Siuil a Run - Sharon Smith Design

Aithinne
`
Siuil
` a Run
Aithinne
is
Sharon Smith Vocals, Chaos
Alexis Archibald Fiddle, Backing Vocals, More Chaos
Barry McMaster Bass
Spicy McHaggis Highland War Pipes, Ulliean Pipes, Tin Whistle
Kirk McLeod Guitar, Mandolin, Backing Vocals
Daryl Bean Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Bill Whelan Drums, Modern & Traditional
Twa Corbies
(Child # 26- Traditional)
We like to say that those who complain about the lyrics
of modern rock songs ought to take a close look at what
some of the old, old traditional songs were on about. Sex,
violence, death, betrayal, incest-- it’s all there, even serial
killers. This particular tune is one of our all-time favorites.
Subject matter? Just two birds talking about dinner.
Except that in this case, the birds are crows & the dinner
they’re discussing is the body of a dead knight lying in a
field. Yum!
On We Go
(The Mollys)
When Sharon & Lex get drunk & start singing this
in bars or around campfires, all the men in the area
should be just a wee bit nervous. At least that’s
what The Guys say.
` a Run
Siuil
`
(Traditional)
Gaelic rules!
No, seriously, it does.
Ailein
`
` Duin
(Traditional)
This would be the very first song Sharon ever
learned in Gaelic, after seeing Rob Roy.
A sad song reportedly written by Annie Morrison
after her lover was drowned in the sea. The old tale
goes on to tell that Annie herself vanished & her
body was found washed to shore at the same spot
her lover had been.
The Foggy Dew
(Traditional)
The tune for this was taken from The Murlouch Shore,
which we also like to perform. But there’s really nothing
like a rousing song of rebellion to get a crowd going.
Sharon says it took her ages to figure out the words to the
last verse when she was younger. She couldn’t figure out
why the dead would be fleeing from Salisbury or Savory
(depending on who’s version she was listening to).
In London So Fair
(Traditional)
One of many songs we do in which a lass follows her
lover out to sea.
Sharon & Lex wanted to do Willie Taylor instead of
this one but The Guys had a limit of how many songs
they’d agree to include which involved women killing their
faithless lovers. Particularly as there seems to be a derth
of songs about men killing their faithless lovers.
Lowlands of Holland
(Traditional)
True lovers going off to sea & drowning is a pretty
common theme in traditional music. Can’t quite figure out
why. You know, other than that it tended to happen a lot.
Sharon learned this one from an album put out by a band
from somewhere south of Scotland.
Blackbird
(Traditional)
We all fell in love with this tune from listening to way too
much Silly Wizard. Imagine how surprised we were to
find out that the original lyrics were a lass singing to her
lad rather than the other way around that Andy Stewart
has it.
Going to the West
(Chorus-Traditional, Verses- Connie Dover)
Connie Dover is a dear, dear lass. Sharon frequently
cites her as one of her inspirations in getting into
traditional music in the first place. This song is our
tribute to her & her amazing talents.
Jig of Life
(Kate Bush)
The song still stands as one of the best blends of modern
music & traditional.
Bill our drummer does the spoken word part. Sharon
keeps hoping to convince Ewan McGregor to do it with us
sometime but we suspect that she’s got an ulterior motive
for that.
The Stolen Child
(Lyrics- W.B. Yeats, Music- Loreena McKennitt))
A wonderful poem. We’ve had many, many debates as
to which version we like better, Loreena’s or the one done
by that grand bunch of Irish lads, The Waterboys. We
play both live. For the album, we flipped a coin.
God (Up to Me)
(Kirk McLeod)
Kirk wrote this back in the early days of his “real” band,
Seven Nations. Sharon’s loved it since she first heard
them play it. We think it’s a pretty kickin’ tune all the way
around.
Southern Belle
(Elliot Smith)
Never, ever, ever bet a bunch of crazies who can’t make
up their minds whether they like traditional or punk better
that they can’t “Celtisize” a punk musician. Especially
after they’ve all had a few ciders. And especially not a
musician that the lead singer is obsessed with.
Because when you do, you get stuff like this.
Add some pipes and a fiddle
& you can make just about
anything sound like a reel.