all from different countries. And they always looked up at the sky and they looked up this night and saw this beautiful star up in the sky ... and when they were going they all meeted together ... and they had to pass King Herod's, not that we much care for him ... and they went in and he said 'Where ye goin with yer best stitches on ye.'
And they said 'Did you not hear the news' and say he says 'What news' he says 'This day the Saviour is born' and he said to them 'When you find him come back and tell me cause I want to go and adore him too' and he was only coddin' them. He wanted to kill him and when they were going, they stopped and they said 'Surely not this old stable that our King is born in. We were expecting a palace.
There was these shepherds and shepherds are fellas that mind the foals and cows and sheeps and little lambs and all and um they hears this beautiful music up in the sky and they were wondering what was so fun ... an angel disappated then and he said I was wonderin' what so fun' and he said ye and he said 'The Saviour is born. If yous want to go to see him, follow that star up in the sky, and it was a beautiful star.
A troubled soul knows no peace
A dark and poisoned pool
Of liberty now lost
A pawn an oppressors tool
Oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
A gunfire shatters silence
Where birds once sweetly sang
A mother cradles a child now dead
Now death where life began
From the troubled heart of South Africa
Nicaragua's festering sore
The turmoil on the streets of China
Death crying out for more
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
A change is slow in coming
My eyes can scarcely see
The rays of hope come streaming
Through the smoke of apathy
But oh my heart be strong
And guide when eyes grow dim
When ears grow deaf with empty words
When I know there's life within
May the spirit never die
Though a troubled heart feels pain
When this long winter is over
It will blossom once again
A tribute to Amnesty International
From: Parallel (1989)
see the separate lyrics pages for the authors of the lyrics.
<=== The Loreena McKennitt
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Jos van Geffen --
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