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Description:
Another collab between myself and Rebsie continuing our quest to make 21st century folk music.
We take turns to grab the song for our homepages. Rebsie won the toss last time (or so she says - how do you see a coin on iChat?) so this is mine.
Rebsie writes: "Buain A'Choirce (Reaping Oats) is a Scottish Gaelic song which
probably originated as a women's work song. In the days before luxury
combine-harvesters with CD players, fields of oats were harvested by
women who formed a long line and worked across the field with their
scythes in unison. They sang songs like this to keep the momentum
going and to relieve the boredom.
"A'Choirce is a typical song of
its kind: the chorus is made up of vocables (nonsense syllables) which
enabled everyone to sing along, and the rhythm would make anyone want
to go out and swing a scythe."
In the spirit of cultural miscegenation, the jig at the end is a well-known Irish tune called Morrison's Jig.
Words and music: Traditional, arranged by William and Rebsie
Mixed by Rebsie
Lyrics:
Latha dhomh 's mi buain a'choirce
Gheàrr mi beum 's cha robh e socair
Chorus (after each couplet):
Horo sna hoir ri ri o
Hi ri ri ri horo eile
Horo sna hoir ri ri o
Gheàrr mi beum 's cha robh e socair
Ghèarr mi mo ghlùn is leig mi osna
Ghèarr mi mo ghlùn is leig mi osna
Shuidh mi air uachdair a'ghoirtein
Shuidh mi air uachdair a'ghoirtein
Dh'fheuch am faicinn fear do choltais
Dh'fheuch am faicinn fear do choltais
Fear 'chùil duinn 's nan gruaidhean dosrach
Fhaoilinn bhig a shnamhas an caolas
Beir mo shoraidh bhuam gu'm leannain
Translation:
One day as I was reaping oats
I made a cut that wasn't easy
I cut my knee and gave a moan
I sat at the top of the field
In the hope of seeing a man like you
A brown-haired man with a fair face
Little seagull who swims the straights
Bear my greeting to my sweetheart
Hardware:
Rebsie: vocals, 11-string acoustic guitar
William: mandolin, violin, software instruments.
Software:
GB 1.1
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Scottish Gaelic!!! &mdash 08/01/05 - 05:48:58 PM
Scottish Gaelic!!! &mdash 08/02/05 - 08:05:20 AM
Thanks cj. And on the subject of singing, when are we going to hear some
more of yours? [ Reply to This ]
bleepin' brilliant, sorta... &mdash 08/01/05 - 06:11:58 PM
I really enjoyed this, with one unfortunately major nitpick.
This is a stunningly beautiful folk song. It is wonderfully
played (Yay Mando!) It is gorgeously sung (Yay Rebsie!)
But, the techno blips, instead of melting into the song, or
making it sound "modern", seem to remain disconnected
from the mood and sound of the piece, they don't fit (at
least to my ear.) I wouldn't mind some 21st century
snyth-additions to this, but I'm not sure what I'd do to
make them fit either? Maybe start with a modern
machinery scythe sound, then fade into the folk singing,
with the techno-scythe fading in during the chorus?
Dunno, but the juxtaposition didn't work for me. And it
may simply be that this song was so beautiful that I was
swatting at the pesky blips as though it was a fly getting
in the way of your great performance. :-) I look forward
to you either removing the synth stuff completely (then it
will be 9s across), or do something more inventive with
the synth stuff (which would also probably be 9s across).
I'll refrain from voting, because I'm rather torn on the very
talented performance here!
ttfn,
Drakonis [ Reply to This ]
bleepin' brilliant, sorta... &mdash 08/01/05 - 06:20:47 PM
Oh, and Mando plays violin too, and so nicely! Rebsie, your voice and
harmonies are in top form on this song. And I love the lyrics and explanation
of the song, very enlightening and interesting! I also find it spooky that folk
music all around the world has uncanny similarities... this sounds very similar
to some Japanese farming songs where they sing to keep time as well. Cool!
-Drakonis
---
deja vu, it's the next best thing to being there [ Reply to This ]
bleepin' brilliant, sorta... &mdash 08/02/05 - 08:48:54 AM
Drak. Thanks so much. Great comments and support. When we came up with
the rhythm part we knew right away it was going to be an issue, but, heck, we
like it - even if it grates. Folk music is the most conservative of all genres; it
shouldn't have to carry a burden of what it's supposedsound like. We
wanted some 21st century bleeps in the oatfield. Of course your crit of our
bleeps is not that they shouldn't be there, but simply that you didn't like em;
I'm just trying to explain - in as long-winded and pompous a way as possible
- why we put them there... as you're definitely not going to be the only
person wishing them away. [ Reply to This ]
bleepin' brilliant, sorta... &mdash 08/02/05 - 09:38:57 AM
Dragons are naturally long-winded creatures too, so I must reply to your
long-windedosity with a clarification :-) I didn't want to wish the beeps away,
I said they could probably be wafted in and out in a way that would work well,
but I don't think I'd know how to do that. I would love to hear a version of
this without them at all, but also love to hear one with them added in a more
dynamic way... maybe a more industrial intro, fading to a softer metallic
background beat with the music possibly... mostly I was just left breathless
from the incredibly talented singing/playing from you two! (Note:
Dragon+Breathless=Rare.) heeehee...
ttfn,
Drakonis
---
deja vu, it's the next best thing to being there [ Reply to This ]
Two of my favorites mj-ers! &mdash 08/01/05 - 07:52:30 PM
What a beautiful voice you have Rebsie! And a fab accompniement from Mando. This one is definitely a keeper for me (and, Caroline, I finally got to comment one of what should be one of your favorites before you! xox).
Thank you both of you [ Reply to This ]
Two of my favorites mj-ers! &mdash 08/02/05 - 01:04:26 PM
You two... &mdash 08/01/05 - 08:07:27 PM
...I LOVE this folk singing that you're doing!
Rebsie, you've done some of the best singing here that
I've ever heard from you. Excellent!! Your voice is so
perfectly suited for this song..and this style.
Mando--great accompaniment, as always. I particularly
liked the violin. :)
I will have to agree with Drak that I found the buzzy synth
perhaps a bit too buzzy for the overall tone of the piece
and a tad distracting.
[ Reply to This ]
You two... &mdash 08/03/05 - 02:56:48 AM
it's ten minutes before 3am!!! &mdash 08/01/05 - 08:14:18 PM
i got here as fast as i could! because of the lateness or earliness of the hour, i'm listening through the headphones so it is a little buzzy but not quite in the way i'm used to! otherwise this has to be the best so far! thank you once again for something so good - i love the sound you are making together and please forgive my tardiness in arriving so late xxx [ Reply to This ]
it's ten minutes before 3am!!! &mdash 08/03/05 - 07:48:29 AM
Meadhrach! &mdash 08/01/05 - 09:09:36 PM
I hope that means what I think it means. If it doesn't, sorry,
lanuguages were never my strong point. Gaelic sounds so
lovely when it's sung.
This is another excellent collab. I like the way the techno
beats offset the more traditional instumentation. The jig at
the end fits in nicely. Enjoyed it very much [ Reply to This ]
Meadhrach! &mdash 08/04/05 - 04:46:54 AM
Great As Always &mdash 08/01/05 - 10:37:01 PM
Nice fiddle William - great singing Rebsie - wonderful
arrangement both. I could probably just copy this and
post after each of your songs. You have gotten so good
that it sounds effortless and easy to do. This reminds me
so much of the book I told you about, "The Little Country".
Sounds like a song that the heroine of the book would
perform. Beautiful music. [ Reply to This ]
Great As Always &mdash 08/04/05 - 05:41:23 AM
bronco.... I love comments from you as I think we share a lot of the same
ideas. Thanks. [ Reply to This ]
Lively and beautiful... &mdash 08/01/05 - 11:07:08 PM
Reb, your vocals (harmonies) are so melodic and alive.
Your voice shines in this song. And your guitar playing
is a very well done rhythm for the song. Mando, you once
again provide some lovely mandolin accompaniment.
I may agree slightly with Drak on the synth blips, but
it may be more a matter of creative taste. But overall
the instrumentation is top notch.
Lovely, you two.
Jack [ Reply to This ]
Lively and beautiful... &mdash 08/06/05 - 07:03:30 AM
Thanks Jack, your comments are much appreciated, as always. I'm very
pleased you mentioned my guitar playing. I've never thought of myself as
a guitarist but I've been getting a lot of encouragement recently. [ Reply to This ]
celtic tune &mdash 08/01/05 - 11:20:09 PM
Really good song, its put together very well. I love the
vocals you'll have great voices and it sounds neat with the
electronic tempo instead of the traditional celtic
beat.....great song [ Reply to This ]
celtic tune &mdash 08/06/05 - 07:12:22 AM
Great track guys &mdash 08/02/05 - 01:08:19 AM
Wonderful performance...great playing and lovely lovely
vocals from Rebsie. My only crit (which I guess others
have already picked up) is that the synthy noises seem a
bit too high in the mix and get a bit distracting as the
song goes on. My suggestion would be to have the high in
the intro and then mix them back once the vocals start, to
a more subliminal level. The track overall is really
marvellous though, you have a real command of this
genre!
Steve [ Reply to This ]
Great track guys &mdash 08/06/05 - 07:29:50 AM
Thanks very much Steve, it's greatly appreciated. We still like our synthy
blip things just as they are, waaaaah! (throws dummy out of pram). But
we do listen to and appreciate your suggestions. And we're delighted
that you like the song overall. Thanks! [ Reply to This ]
Oh yeah! &mdash 08/02/05 - 04:45:05 AM
I've been waiting for one of your gaelic ditties and here
she be! Fantabulous vocals and muscianship on this one.
It's got such a wonderful rhythm to it, I truly wanted to
harvest something. My area of Los Angeles is,
unfortunately, short on fields of oats. As always, a
fantastic song from two of my favorites. [ Reply to This ]
Oh yeah! &mdash 08/06/05 - 07:40:22 AM
Aww, sorry to hear about the Los Angeles oat shortage. There's plenty of
stuff needs scything in my garden though so maybe I'll go and try it out.
If you don't see me for a while you can assume the neighbours have had
me arrested.
Thanks very much for your nice comments. [ Reply to This ]
In the blood &mdash 08/02/05 - 06:01:52 AM
Love the song - gaelic appears to be in my blood.
When I say I love the song, I need to qualify that a bit. At
first I thought I'd really like the techno stuff, but as the
song progressed, I found it increasingly annoying. The
strict rhythm of the electrics seemed to make the
beautiful tune, playing and singing constricted rather than
flowing. It just feels like there should be a natural ebb
and flow in the rhythm of the song which is blocked by
the strict meter of the beats. Is it possible to put up a
new version with the same mix with the beats blocked?
Drakonis has a worthwhile idea.
Despite my comments, I think this is the best song and
performance from you both so far in my three months at
MJ - just felt it was spoiled by the modern bits rather than
enhanced.
Perhaps a purist version for us old folks would be good. [ Reply to This ]
In the blood &mdash 08/08/05 - 04:41:05 AM
Thanks jiguma ... and as you've now made a second comment below I
won't go off on one here ... [ Reply to This ]
wao &mdash 08/02/05 - 08:11:36 AM
wao &mdash 08/08/05 - 04:44:33 AM
nice &mdash 08/03/05 - 04:45:35 PM
nice &mdash 08/08/05 - 04:48:32 AM
Kudos Kiddos &mdash 08/03/05 - 07:26:33 PM
For shaking up the MacJams folk world. I think it's highly
creative and original. Personally- I LIKE it! [ Reply to This ]
Kudos Kiddos &mdash 08/08/05 - 04:57:38 AM
You don't want me to mention the blips &mdash 08/04/05 - 05:17:09 AM
… do you? I don't want them taken off, though. I'm
not one of them "old folks" that jiguma was talking
about! I kind of agree with Drakonis: bring them up
in the mix, make them more dynamic, more
industrial (revolution) even. Push that envelope. Be
proud of those bleeps and blips. Otherwise, although
this isn't really my kind of thing (which is why I
haven't voted), I can hear the hard work and skill that
has gone into this. Nice one, guys! Keep 'em coming! [ Reply to This ]
You don't want me to mention the blips &mdash 08/08/05 - 05:02:39 AM
Ha! Thanks Eppy ... it's great that someone who really doesn't like
traditional music should take the trouble to keep supporting us the way
you do! [ Reply to This ]
More serenity &mdash 08/04/05 - 08:18:26 AM
This is beautiful - and avoids being too floaty (I think it's
the beats in particular which help this).
My feeling is that you could be even bolder with the beats
- not necessarily them cutting through more but having
more going on: experimenting with effects, subdivisions
of the beat, breaking down and building up - that sort of
thing.
I DO love the stuff you guys do - do you ever play live?
I'm sure you would be a hit at more enlighted folk
festivals - and other non-mainstream festivals.
[ Reply to This ]
More serenity &mdash 08/08/05 - 05:36:56 AM
Thanks very much Komrade K for your nice comments and insightful
suggestions.
Sadly we don't play live at the moment ... in fact we've never even played
together in the same room ... but we're both keen to try gigging subject
to the practical obstacles (i.e. living 150 miles apart). Folk festivals would
be great, but you're right about needing to stick with 'enlightened' ones
... I suspect we'd be hounded out of some of the more conservative ones,
haha! [ Reply to This ]
Addictive! &mdash 08/04/05 - 05:52:26 PM
Mando & Rebsie,
Have had a lot more listens and the bleeps and such are growing on me. Still love the tune, the vocals and the instrumentation - growing to like the bleeps!
The vocals and playing on this are certainly among the best I've heard in the genre, and I'm not just talking MacJams here!
Is the language familiar to you Rebsie? If not, a damn fine job - if so, likewise!! [ Reply to This ]
Addictive! &mdash 08/08/05 - 06:02:24 AM
That's such a lovely comment, jiguma, and really appreciated. We're
delighted you've had a change of heart over the blips too ... thanks so
much for telling us.
I spent a year learning Scottish Gaelic (many years ago) because there are
so many brilliant Gaelic songs out there and I desperately wanted to be
able to sing them. I'm not fluent ... and it's probably politically incorrect
for an English person to sing in Gaelic anyway ... but it's such a lovely
language and I'm sure we'll be doing more. [ Reply to This ]
Where do I got to get my scythe? &mdash 08/04/05 - 06:16:43 PM
This truly is my favorite of Rebsie's vocal perfomances,
although I can't really choose just one, can I? Mando, your
playing here is just absolutely perfect, technically great,
yet also containing terrific expression. The song also is
really lovely. I love it that you guys are bringing these
songs that we might not have heard otherwise and
presenting them so beautifully.
On the bleeps. I love the rhythm, as drakonis said, it
seems to represent the scythe as it swings down and up,
but I do think that it doesn't seem as though the song is
fully commited to them. Just having them because you like
them is definitely a good reason, but I would love to hear
a version where you commited to the blend of the old and
the new in the way you did with The Unquiet Grave.
I guess I'm saying that I think you could go further with it.
I think I'd prefer that than just taking off the software
instruments and going traditional. Still an awesome,
wonderful beeping good song!
(Down with Jimmy Osmond) [ Reply to This ]
Where do I got to get my scythe? &mdash 08/29/05 - 08:03:24 AM
Thanks. I expect we will do more songs where the old and new are integrated
like on The Unquiet Grave, but on this one we rather like the stark
juxtaposition. [ Reply to This ]
I Love This &mdash 08/06/05 - 06:46:30 AM
Well done. I like the combination of the traditional and the
techno blips - and like a couple of others - wouldn't mind
the more industrial sounds mixing in, slicing, emphasizing
the rhythm. And as someone with 3 grandparents from
Ireland (all of whom would be about 115 years old if they
were still living), I appreciate the ending. [ Reply to This ]
I Love This &mdash 08/29/05 - 08:10:02 AM
Cheers Mungo, delighted you like it! I'm sure if your Irish grandparents had
had Macs they would have enjoyed recording some techno-jigs... [ Reply to This ]
clapping in cyberspace! &mdash 08/30/05 - 09:36:52 AM
Truly a wonderful performance all around. I agree with Drakonis that the bleeps are a bit noticable while keeping in mind that folk music is conservative and that adding some 21st century sounds is a welcome way to keep it fresh. (the same thing has been happening for several years with electronica remixing of opera arias soo why not in this medium as well.) I would only suggest that the electronic blend in a little more with the acoustic but regardless nicely done! [ Reply to This ]
great song &mdash 08/30/05 - 08:00:31 PM
nice lyrics and singing, the mando sounds
great, the only thing though, I really hated the
synth lines in this song. I personally would
like the song much better without the
"modern" sounds.
Keep it old school. [ Reply to This ]
Too timid! &mdash 11/02/05 - 12:32:31 PM
Rebsie's vocal is wonderful. There are a couple of minor tuning issues
on her voice which an extra take or two would fix.
You mentioned in the description your "quest to make 21st centruy
folk music". If that's the case, this arrangement is too timid. You have
a few techno sounding bleeps thrown into an otherwise traditional
arrangement. You've basically replaced the bodhran player and the
guitar is effected. Good. Now replace everything else but the vocal.
Then you're on a quest. This is just a glance from a passing train. Mind
you, the trad arrangement is lovely, but it's trying to please everybody
and we all know that's impossible!
[ Reply to This ]
Love it! &mdash 02/12/07 - 06:04:00 PM
OK, been gone a while and trying to catch up on my favorite artists. This is a really good song! Great work. It's been downloaded. [ Reply to This ]
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