【美語壇春之聲歌曲活動】 --介紹並翻譯愛爾蘭民歌 Danny Boy

介紹並翻譯愛爾蘭民歌 "Danny Boy"

 

[Introduction]

"Danny Boy" is considered to be an unofficial signature song and anthem, particularly by Irish Americans and Irish Canadians.  It is one of the most popular songs around the world.

"Danny Boy" was a ballad written by a English songwriter and a lawyer Frederic Weatherly in 1910.  The song did not gain the popularity as he thought until he set the lyrics to the Irish tune of the "Londonderry Air" in 1913.

Londonderry is a North Ireland county.  English word 'air' stands for '小調，小曲'.  Londonderry Air has been aound for long time.  Jane Ross of Limavady is credited with collecting the melody of "Londonderry Air" in the mid-19th century from a musician she encountered. 

Frederic's American sister-in-law in Colorado happened to hear this tune in a Irish immigration gathering.  She noted it down and passed it to her brother-in-law.

There are various theories as to the true meaning of "Danny Boy".  Some listeners have interpreted the song to be a message from a parent to a son going off to war or leaving as part of the Irish diaspora. 

But Frederic Weatherly mentioned that his song did not reflect any war. 

The song's popularity was surely because of the beautiful melody。  it is also  because that it touches people's heart by dealing love, separation and reunion, life and death.  I still remember one time I was in Atlanta in a park.  Thousands of Irish people gathered there for a ethnic ceremony.  People put on traditional attire, women in long colorful skirts and man in short skirts.  Children played in the meadow.  Everything is soaked in a lovely Danny Boy melody.

[My Translation of the Lyrics]
 

The King's Singers - Danny boy Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen and down the mountain side The summer's gone and all the roses falling 'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide But come ye back when summer's in the meadow Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow 'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow Oh, Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so But when ye come and all the flowers are dying If I am dead, as dead I well may be You’ll come and find the place where I am lying And you'll then say an "Ave" there for me And I shall hear though soft ye tread above me And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be For you'll bend and tell me that you love me And I shall sleep in peace, until you come to me

少年丹尼 噢！少年丹尼，那風笛，風笛在呼喚 在山穀徊蕩，又飄向山那邊 夏天已逝去，玫瑰花在凋零 你必須離去我隻能等待 當你回來時，綠茵鋪滿大地 或山穀沉靜，白雪皚皚 我將迎接你，不管烈日或風雨 噢！少年丹尼，噢！少年丹尼，我愛你 如果你回來時百花已經枯萎 也許我已經長眠在此 你會前來找到我的墳墓 並且會跪下為我祈禱。 而當我聽那輕柔的腳步在頭頂 我的墳墓更加溫暖謐靜 因你會俯身並低聲說著“我愛你” 我將從此安息，直到你再次來臨。

 
[My singing ]




[Please enjoy Danny Boy performed by King's Singers]