CapercaillieSkye Waulking SongThis track is from the album Nadurra, released in 2000. (Nadurra is Gaelic for naturally)

CapercailleCapercaille is a Celtic, modern

Folk Band.

It is made up of 8 musicians mainly from Scotland & Ireland.

It was formed in Oban (Scotland) in 1984, & has become famous worldwide.

Capercaille continued…They play traditional folk instruments

(uilleannn pipes, flute, fiddle, accordian & bouzouki) over more modern instruments like drums, keyboard & bass guitar.

Their singer, Karen Matheson, mainly sings in Scots Gaelic.

Their music is a mix of traditional Celtic songs & more contemporary ideas & modern drum beats.

‘Skye Waulking Song’

Chuir M’Athair Mise Dahn Taige Charraideach

The full title translates as ‘My Father Sent Me to a House of Sorrow’.

The song is a mixture of traditional folk music and popular music.

InstrumentationTraditional

fiddle

uilleann pipes

whistle

accordian

bouzouki

Modernguitar

bass guitar

drum kit

keyboard (2)

Structure8 verses based on the same melody but slightly different chordsIntro Begins with sustained

keyboard chord Fiddle joins in (tremolo) Drums, 2nd keyboard and

bouzouki join in (counterpoint)

Bass playing staccato

(verses 1-3) Traditional (fairly simple

beat). It’s in E minor (chords

switch between Em & G). Quiet, calm & peaceful. Focus on the singer

Verses 4-6 Full rhythm section drives

song forward. It’s in G major. Chords C, G, Em C, G Mostly louder Instrumental Pipes and fiddle solo in a

heterophonic texture. Improvising.

Verse 7 Chords change to Am9-Em9,Em C, GVerse 8 Chords change back to C G Em

C GOutro Vocals improvise to nonsense

syllables. Instruments weave counterpoint. Long fade-out to end.

Structure8 verses based on the same melody but slightly different chordsIntro sustained keyboard chord

EF#GA

chords switch between Em G

Verses 1-3

Em G

Verses 4-6 C G Em C G

Instrumental C G Em C G

Verse 7 Am9 Em9 Em C G

Verse 8 C G Em C G

Outro C G C G

etc.

Time Signature/RhythmsBasically in 12/8 (4 beats in a

bar)

the singer sings in 12/8, but sometimes the hi-hat plays on every other quaver so it also feels la bit like 6/4.

2 more thingsThe melody is based on the

pentatonic scale. E G A B D or G A B D E

The song ends with a fade out.

LyricsThe lyrics are in Scots Gaelic.

Words in italics are ‘nonsense’ syllables

Chuir m’athair mise dha’n taigh charraideach

Hi ri huraibhi o ho‘N oidhche sin a rinn e bhanais

dhomhO hi a bho ro hu o ho

Lyrical MeaningThe lines of the verses are taken

from a 13th century lament called ‘Sethan, Son of the King of Ireland’.

It’s about a girl who is unhappy with the marriage her Father has arranged for her.

Waulking?A stage in traditional clothmaking.

Woollen cloth/tweed was cleaned, thickened & softened by this process.

Women pounded the cloth against a table or trampled on it.

Women sang songs to pass time & keep the rhythm of the pounding.