O Cho Meallt - Much Deception
                (from 'Heartland' album 1985)

When we were young and free
We started to sing in Gaelic
Spinning music and writing songs
Playing together for our lifetime
O Such deception there is in the world

We left the western isles
And started to play throughout Scotland
And all that went well
Until the big man from London appeared
O such deception there is in the world

"What music you have here
Won't you come with me
And we'll make progress throughout the world
Just put your name at the bottom of the paper"
O such deception there is in the world

"I won't change your music 
I won't change the Gaelic songs"
But we eventually heard
The deceitfullness and the empty words
O such deception there is in the world

You who are young and free
Stop before putting your name on paper
And keep a watch out for the big blokes
The cold world worshipping money
O such deception there is in the world

(C.Macdonald/R.Macdonald) Storr Music
Translated by Craig Cockburn

On a long dark loch
On a Uist moor
Before the winter turned
We atched the circle round the moon
And the storm clouds gather round
So I turned to you
But you were gone
So I turned for home alone
Over last years rotting corn I walked 
Where the harvest winds had blown

Where the darkness whines
On an eeire wind
In the hour before the dawn
We scanned this wasted land for life
All seemed void and without form
So I turned to you
But you were gone
So I stood and watched alone
Where the doubting clouds of firstlight formed
Their shapes across the soul

So I turned by collar
To the wind
And I asked myself in vain
Did I walk out here with you today
Or did I come alone?
But then I saw
A distant sight
A heart behind the grey
Come shining through the darkest sky
Establishing my way

The Binding Lines
Have turned away
Shadows from your door
And my worn heart
Is young today
This Darkest winter gone

Hear the call of the wind
Feel the dying answer
Steel on the mind 
Cold in the veins
Torture and trial
Sunrise  over the limits
Conquest and fire

You cry in the wilds
Hope on the ledges
Your heart's in the stars
Night's in your eyes
The rockface inclines
Hold her, leave her
Rise to glory
Over mankind

I'm alive
I'm alive
I'm alive on a lifeline
I'm alive
I'm alive
Spirits provide
I'm alive
I'm alive
I'm alive on a lifeline
Come to the mountain and climb

			
Tha am ball air fhuasgladh	The ropes have been undone
Is tha sinn a' gluasad		And er are set adrift
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas
Tha sinn a' seoladh		We are sailing on
Tro thonnan uaine		Through the green waves
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas
Air cursa deònach		On a willing course
Tha sinn a´seòladh		We keep sailing
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas
Fad bho thir			Ever far from land
Is an talamh aghmhor		An the glorious soil
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas

Is mi a´sealltainn man cuairt	And as I look around me
Is mi cho fada bhuat		All I feel is the distance from you
Cail ach muir, tonnan is cuan	Separated by the relentless ocean
O mu run			My love

Tha a´ghoath a´séideadh		The wind is rushing
Nan tonnan fiadhaich		Through the wild waves
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas
Tro thonnan fiadhaich		Through the raging seas
Is droch shide			And the brooding water
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas

Cho domhain an cuan		The ocean is unfathomable
Cho luachmhor an uair		And the time that lever lasts
Nach mair fada buan		Is too previous 
O mo run			My love

Sinn a' treabhadh		And so we journey on
Tron an oidhche		        Through the night
Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas
Siubhal sàbhailteachd		Searching for safe waters
Is madainn shundach		And the peaceful morning

Air a'chuan, air a'chuan	On the open seas

Thig crioch air an t-saoghal		The world will come to an end
Is thig crioch air daoin		An end must come for mankind
Ach mairidh ceól is mairidh gaol	But music and love they'll last forever
O mo run				My love

The landlords came 
The peasant trials
To the sacrifice of men
Through the past quite darkly
The precence once again
In the name of capital
Establishment
Improvers, it´s a name
The hidden truths, the hidden lies
That oncew nailes you
To the pain

The candles
Of enlightenment
Once lit they say don´t burn
To turn to the darkest room of suffering
To a greater state of pain
Don't tell me it's behind you now
Don't greet me
Don't greet your dying blind
It´s our very last stand together
So let's sever
No regrets

There were days
That once held confidence
Strength and will and mind
The camouflage that washed your fathers
Yoyr sons and daughters time
Another tongue
My love, my island
You´ve gone international
With all the praying men of God
Who stood 
And watched it all og on

They did a dance 
Called America
They danced it round
And waited at the turns
For America
They danced they ladies round

So here you og you´re on your own
The flowers bloom so freely
For fortune, musket , fyfe and drum
Your faking days won't leave you
´Cause young man now you nurse the gun
You´re nervous in the morning
´Neath shattered skies your body lies
On the dark side of reason

The blood is lusting in your heart
Your flesh red hot and lonely
And venegance gulps the bitter cup
That once held wine so sweetly
But young man legends still unfold
For regiment for glory
You search for gold like you´ve been told
And the light of day won´t leave you

For fickle kings you click the heel
Where a bleak moon leans so weary
Forgotten names on faceless graves
Your father's home awaits you
Oh, the warrior is not the fool
The refugee of freedom
But the outlawed man wholholds no gun
Onthe dark side of reason

But run
You'll never turn and run
The everlasting gun
Your day will surely come You'll never run

How can't you see
The wilderness growing free
Tine wounded and scarred
Stroking away the years
It's hard to believe
But memories are old ghost
Mountains of black and gold
Sunsets falling over the moor
Take me there

You take your dream
And make life what you feel
Appearances lead to decieve
This drama so far from me
Destiny
On facts aching wings
Wild geese low over your shores
Hearts sailing over the trees
Take me there

Chi mi an t-eilean uaine
Tir nam beanntan arda
Ceò a' tuiteam tron á ghleann
'Na shineadh air do raointean

Gun dragh gun d´chuir e an t-eagal oirnn	It is without doubt that it frightened us
Solus Cnoc na Feille		                The light on the hill at the market stance
Hoginn oro horo ilean horo eile		
Bha feadhainn ann a chunnaic e		        There were those that could see it
`S cach ag inns' nam briagan		        Others liked to believe they could
Hoginn oro horo ilean horo eile
Ach miunntir an da shealladh		        Those with the second sight
Chitheadh iadsad co-dhiubh e		        They had no difficulty
Hoginn oro horo ilean horo eile
Tha lach is griadh is curracag		        The duck, the goose and the lapwing
‘Nan caraidean air a´mhacaire		        Are together sharing the Machairlands
Hoginn oro horo ilean horo eile		
Tha feannag air a crochadh suas		        A dead crow hangs on the fence
Ceangailt le ropa		                Tied by a length of rope
Hoginn oro horo ilean horo eile
Tha coineanach ´sa ghainmhaech	                The rabbit is sitting in the sand dunes
Na sheasamh, abair urchaire		        Presenting himself a perfect target
Hoginn oro horo ilean horo eile

Hoginn o, hoginn o, horo horo illean
Hoginn o, horo ilean, hoginn o horinn o

We listened into the Iceage
And we built up man round the Picts
And the daybreak hammered out warning
To the weak

We dreamed on moor with passion
And on the long lochs bluer than eyes
´Till the mists of bygone ages
Heard our cries

I've seen us among thousands
All of one name waiting to run
And when the charge came heather on heartbeat
Steel on gun

The old rock leaves us with fossil
From the ancient pagan rites
From the universal inroads
Back to Christ

As we look out over the morning
And the days of this life´s spring
And the joy of Gaelic's lifeblood
Made me sing

Watching your beauty on this journey
With the flick of youth in your eyes
Let us sow this olden heartland
Reap in time

Transmitting, transmitting
Breaking down the wire
Transmitting, transmitting
Breaking down the wire

An ataireachd Bhuan		        The ceaseless surge
Cluinn fuaim na h- ataireachd ard	Listen to the surge of the sea
Tha torunn a´chuain		        The thunder of the ocean
Mar chualaas lean s´e nam phàisd	As I heard it when I was a child
Gun mhuthadh gun truas		        Without change without pity
A sluasireadh gainneamh na tràgh'd	Breaking on the sand of the beach
An ataireachd thuan		        The ceaseless surge
Cluinn fuaim na h- ataireachd àrd	Listen to the high surge of the sea

´S na coiltean a siar		        In the woods of the west
Chan iarrain fuireach gu brath		I would not want to remain forever
Bha m'inntinn ´s mo mhainn		My mind and my desire was always
A riamh air lagan a bhaigh		On the little hollow by the bay
Ach iadsan bha fial		        But those folk
An gniomh an caidreamh ´s an àgh	Who were generous in affection 
Air sgapadh gun doin		        In their happiness and in their acts
Mar thriallas ealtain roimh namh	Have been scattered defenceless
			                As a flock of birds flees in front of their enemy
  
Ach suibhlaidh mi uat		        I shall move away
Cha ghluais mi tuilleadh ´nad dhail	I shall no longer stay beside you
Tha m´aois is mo shnuadh		My age, and my looks
Toirt luaidh air giorrad mo la		Speak of the shortness of my days
An am dhomh bhi suaint		        But when I'm wrapped
Am fuachd ´s an cadal a bhais		In the cold sleep of death
Mo leabaidh dean suas		        Make up my bed
Ri fuaim na h- ataireachd ard		By the sound of the high surge of the sea

Well the captain called from ship to shore
And the green light slipped away
The captain called for another song
The day was getting late

Sor the distant light of the Weavers Point
The Lochmor faced the gale
With your Gaelic sons in the city long
Round the saloon by the stairs

She tossed around the sun went down
And she fought her way to the shore
The fever of this sea believes
The boys are coming home

© 1997 b99ne92@samnet1.ou.dk

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