Today I’d like to share with you this very popular Welsh folk song, I guess it must be one of those Welsh-language songs that all Welsh people know, probably even those who don’t speak that much Welsh, or at least they sure must be familiar with it. I’ve already shared it in a lovely instrumental version played by Delyth & Angharad Jenkins and I included the lyrics to this song in that post. I quite like it because, as I wrote in that post, it sounds like whoever wrote it must have had dysthymia or something, as it’s all sad and woeful there and everything goes wrong for everyone. My faza peep, Gwilym Bowen Rhys, who sometimes sings this song at his gigs, actually says that it’s like a Welsh national blues song. And, well, since I have dysthymia and I like gloomy, as well as quirky stuff that doesn’t seem to make too much sense, I quite like this tune.
This is definitely not a debut for Cerys Matthews here on My Inner Mishmash, because I’ve already shared a few of her other Welsh songs, as well as one by Catatonia, a rock group in which she was the vocalist, for what she is best known. Her version of Sosban Fach comes from her solo album called Tir (Land), containing Welsh folk songs. It also contains one more verse which is not present in that translation I included in the post with Delyth & Angharad’s version, which is all about little Dai the soldier and his shirt tail and how the lyrical subject wishes that he would tuck it in, we also learn that his shirt was white with a blue stripe, which, you have to agree with me, is a vital piece of information from the listener’s perspective. 😀
which is held every week by Bee. If you feel like going to a party today, plus if you’d like to celebrate your life, yourself and your achievements over the last week or your entire life, go over to the Bee’s blog and join in. 🙂
Yesterday I was at the Hel Peninsula, we had a family trip, and it was fantastic. We were at the beach, among other things. However, I’ve made one CARDINAL mistake. I got sunburned. Which is a tragedy for me – almost a Goth – not only because it can just hurt, but because even sunbathing is completely against my “religion”. Like, I don’t mind getting the vitamin D from the sun, it’s necessary for our overall wellbeing, but usually I use raspberry oil which is a very good and natural sunscreen, so you can get your vitamin D without bronzing, or burning, your skin, I also usually wear a hat or something. My skin is naturally very light, so I get sunburn very easily plus I just like having light or pale skin, maybe only besides my legs which I tan a little every summer if I have an opportunity. But I didn’t think it would be that sunny as it was, and I didn’t take my raspberry oil. And, as we were at the sea for a long time, and I spent a huge amount of that time in the water, I didn’t even feel anything alarming. And of course when I felt it was already to late for any action. 😀 I wonder what my gothic friends would say if they saw me now. 😀 chuckling a bit, but still, I don’t like having the consciousness of having red, or even just brown, skin. But my poor Dad who has the nickname Viking not without a reason, is even more poor. He doesn’t care about his skin, which is even lighter than mine, and he LOVES being in the sun and sleeping on the beach, and today he’s all hurting, poor thing. But, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, so we can be sure he’ll do the same next year, or even next month, if he gets a chance. 😀
So today, I’m celebrating my life by trying to somehow get my skin to its normal state, although not much hope here, I guess the only cure is time, and recovering my feet, which I chafed quite badly yesterday ’cause we’ve had a lot of walking. But still, the trip was awesome, even though I had quite a bit of anxiety, especially while commuting, and apart from my body image not being the best today, I feel pretty good and even positive, as much as I can feel positive in my current condition. 😀 I’ve also did one challenge of my Welsh course, I had only one left to the end of my current level (YAAAAY!) and it went great too. Although last week I was pretty bad with my Welsh and haven’t done much, but this week I’m gonna get back into some more structured and routine plan with it.
And as we’re talking about Welsh, the song I picked for you guys today is also in Welsh. And again, in fact they’re two. But this time not because of my indecisive nature, but because I wanted you to have a comparison and pick which one you like more. It is a very popular, traditional Welsh song. It used to be a hymn, but nowadays it’s more of a rugby anthem as far as I know. When I was starting to learn Welsh, and was deeply frustrated with the lack of resources that wuld be good and at the same time accessible for me – as a blind person and not living in UK – my Swedish teacher told me that one of the things I can do is to learn as many things as possible by heart, which was actually also what I did wITh Swedish and it seemed to work because I was able to understand lots of peculiar or not that often used words thanks to different weird songs, nursery rhymes and poems. So I gave it a try with Welsh too and as a folklore lover I started with traditional songs, and “Calon Lân” was one of the first. And I still remember it, and have learnt quite a few words that you rarely get the chance to learn as a complete beginner. This song, as most of traditional songs in most countries, has dozens of different versions and interpretations, some are good, some aren’t, depending on the listener, but I wanted to show you the two versions of this song made by a popular Welsh singer and celebrity, Cerys Matthews. I’ve showed you a bit of Cerys before, with her band Catatonia, and solo as well, in Welsh and in English.
One of the versions, is her solo performance, and the other is featuring Fron Male Voice Choir. I am not big on choirs, regardless of in what language they sing, but, surprisingly enough, I definitely prefer the version they did together to Cerys’ solo version. I like her solo version but her performance with the choir is just better. What is your opinion?
Here are the English lyrics, they’re a direct translation. You can find them, as well as alternative translations on
I don’t ask for a luxurious life,
the world’s gold or its fine pearls,
I ask for a happy heart,
an honest heart, a pure heart.
A pure heart full of goodness
Is fairer than the pretty lily,
None but a pure heart can sing,
Sing in the day and sing in the night.
If I wished for worldly wealth,
It would swiftly go to seed;
The riches of a virtuous, pure heart
Will bear eternal profit.
(Chorus)
Evening and morning, my wish
Rising to heaven on the wing of song
For God, for the sake of my Saviour,
To give me a pure heart.
(Chorus)
Today I want to show you another Cerys Matthews’ song in Welsh. It is from one of her solo albums, made in collaboration with another artist who is very popular in Wales – Gruff Rhys. It is such a beautiful song, my favourite from this album.
Yeah I’m still here, came back from the second round of exams on Tuesday evening and had to settle a bit, but I’m back, at least until 15th, but anyway…
Recently I shared with you a song by the popular Welsh band called Catatonia and I mentioned I’m going to share with you some solo work of Cerys Mattews, their vocalist, and here’s one of the songs by her I want to show you. They’ll be all in Welsh, I guess because of Catatonia being so popular lots of people have heard at least one of their songs, which are almost all in English, so I decided that Cerys’ songs that I’ll show you will be all i Welsh. To show you something different and to stick to what people say about me, that I listen to “niche” music.
So today’s song is called “Carolina”. As a regular BBC Radio Cymru listener I have noticed they must really like this song there ’cause they play it pretty often, but maybe it’s just because of Matthews’ general popularity over there in Wales. The video has the lyrics, which are as cool as the song imo. I hope you’ll enjoy. 🙂
My Inner MishMash 